Abstract
The gut microbiome, which is composed of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and is involved in multiple essential physiological processes, changes measurably as a person ages, and can be associated with negative health outcomes. Microbiome transplants have been proposed as a method to improve gut function and reduce or reverse multiple disorders, including age-related diseases. Here, we take advantage of the laboratory model organism, Drosophila melanogaster, to test the effects of transplanting the microbiome of a young fly into middle-aged flies, across multiple genetic backgrounds and both sexes, to test whether age-related lifespan could be increased, and late-life physical health declines mitigated. Our results suggest that, overall, microbiome transplants do not improve longevity and may even be detrimental in flies, and the health effects of microbiome transplants were minor, but sex- and genotype-dependent. This discovery supports previous evidence that axenic flies, those with no gut microbiome, live healthier and longer lives than their non-axenic counterparts. The results of this study suggest that, at least for fruit flies, microbiome transplants may not be a viable intervention to improve health and longevity, though more research is still warranted.