Fig. 3.—

Effects of the microbiota on global gene expression in the 14 dpf stickleback gut are weak relative to effects of host family. (A and B): An nMDS ordination of the 36 stickleback guts from OC fish in transcript space labeled by (A) microbiota treatment and (B) stickleback family. (C and D): An nMDS ordination of the 48 stickleback guts from FW fish, labeled by (C) microbiota and (D) stickleback family. In panels (A) and (C) open circles represent germ-free individuals and closed circles represent conventional individuals. In panels (B) and (D), different colors represent the two different OC families and three different FW families, respectively, included in the study. Note the clearer separation of transcriptomes by family, relative to separation by microbiota treatment.