PLS loading and score scatter plots of different biomarkers.

<p>Plots illustrate correlations between the biomarkers (brown stars) and the gut microbiota (circles) in rats fed medium-MW guar gum, HM pectin, or a fiber-free control diet in a high-fat setting. Gut microbial taxa are colored according to the phylum to which they belong (dark green = Actinobacteria; dark blue = Bacteroidetes; red = Cyanobacteria; yellow = Deferribacteres; light blue = Fibrobacteres; purple = Firmicutes; orange = Proteobacteria; pink = Tenericutes; brown = TM7; light green = Verrucomicrobia). Variables situated close or opposite to each other are positively and negatively correlated, respectively. A larger distance from the origin (0,0) indicates a stronger correlation. Bacterial genera were correlated with the biomarkers shown in large circles. The score scatter plot to the bottom left shows how each rat is situated with respect to the PLS loading plot and according to groups (green = fiber-free control; blue = medium-MW guar gum; red = HM pectin). The Clostridium genera (1–4) were from different families: <i>Clostridium1</i> was from <i>Clostridiaceae</i>, <i>Clostridium2</i> was from <i>Lachnospiraceae</i>, <i>Clostridium3</i> was from <i>Peptostreptococcaceae</i>, and <i>Clostridium4</i> was from <i>Ruminococcaceae</i>.