HLA-B27 transgenic animals have significant alterations in gut microbiota by 16s rDNA sequencing.

<p>WT: wild-type Lewis rats; B27/B2M: (21–3×283–2)F1 HLA-B27/hβ2m transgenic Lewis rats; B2M: 283–2 hβ2m expressing transgenic rats; * designates p<0.05.</p

Relative differences in <i>Bacteroides vulgatus</i> and <i>Akkermansia muciniphila</i> shown by A, quantitative PCR using the 16S rRNA gene as a reference, and B, by traditional PCR using whole cecum samples in cohort 1.

<p>Relative differences in <i>Bacteroides vulgatus</i> and <i>Akkermansia muciniphila</i> shown by A, quantitative PCR using the 16S rRNA gene as a reference, and B, by traditional PCR using whole cecum samples in cohort 1.</p

Genus level analysis differences from A, cecal lumen specimens, and B, cecal mucosal samples from cohort 3.

<p>Genus level analysis differences from A, cecal lumen specimens, and B, cecal mucosal samples from cohort 3.</p

Principal coordinates analysis from combined cecal lumen and cecal mucosa samples from cohort 3.

<p>Principal coordinates analysis from combined cecal lumen and cecal mucosa samples from cohort 3.</p

16S rRNA gene sequencing principal coordinates analysis from non-co-housed rats shows significant differences in cecal microbiota between genotypes.

<p>A. Cecal lumen samples from cohort 3; B, Cecal mucosa samples from cohort 3; C, Phylum-level analysis from cecum lumen samples; D, Phylum-level analysis from cecum mucosa samples. WT: wild type rats; B2M: hβ2 microglobulin; B27/B2M: HLA-B27/hβ2 microglobulin transgenic rats.</p

Rat cohorts used in experiments.

<p>WT: wild type; see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0105684#pone-0105684-t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a> for genotype designations.</p

HLA-B27/hβ2m transgenic rat lines.

<p>Adapted from <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0105684#pone.0105684-Taurog2" target="_blank">[35]</a>.</p

BRISK analysis of whole cecum samples from cohort 1 shows microbial diversity differences on a species level between HLA-B27/hβ2m animals and co-housed wild type animals.

<p>A. Each line on the heat map represents a different bacterial species and the color code represents the relative abundance of that organism, with yellow indicating the highest abundance. B, Specific species differences are highlighted, with a black dot indicating statistically significant differences.</p