The murine lung microbiome is disbalanced by the human-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus resulting in enrichment of anaerobic bacteria.

Abstract

Here, we report significant changes in the composition of the lung microbiome and metabolome of mice under immune suppression, infection of immunosuppressed mice with virulent and avirulent strains of the clinically important human-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, and treatment with the clinically used antifungal drug voriconazole. Our data also indicate the important role of the gut microbiome for lung homeostasis mediated by the plasma metabolome. In the lung microbiome, DNA sequencing indicates that infection by A. fumigatus leads to a significant increase of anaerobic bacteria, most prominently of Ligilactobacillus murinus; the latter has been confirmed by qPCR analyses. We also isolated live bacteria, including L. murinus, from the murine lower respiratory tract. Co-cultivation of L. murinus and A. fumigatus leads to a reduction in oxygen concentration accompanied by an increase of L. murinus cells, suggesting that A. fumigatus establishes a microaerophilic niche, thereby promoting growth of anaerobic bacteria.