# INFLUENCES OF NORMAL MICROFLORA ON GUT HISTOLOGY

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN · 1987 · $159,332

## Abstract

The research proposed is focused on mammals and microorganisms indigenous
to their gastrointestinal tracts.  The long-term goals are to learn how
such microorganisms remain and proliferate in their habitats and how they
influence certain physiological activities in their animal hosts.  The
specific aims are to learn 1) the mechanisms by which indigenous
microorganisms associate with gastrointestinal epithelial surfaces, and 2)
the mechanisms by which such microorganisms modify the rates of mitosis and
extrusion of intestinal epithelial cells.  Germfree, gnotobiotic and
specific pathogen-free rodents are used.  Findings from the research help
guide experiments on related research with humans, especially research
concerned with how pathogenic bacteria and yeasts adhere to epithelial
surfaces.  The findings help as well to explain observations made in
instestinal diseases in man (e.g., "small bowel overgrowth" syndrome,
pseudomembranous colitis and neonatal botulism), and add to a body of
knowledge on prokaryote-eukaryotic interactions of interest to cell
biologists and ecologists.

In research toward the first specific aims, strains of indigenous bacteria
(especially anaerobic species) and yeast are isolated from epithelial
surfaces in the murine gastrointestinal tract.  Surface components of the
microbial cells are isolated, purified and assayed for their function in
the adhesion of the cells to the epithelial surface.  Genes encoding such
materials are localized (on plasmids or chromosomes), cloned by recombinant
DNA techniques, and utilized in attempts to confirm the molecular identity
of microbial adhesives.

In research toward the second specific aim, epithelial cells (enterocytes)
are isolated from the upper small intestines of germfree mice and mice
associated with a microflora.  Extracts of the cells are assayed for
enzymes that catalyze reactions important in the uptake of nucleic acid
precursors and their incorporation into cellular DNA and RNA.  The rates of
mitosis and extrusion of the epithelial cells are also compared in the
germfree and associated mice.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3125051
- **Project number:** 5R01AI011858-15
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
- **SAM.gov UEI:** Y8CWNJRCNN91
- **Principal Investigator:** DWAYNE C. SAVAGE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $159,332
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1976-09-01 → 1989-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3125051

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3125051, INFLUENCES OF NORMAL MICROFLORA ON GUT HISTOLOGY (5R01AI011858-15). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3125051. Licensed CC0.

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