PONE-D-22-28249A potential marker of radiation based on 16S rDNA in the rat model: intestinal floraPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Yongqi Liu,

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: No

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5. Review Comments to the Author

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Reviewer #1: Reviewer comments are attached in the manuscript pdf file. overall, authors performed a rigorous technic and methodology. A a further explanation and discussion are required. Additional figure to describ the study design is needed.

Reviewer #2: Recent study in microbiome is just providing insight into the composition, pattern, and predict functions of the intestinal microbiome in SD rats, and certain abundant genera and species could serve as a biomarker for diagnosis and treatment. in this regard this MS is timely and valuble.

1. Requires edition> Example: Abstract part (line 5. Microbiotas. Punctuation: line. 28 change .). Ethics statement: line 5. 222℃. EP tubes. it is not usual, to begin with, a number (5g of a mouse). (Five grams of…). SD rats. In its first use: Sprague Dawley rates.

2. Introduction. After irradiation, it can cause DNA double-strand or single-strand breaks and other biological effects. It has been shown that the gut microbiota regulates the efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy through a "TIMER" mechanism, which suggests a reduction in translocation, immune regulation, metabolism, enzymatic degradation, and diversity. Requires citation.

. Casero found … David C et al in 2017 found...

. Zhang also shows…. Zhang A and Steen TY in 2017 also showed...

3. They act together on the body to play a total defense function, which is called a biological barrier. .... begin to play their pathogenic role. Citation Required.

4. Result From 16S rDNA sequencing: How many counts were generated and what % of proportion clustered with similarity indicated unique OTUs?

5. Your mention of the “metagenomic" intestinal flora is not clear for readers and requires further clear writing. As several previous studies on the mammalian gut have included humans and ratio [27] clarify.

6. These could be the limitations of the study

(1) There are only three samples in each group, so the sample size is too small. (2) how do specific bacterial species modulate inflammatory responses?

7. This could be your recommendation: (3) Whether these findings could translate into a therapeutic approach for the treatment of radiation-induced diseases in humans deserves further attention.

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Reviewer #1: Yes: Arif Sabta Aji

Reviewer #2: Yes: Gizachew Taddesse AKALU

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Attachments

Attachment

Submitted filename: PONE-D-22-28249_Comments.pdf

A potential marker of radiation based on 16S rDNA in the rat model: intestinal flora

PONE-D-22-28249R1

Dear Dr. Yongqi Liu,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Awatif Abid Al-Judaibi, PhD

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Dear Authors,

Thank you for your positive response to the reviewers' comments, I submitted final decision as accept, but two comments I requested you to revised them in the final document:

1. comment number 4 of reviewer 1, you answer the question but did not add the abbreviation meaning in the article. Kindly add them to the article, this will help readers to follow your methodology.

2. comment number 4 of reviewer 2, you added the percentage but not the counted number. Also, it will be helpful to readers if you add the counted number.