The innate immune system is present in all animals and is a crucial first line of defence
against pathogens. However, animals also harbour large numbers of beneficial …

Beneficial associations with bacteria are widespread across animals, spanning a range of
symbiont localizations, transmission routes, and functions. While some of these associations …

The exploration of microbial communities by sequencing 16S rRNA genes has expanded
with low-cost, high-throughput sequencing instruments. Illumina-based 16S rRNA gene …

Adaptation to specialized diets often requires modifications at both genomic and microbiome
levels. We applied a hologenomic approach to the common vampire bat (Desmodus …

Streptococcus pneumoniae asymptomatically colonizes the upper respiratory tract of
children and is a frequent cause of otitis media. Patterns of microbial colonization likely …

Bacteria of the genus Aeromonas display multicellular behaviors herein referred to as
“social life”. Since the 1990s, interest has grown in cell-to-cell communication through …

The vast majority of bacterial species remain uncultured, and this severely limits the
investigation of their physiology, metabolic capabilities, and role in the environment. High …

Members of the genus Aeromonas are ubiquitous in nature and have increasingly been
implicated in numerous diseases of humans and other animal taxa. Although some species …

Mutually beneficial interactions between microorganisms and animals are a conserved and
ubiquitous feature of biotic systems. In many instances animals, including humans, are …

Strictly blood-feeding leeches and their limited microbiota provide natural and powerful
model systems to examine symbiosis. Blood is devoid of essential nutrients and it is thought …