Effects of Zinc Deficiency on Colonic Microbiota

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate colonic microbiota composition in response to a dietary zinc deficiency in mice. Male, 12‐wk‐old CD‐1 mice (n=5/ diet group) were fed a zinc adequate (ZA, 30.0 ppm) or a zinc deficient (ZD, 0.85 ppm) diet for 4 weeks. Transcript levels of colonic metallothionein (MT) and the zinc transporter (Zip4) were measured by qPCR as markers of zinc status. MT mRNA levels decreased by 0.55 fold (p=0.032) while Zip4 mRNA levels increased 2.88 fold (p=0.016). ZD mice didn't experience weight loss normally associated with deficiency. However, there was a difference in weight gain (6.9%± 1.6 vs. 3.6%± 1.1, p=0.01) in ZA and ZD mice, respectively. Microbiota composition was analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing. Initial DGGE profiling suggested that ZA and ZD groups differed in intestinal microbiota composition. 454 based 16S rRNA sequencing identified various phylotypes that, at the level of 99% identity, showed significant differences (p≤0.05) between the two diet groups. Weighted UniFrac analysis of overall microbiota composition indicated that ZD grouped separately from ZA, suggesting that a 4‐week zinc deficient diet alters overall colon microbiota composition in mice. Sponsored by the University of Florida University Scholars Program