Experimental inheritance of antibiotic acquired dysbiosis affects host phenotypes across generations

Abstract

Microbiomes can enhance the health, fitness and even evolutionary potential of their hosts. Many organisms propagate favorable microbiomes fully or partially via vertical transmission. In the long term, such co-propagation can lead to the evolution of specialized microbiomes and functional interdependencies with the host. However, microbiomes are vulnerable to environmental stressors, particularly anthropogenic disturbance such as antibiotics, resulting in dysbiosis. In cases where microbiome transmission occurs, a disrupted microbiome may then become a contagious pathology causing harm to the host across generations. We tested this hypothesis using the specialized socially transmitted gut microbiome of honey bees as a model system. By experimentally passaging tetracycline-treated microbiomes across worker ‘generations’ we found that an environmentally acquired dysbiotic phenotype is heritable. As expected, the antibiotic treatment disrupted the microbiome, eliminating several common and functionally important taxa and strains. When transmitted, the dysbiotic microbiome harmed the host in subsequent generations. Particularly, naïve bees receiving antibiotic-altered microbiomes died at higher rates when challenged with further antibiotic stress. Bees with inherited dysbiotic microbiomes showed alterations in gene expression linked to metabolism and immunity, among other pathways, suggesting effects on host physiology. These results indicate that there is a possibility that sublethal exposure to chemical stressors, such as antibiotics, may cause long-lasting changes to functional host-microbiome relationships, possibly weakening the host’s progeny in the face of future ecological challenges. Future studies under natural conditions would be important to examine the extent to which negative microbiome-mediated phenotypes could indeed be heritable and what role this may play in the ongoing loss of biodiversity.

Microbial Therapy and Breast Cancer Management: Exploring Mechanisms, Clinical Efficacy, and Integration within the One Health Approach

“…In animal studies, westernized diet-associated bacteria exerted transgenerational effects in utero, resulting in chronic disease and cancer in mice [140]. Furthermore, antibioticaffected microbial communities in bees led to significant alterations in gene expression in the host, which could also be passed down through generations [141]. Such findings signify the close relationship between the microbiome, normal host functions, genetic changes, and the ability to pass these changes across generations.…”

Biodiversity and Challenges of Honey Bee Population in Pakistan

“…The AMR genes in honey bees either come from the environment or resistance is developed within the gut microbiota of honey bees when they are exposed to antibiotics in apiculture or uptake it from the contaminated environment [126,127]. The inheritance of antibiotic-acquired dysbiosis affects and AMR development can affect the phenotypes across generations [128,129]. The intestinal microbiome of honey bees may contain human and animal pathogens, e.g.…”

Non-Canonical Aspects of Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance

“…Beekeeping, for instance, uses antibiotics, and the welfare of bees is not only of interest because of honey production but also (or rather mostly) for their invaluable pollination activity. Antibiotic administration to honeybees alters their microbiota in ways that are transferred to following generations, and this dysbiosis affects the health of the animals [ 333 ]. Aquatic animals that live in water bodies used for aquaculture are also exposed to high doses of the drugs intended for farmed fish.…”