Most humans will go through one or more dietary modifications or interventions during their lifetime (fasting,
supplementation or other dietary changes). Several studies have shown that dietary modifications can have
beneficial impacts on the host, some of which may be mediated through changes in the gut microbiome
and/or its activity. In this research, we employed a longitudinal, multi-omic approach (shotgun metagenomics,
metatranscriptomics and metabolomics) to study the impact of intermittent fasting (IF) on the gut microbiome of
healthy individuals. In general, metatranscriptomics (MTS) sequencing profiles were much more variable and
dynamic than metagenomic (MGS) sequencing profiles, with select individuals showing a strong correlation
between diet and MTS functional profiles. Additional metabolic results and analyses indicated pathway
enrichment related to fasting. In conclusion, our results indicate that metatranscriptomics can reveal discrete
changes in microbial community functional profiles that are not detected by DNA and may be better suited to
understand biological responses to dietary modifications such as intermittent fasting.