LachnoGut targets the role of Lachnospiraceae, a dominant family of commensal gut bacteria, in intestinal ecosystem
stability, with a focus unknown lineage and on the critical weaning window in pigs and rabbits. Weaning triggers
digestive disorders and microbiota instability, managed through antibiotics. LachnoGut proposes a commensal-based
microbial ecological engineering strategy centered on the rational design and introduction of Lachnospiraceae
assemblages selected for their capacity to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and their downstream effects on
intestinal barrier function. The project unfolds in four tasks: (1) isolation and genomic characterisation of
Lachnospiraceae strains via high-throughput anaerobic culturomics; (2) functional screening and
genotype/phenotype mapping for SCFA production; (3) inference of functional traits and ecological
complementarities from genomic and phenotypic data to support the rational design of bacterial assemblages
optimising SCFA production, functional diversity, phylogenetic diversity, and colonisation capacity and (4) in vivo
validation of colonisation and gut health effects in a rabbit model. The consortium brings together complementary
expertise in microbiology, bioinformatics, ecological mathematical modelling, and animal physiology. By combining
culturomics, microbial community design, and animal experimentation, LachnoGut aims to reduce antibiotic use in
livestock and generate knowledge transferable to human health.