A global initiative for ecological and evolutionary hologenomics

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Genomics

Background:

• The hologenome, encompassing the host genome and its associated microbial communities, is crucial for understanding life.
• Host-microbiota interactions play a significant role in ecological dynamics and evolutionary processes.
• A systemic approach is needed to analyze the complex interplay within the hologenome.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a global collaboration for generating and analyzing hologenomic data from wild animals.
• To develop and implement standardized methodologies for consistent and comparable data collection.
• To re-examine ecological and evolutionary questions through the lens of host-microbiota interactions.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing standardized methodologies for data generation and analysis.
• Focusing initially on vertebrate species to build a foundational dataset.
• Employing open and inclusive research principles to foster collaboration and data sharing.

Main Results:

• Generation of a comprehensive hologenomic dataset from diverse wild animal populations.
• Establishment of a global network for collaborative research on host-microbiota interactions.
• Development of novel analytical frameworks to study the hologenome.

Conclusions:

• The Earth Hologenome Initiative provides a robust framework for studying host-microbiota interactions.
• This initiative will advance our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes from a systemic perspective.
• Standardized, open-science approaches are essential for large-scale biological data generation and analysis.