Evolutionary theory suggests that the conditions required for the establishment of mutualistic
symbioses through mutualism alone are highly restrictive, often requiring the evolution of …

Symbiotic microorganisms are extremely widespread in nature, having intimate and often
obligatory associations with theirhost'species. Despite the near ubiquity of arthropod …

No organism exists in isolation. Symbiosis describes some of the most intimate interactions
that occur between organisms; those in which some species can overcome their own …

Animals are colonized by bacteria, and in many cases partners have co-evolved to perform
mutually beneficial functions. An exciting and ongoing legacy of the past decade has been …

The study of symbiosis is quintessential systems biology. It integrates not only all levels of
biological analysis—from molecular to ecological—but also the study of the interplay …

Insects from many different taxonomic groups harbor maternally transmitted bacterial
symbionts. Some of these associations are ancient in origin and obligate in nature whereas …

Endosymbiotic bacteria closely related to mammalian pathogens are widespread in
invertebrates. Mutualistic and parasitic bacteria–host interactions on the various …

Our understanding of prokaryote–eukaryote symbioses as a source of evolutionary
innovation has been rapidly increased by the advent of genomics, which has made possible …

Vertebrates coexist with microorganisms in diverse symbiotic associations that range from
beneficial to detrimental to the host. Most research has aimed at deciphering the nature of …

The concept of symbiosis–defined in 1879 by de Bary as 'the living together of unlike
organisms'–has a rich and convoluted history in biology. In part, because it questioned the …