However, it should be noted that colonization of germ-free Bmal-1IEC−/− mice with cecal contents of inflamed IL-10-/- mice but not clock- deficient Bmal-1IEC−/− mice induced inflammatory immune responses,12 suggesting that primarily IL-10 deficiency induced dysbiosis of the gut microbiome with colitis-promoting effects on the murine host. This evidence concerns the gene CLOCK and colitis.