Reciprocal oscillation and host-microbial communication in liver metabolic control

The liver and the gastrointestinal tract are interconnected metabolic systems, each of which possesses an intrinsic circadian rhythm. Disrupting host or microbial rhythmic oscillations alters host metabolic function, just as genetic and exogenous disruptions to host metabolic function perturb host and microbial rhythms. Here, we review a few recent studies that highlight how reciprocal regulation connects the gut microbiome, the liver, and their intrinsic circadian clocks.