Supplementary Materials for Beneficial Microbes: <b><i>Bacillus subtilis </i></b><b>SF106 and </b><b><i>Bacillus clausii </i></b><b>SF174 spores reduce the inflammation and modulate the gut microbiota in a colitis model</b>

<p dir="ltr">Chronic intestinal inflammation is associated with strong alterations of the microbial composition of the gut. Probiotic treatments and microbiota-targeting approaches have been considered to reduce the inflammation, improve both gut barrier function as well as overall gastrointestinal health. Here, a murine model of experimental colitis was used to assess the beneficial health effects of <i>Bacillus subtilis </i>SF106 and <i>Bacillus clausii</i> (recently renamed <i>Alkalihalobacillus clausii</i>) SF174, two spore-forming strains previously characterised <i>in vitro </i>as potential probiotics. Experimental colitis was induced in BALB/c mice by the oral administration of dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) and groups of animals treated with spores of either strain. Spores of both strains reduced the DSS-induced inflammation with spores of <i>B. clausii </i>SF174 more effective than <i>B. subtilis </i>SF106. Spores of both strains remodelled the mouse gut microbiota favouring the presence of beneficial microbes such as members of the <i>Bacteroidetes </i>and <i>Akkermansia</i> genera.</p>