Prof. M. Denise Dearing: The roles of the host genome and gut microbiome in enabling herbivory in mammals or Eating and not dying: Strategies for dealing with dietary plant toxins

Herbivory is a common feeding strategy among mammals; yet, at every meal, herbivores are faced with the prospect of being poisoned by toxins naturally occurring in their diet. To understand differences in the detoxification abilities that exist among populations of the same species adapted to different diets, we use biochemical, pharmacological and genomic tools to identify and characterise critical liver enzymes. In addition to liver detoxification, we have experimentally documented that gut microbes play a key role in facilitating the ingestion of dietary toxins, and that these microbes and their function can be transferred to other populations and even other species of rodents. A holistic understanding of the mechanisms used by mammalian herbivores to process dietary toxins is essential for predicting and conserving biodiversity especially under changing climatic conditions.