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Microbiota Analysis Using Two-step PCR and Next-generation 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing
Published on: October 15, 2019
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Estimates of microbiome heritability across hosts
Andrew H Morris1, Brendan J M Bohannan2
1Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA. andrewmorris@mailbox.org.
Nature Microbiology
|November 15, 2024
Summary
Microbiome heritability is frequently reported in plants and animals, suggesting potential for host-microbiome coevolution. Further research across diverse hosts is needed to confirm generalizability and explore environmental influences.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Microbiomes influence host traits, implying potential for evolutionary adaptation via host selection.
- Heritability of microbiome attributes is crucial for microbiome-mediated host adaptation.
- Previous studies on microbiome heritability are primarily focused on vertebrate and plant hosts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize existing evidence on the heritability of microbiome attributes across different host types.
- To assess the potential for microbiome-mediated evolution in response to host selection.
- To identify knowledge gaps and suggest future research directions for microbiome heritability studies.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and meta-analysis of published studies estimating microbiome heritability.
- Categorization of studies based on host type (e.g., vertebrate, plant, invertebrate).
- Synthesis of findings regarding the significance and magnitude of reported heritability estimates.
Main Results:
- Significant heritability of microbiome attributes has been frequently reported across various studies.
- Most published heritability estimates are concentrated in studies of vertebrate and plant hosts.
- Evidence suggests that microbiomes possess the heritable variation necessary for host-level selection to act upon.
Conclusions:
- Microbiome heritability supports the potential for microbiome-mediated evolution and host adaptation.
- Broader host-range studies are essential to draw generalizable conclusions about microbiome evolution.
- Standardizing heritability measurements and investigating environmental contributions are key for future research and applications in conservation, agriculture, and medicine.
