Circadian rhythms of hosts and their gut microbiomes: Implications for animal physiology and ecology

Schmid, Dominik W.; Capilla-Lasheras, Pablo; Dominoni, Davide M.; Müller- Klein, Nadine; Sommer, Simone; Risely, Alice

Abstract

1. Daily light–dark cycles shape the circadian physiology and behaviour of nearly
all organisms, with variation in circadian phenotypes having cascading effects on
individual fitness, species interactions and species co-evolution.
2. Recent evidence that circadian rhythms in host immunity and metabolism are
synchronised by the gut microbiota suggest that the circadian dynamics of gut
microbes are a crucial component of their function. However, there remains little
knowledge or understanding of the diurnal dynamics of gut microbiomes in natu-
ral populations or the consequences for host physiology and ecology.
3. Here, we summarise the hallmarks of gut microbiota oscillations reported to date
and the mechanisms by which they synchronise rhythms in host immunity and
metabolism. We outline the consequences for diverse biological processes such
as host pathogen susceptibility and seasonal switches in metabolism, and discuss
how the breakdown of these circadian interactions, for example during senes-
cence or because of light pollution, may affect wildlife infection risk and disease.
4. We also provide practical guidelines for the measurement of microbial oscillations
in wildlife, highlighting that whilst faecal samples of wild animals are rarely avail -
able over a 24-h period, characterising even parts of the gut microbial cycle can
be informative.
5. An improved understanding of how gut microbial diurnal rhythms manifest in
wildlife is essential to fully comprehend their role in shaping variation in host
circadian phenotypes and the consequences for host physiology and ecology.

Citation

Schmid, D. W., Capilla-Lasheras, P., Dominoni, D. M., Müller- Klein, N., Sommer, S., & Risely, A. (2023). Circadian rhythms of hosts and their gut microbiomes: Implications for animal physiology and ecology. Functional Ecology, 37(3), 476-487. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14255

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 21, 2022
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2023
• Deposit Date: Sep 19, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 19, 2023
• Journal: Functional Ecology
• Print ISSN: 0269-8463
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 37
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 476-487
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14255