The gut bacterial communities of mammals have profound effects on host fitness, but the
processes that generate and maintain gut bacterial diversity remain poorly understood. We …

The mammalian gastrointestinal (GI) tract is inhabited by over a hundred species of
symbiotic bacteria. Differences among individuals in the composition of the GI flora may …

Mammalian gut microbiomes profoundly influence host fitness, but the processes that drive
the evolution of host-microbiome systems are poorly understood. Recent studies suggest …

Gut microbiota are shaped by a combination of ecological and evolutionary forces. While the
ecological dynamics have been extensively studied, much less is known about how species …

Host-associated microbiota composition can be conserved over evolutionary time scales.
Indeed, closely related species often host similar microbiota; ie, the composition of their …

Animals assemble and maintain a diverse but host-specific gut microbial community. In
addition to characteristic microbial compositions along the longitudinal axis of the intestines …

Humans and other mammals are colonized by trillions of microorganisms, most of which
reside in the gastrointestinal tract, that provide key metabolic capabilities, such as the …

Co-evolution between the mammalian immune system and the gut microbiota is believed to
have shaped the microbiota's astonishing diversity. Here we test the corollary hypothesis …

An appreciation of the importance of interactions between microbes and multicellular
organisms is currently driving research in biology and biomedicine. Many human diseases …

The mammalian gut teems with microbes, yet how hosts acquire these symbionts remains
poorly understood. Research in primates suggests that microbes can be picked up via social …