The altered Schaedler flora (ASF) is an eight-member defined murine gut bacterial community used in gnotobiotic mice. The community was developed as a standardized, culturable intestinal flora from mouse-derived bacteria and has been used for decades to study host-microbiota relationships, member stability, spatial distribution, immune effects, and genome-informed community metabolism.
Taxonomy
| Taxon | Ontology ID | Functional Roles | Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASF Firmicutes members — ontology label: Bacillota | NCBITaxon:1239 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
SECONDARY_FERMENTER
|
N/A |
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| ASF Lactobacillus members — ontology label: Lactobacillus | NCBITaxon:1578 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
|
N/A |
|
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| Mucispirillum schaedleri ASF457 | NCBITaxon:1379858 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
SECONDARY_FERMENTER
|
N/A |
|
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| Parabacteroides ASF519 — ontology label: Parabacteroides | NCBITaxon:375288 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
|
N/A |
|
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Ecological Interactions
The graph shows only explicitly linked interaction participants. Community members without an asserted participant link are omitted; membership alone does not imply an interaction.
Stable Defined Murine Gut Colonization
The defined mouse-derived ASF bacteria can persist across generations in gnotobiotic mice. This establishes a stable colonization phenotype, not a demonstrated member-to-member colonization-facilitation mechanism.
Participating Taxa: ASF Firmicutes members, ASF Lactobacillus members, Mucispirillum schaedleri ASF457, Parabacteroides ASF519
Biological Processes:
- biological process involved in interspecies interaction between organisms (GO:0044419 · PathwayMech)
Evidence
-
PMID:26323627 - SUPPORT (REVIEW)"stably passed through multiple generations"
ASF Gastrointestinal Spatial Partitioning
NICHE_PARTITIONINGPARTIAL - strain-specific PCR measured regional ASF abundances, with microaerotolerant ASF361 prominent in the upper gut and obligate anaerobes predominant in the cecum and colon. Oxygen sensitivity is a proposed explanation for this spatial pattern, not an isolated oxygen-manipulation result.
Participating Taxa: ASF Firmicutes members, ASF Lactobacillus members, Mucispirillum schaedleri ASF457, Parabacteroides ASF519
Biological Processes:
- biological process involved in interspecies interaction between organisms (GO:0044419 · PathwayMech)
Evidence
-
PMID:15128534 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)"Individual strain abundance was dependent on oxygen sensitivity, with microaerotolerant Lactobacillus murinus ASF361 present at 10(5) to 10(7) cells/g of tissue in the upper GI tract and obligate anaerobic ASF strains being predominant in the cecal and colonic flora"
ASF356/ASF492 Short-Chain Fatty Acid Fermentation
ASF356 and ASF492 cultures produced acetate and propionate in the primary SCFA study. Their production exceeded some other tested isolates, but this does not quantify their relative contribution within the intact ASF community or demonstrate transfer to a microbial recipient.
Participating Taxa: ASF Firmicutes members
Biological Processes:
- fermentation (GO:0006113 · PathwayMech)
Evidence
-
PMID:23828891 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"ASF 356 and 492 and C. ramosum generated more propionate"
SCFA-Linked Colonic Treg Homeostasis
PARTIAL - SCFA supplementation and Ffar2 experiments support regulation of colonic Treg abundance and function. ASF-colonized mice had luminal SCFAs, but necessary mediation by ASF356/ASF492 within the intact community was not isolated by the reviewed experiments. Reciprocal bacterial benefit is not established.
Participating Taxa: ASF Firmicutes members
Biological Processes:
- immune response (GO:0006955 · PathwayMech)
Evidence
-
PMID:23828891 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)"short-chain fatty acids, gut microbiota-derived bacterial fermentation products, regulate the size and function of the colonic Treg pool and protect against colitis"
Associated Datasets
| Dataset | Type | Repository | Accession |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Altered Schaedler Flora draft genome assemblies
Draft genome assemblies for the eight ASF members, including AQFQ00000000.1, AQFR00000000.1, AQFS00000000.1, AYGZ00000000.1, AQFT00000000.1, AYJP00000000.1, AQFU00000000.1, and AQFV00000000.1. |
GENOMICS | OTHER | ASF-genome-accessions-AQFQ-AQFV-AYGZ-AYJP |
Knowledge gaps & discussions (1)
KNOWLEDGE_GAP OPEN Which ASF members and metabolites causally control regional colonization and Treg responses?
Spatial abundance, isolate fermentation and general SCFA host perturbations support distinct observations. Oxygen effects and the contributions of individual ASF members to host responses require direct discrimination. The new short primary-source excerpt repairs the existing fermentation node only; broader missing-evidence issue #765 remains open.
Attaches to: ecological_interactions#Stable Defined Murine Gut Colonization, ecological_interactions#ASF Gastrointestinal Spatial Partitioning, ecological_interactions#ASF356/ASF492 Short-Chain Fatty Acid Fermentation, ecological_interactions#SCFA-Linked Colonic Treg Homeostasis
Environmental Factors
| Factor | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| gnotobiotic mouse gastrointestinal tract | Defined flora maintained in gnotobiotic mice | N/A |
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| anaerobic gut community members | Culturable mouse-derived intestinal bacteria | N/A |
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Growth Media
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