Gut Microbes and the Liver Circadian Clock Partition Glucose and Lipid Metabolism

Circadian rhythms govern glucose homeostasis, and their dysregulation leads to complex metabolic diseases. Gut microbes also exhibit diurnal rhythms that influence host circadian networks and metabolic processes, yet underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we show hierarchical, bi-directional communication between the liver circadian clock, gut microbes, and glucose homeostasis in mice. The liver clock, but not the forebrain clock, requires gut microbes to drive glucose clearance and gluconeogenesis. Liver clock dysfunctionality expands proportions and abundances of oscillating microbial features by two-fold relative to controls. The liver clock is the primary driver of differential and rhythmic hepatic expression of glucose and fatty acid metabolic pathways. Absent the liver clock, gut microbes provide secondary cues that dampen these rhythms, resulting in reduced utilization of lipids as fuel relative to carbohydrates. Together, the liver clock transduces signals from gut microbes necessary to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism and meet energy demands over 24 hours. HighlightsThe liver circadian clock is autonomous from the central clock in metabolic regulation Liver clock and gut microbes interact to direct hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism Reciprocating host-microbe interactions drive rhythmic hepatic transcription Perturbed liver Bmal1 results in chaotic downstream oscillators and metabolism