Germ-Free and Gnotobiotic Mouse Facility Ghent (GFMF)
The GFMF is an excellence center for functional microbiota research. The facility contains one large germ-free mouse breeding unit (>10 isolators), where germ-free C57Bl6/J, Swiss-Webster and multiple transgenic mouse lines are bred. In addition, the facility contains a gnotobiotic unit equipped with positive-pressure isocages and experimental isolators in a BSL3 environment.
The GFMF provides service for scientists at VIB-IRC and Ghent University, and for the broader scientific community in Flanders and beyond. The germ-free facility provides support to design your germ-free and gnotobiotic experiments, and trains scientists to work in the facility. Various animal experimental procedures can be organized, including colonization experiments (mono-associations, minimal consortia and complex microbiota transplantations), diet interventions, infection experiments, disease modelling (IBD, arthritis, diabetes, colorectal cancer…etc).
The GFMF provides following services:
• Supply germ-free C57Bl6/J mice for experimental procedures in the GFMF, IRC or external institutes (including germ-free shipping procedures)
• Support for custom made germ-free and gnotobiotic experiments (after ethical approval by the UZ Ghent ethics committee)
• Germ-free rederivation of transgenic mouse lines, in collaboration with IRC Trasgenic Core Facility, and subsequent germ-free breeding in the GFMF or shipment to external institutes
• Training of scientists for germ-fee and gnotobiotic experiments
• Cultivation of bacteria for gnotobiotic experiments in either aerobic or anaerobic conditions
• Sterility testing
• DNA extractions for metagenomics analyses in clean room environment
• Technical consultation
• Other services may be available on request
The state of the art GFMF infrastructure includes:
Custom built laminar flow cabinet for germ-free surgery, Experimental set up for germ-free embryo transfer, Gnotobiotic facility for colonization experiments (mono-association, microbial cocktails, FMT,…), Mouse anaesthesia device (isoflurane) for germ-free and gnotobiotic experiments, Mouse colonoscopy set up for germ-free and gnotobiotic experiments, Aerobic and anaerobic cabinets for bacteriology and tissue processing.
Selected publications
- Jans, M. et al. Colibactin-driven colon cancer requires adhesin-mediated epithelial binding. Nature 635, 472-480 (2024). Visit ➚
- Anderson, C. J. et al. Metabolite-based inter-kingdom communication controls intestinal tissue recovery following chemotherapeutic injury. Cell Host Microbe 32, 1469-1487 (2024).Anderson, C. J. et al. Metabolite-based inter-kingdom communication controls intestinal tissue recovery following chemotherapeutic injury. Cell Host Microbe 32, 1469-1487 (2024). Visit ➚
- Jans, M. & Vereecke, L. A guide to germ-free and gnotobiotic mouse technology to study health and disease. FEBS J (2024). Visit ➚
- de Wit, S. et al. Heart failure-induced microbial dysbiosis contributes to colonic tumour formation in mice. Cardiovasc Res 120, 612-622 (2024).de Wit, S. et al. Heart failure-induced microbial dysbiosis contributes to colonic tumour formation in mice. Cardiovasc Res 120, 612-622 (2024). Visit ➚
- Thiran, A. et al. Sterile triggers drive joint inflammation in TNF and IL-1b dependent mouse arthritis models. EMBO Molecular Medicine, 15, e17691(2023). Visit ➚
- Xie, J. et al. Gut microbiota regulates blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier function and Abeta pathology. EMBO J, e111515 (2023). Visit ➚
- Degraeve, A. L. et al. Gut microbiome modulates tacrolimus pharmacokinetics through the transcriptional regulation of ABCB1. Microbiome 11, 138 (2023).Degraeve, A. L. et al. Gut microbiome modulates tacrolimus pharmacokinetics through the transcriptional regulation of ABCB1. Microbiome 11, 138 (2023). Visit ➚
- Wynendaele, E. et al. The quorum sensing peptide EntF* promotes colorectal cancer metastasis in mice: a new factor in the host-microbiome interaction. BMC Biol 20, 151 (2022).Wynendaele, E. et al. The quorum sensing peptide EntF* promotes colorectal cancer metastasis in mice: a new factor in the host-microbiome interaction. BMC Biol 20, 151 (2022). Visit ➚
- Villar, V. H. et al. Hepatic glutamine synthetase controls N(5)-methylglutamine in homeostasis and cancer. Nat Chem Biol 19, 292–300 (2023). Visit ➚
- Anderson, C. J. et al. Microbes exploit death-induced nutrient release by gut epithelial cells. Nature 596, 262-267 (2021). Visit ➚
- Slowicka, K. et al. Zeb2 drives invasive and microbiota-dependent colon carcinoma. Nature Cancer 1, 620-634 (2020). Visit ➚
- Van Hove, H. et al. A single-cell atlas of mouse brain macrophages reveals unique transcriptional identities shaped by ontogeny and tissue environment. Nat Neurosci 22, 1021–1035 (2019). Visit ➚
External links
- Video GFMF Visit ➚