The mice also lost weight as the changes in gut bacteria promoted the formation of beige fat.
由于肠道细菌的改变促进了灰褐色脂肪的形成,这些老鼠的重量也下降了.
Professor Trajkovski said: 'These findings demonstrate that gut microbes directly regulate the energy balance in response to changes in the environment.'
特拉伊科夫斯基教授说："这些发现证明肠道微生物可以直接调节能量平衡以应对环境变化."
However, after three weeks of cold exposure, body weight began to stabilise.
不过,暴露在寒冷中三周后,体重就开始稳定下来.
The intestine grew so it absorbed more nutrients from food, offsetting any additional weight loss.
因为肠道开始成长,所以从食物中吸收了更多的营养,弥补了任何额外的体重下降.
He added: 'These findings demonstrate that gut microbes enable mammals to harvest more energy from food as a way to adapt to the increased energy demand associated with long periods of cold exposure, thereby helping to protect against hypothermia.
他补充说,这些发现证明肠道微生物能够使哺乳动物从食物中收获更多能量,以此适应与长时间暴露在低温下有关的能量需求上升,从而有助于防止体温过低.
'We were surprised to see that gut microbes had such dramatic effects on the structure and function of the intestine.'
"我们很惊讶地发现肠道微生物对肠道结构和功能有如此巨大的影响."
The team now plans to study the molecular mechanisms by which gut microbes sense changes in the environment, such as cold, which affect how much energy a person uses up.
该团队现在正计划研究分子机制,通过它肠道微生物可以意识到像寒冷这样的环境变化,这种环境变化可以影响一个人到底能消耗多少能量.
They are also looking into how changing certain gut bacteria may prevent obesity by remodelling intestinal tissue and thereby decreasing the absorption of nutrients in the gut.
他们也正在研究某种肠道细菌的改变可能会如何通过改变肠道组织结构来阻止肥胖,从而降低肠道中营养成分的吸收.
