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Physiological Characterization of the Coral Holobiont Using a New Micro-Respirometry Tool
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Phenotype Heritability in Holobionts: An Evolutionary Model.
Saúl Huitzil1,2, Santiago Sandoval-Motta2,3,4, Alejandro Frank2,5
1Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation
|December 2, 2020
Summary
The missing heritability in complex diseases may be explained by considering the host and its microbiota together. Including microbiome genetic variation significantly reduces the heritability gap, highlighting its crucial role in disease susceptibility.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Genomics
- Microbiology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Complex Disease Research
Background:
- Complex diseases exhibit high incidence in specific populations, suggesting heritability.
- Genetic studies fail to fully explain this heritability, a phenomenon termed the 'missing heritability' problem.
- The host's microbiota significantly influences host phenotype, including complex disease development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether host-microbiota interactions contribute to the missing heritability in complex diseases.
- To evaluate the role of microbiome genetic variation in explaining heritability gaps.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an evolutionary model based on gene regulatory networks.
- Compared phenotypic variability generated by the host alone versus the holobiont (host plus microbiota).
Main Results:
- The holobiont model generated significantly greater phenotypic variability compared to the host alone.
- Incorporating microbiome genetic variation substantially reduced the missing heritability of complex phenotypes.
Conclusions:
- The genetic variation within the host's microbiota is a major contributor to the missing heritability of complex diseases.
- A significant portion of missing heritability can be attributed to the microbiome, emphasizing the importance of studying the holobiont.
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