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Updated: Aug 22, 2025
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An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota
Published on: July 31, 2019
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Horizontal gene transfer and ecological interactions jointly control microbiome stability.
Katharine Z Coyte1, Cagla Stevenson2, Christopher G Knight3
1Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Plos Biology
|November 9, 2022
Summary
Resistance genes in microbiomes boost overall community stability, especially when mobile. However, their impact on individual species depends on gene mobility and ecological interactions, affecting community dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Resistance genes are common in microbiomes, often on mobile genetic elements.
- Their impact on microbial community dynamics and stability is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how resistance genes and their mobility affect microbiome stability using eco-evolutionary theory.
- To understand the interplay between gene transfer, ecological interactions, and community stability.
Main Methods:
- Developed eco-evolutionary theory to model microbiome dynamics.
- Conducted experiments with soil microcosms to validate theoretical predictions.
Main Results:
- Adding resistance genes generally increases overall microbiome stability, particularly mobile genes.
- Impact on individual taxa varies based on gene mobility and ecological interactions.
- Mobile resistance genes increased stability for susceptible recipients but decreased it for donors.
Conclusions:
- Horizontal gene transfer and ecological interactions are crucial for microbiome eco-evolutionary dynamics.
- Mobile resistance genes can stabilize susceptible taxa but destabilize donor taxa.
- Community stability is influenced by the location (mobile vs. chromosomal) of resistance genes.
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