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Symbiosis

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community

Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community

Published on: May 28, 2007

Fidelity in co-diversified symbiosis.

Inès Pons¹, Marleny García-Lozano², Christiane Emmerich²

¹Mutualisms Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany. ines.pons-guillouard@tuebingen.mpg.de.

Nature Communications

|February 12, 2026

Summary

Symbiotic bacteria, Stammera capleta, can colonize new tortoise beetle species. However, host development and symbiont transmission depend on the genetic relatedness between the symbiont and its host.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community

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Published on: May 28, 2007

Production of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) Fungal Inoculum and Phenotypic Evaluation of Rice and AM Symbiosis Under Saline Conditions

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Published on: March 14, 2025

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency

Published on: June 16, 2011

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Evolutionary Biology
Symbiosis Research

Background:

Obligate co-dependence in symbiosis leads to heritable partnerships.
Quantifying partner fidelity is challenging due to experimental constraints in symbiont exchange.

Purpose of the Study:

To experimentally exchange Stammera capleta symbionts between tortoise beetle species.
To determine the impact of symbiont genetic relatedness on host development and transmission fidelity.

Main Methods:

Leveraging the vertical transmission of S. capleta through egg-associated spheres.
Experimentally exchanging S. capleta between different beetle species.
Analyzing host transcriptional response and developmental outcomes.

Main Results:

Non-native S. capleta successfully colonized novel host symbiotic organs.
Interaction outcomes correlated with the genetic relatedness between symbiont and host.
Genetically distant symbionts induced stronger host responses but only partially rescued development.
Closely related symbionts did not transmit to the next generation.

Conclusions:

Host-symbiont compatibility and local adaptation drive specificity in ancient partnerships.
Transmission fidelity is a critical factor in maintaining symbiotic relationships.
Genetic relatedness influences both host response and symbiont propagation.