New paper in Science on Ecology of Microbiome
Interesting paper published by the group of Kevin Foster (Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford) that uses modeling approach to understand microbiome stability and found that microbial competition dampens cooperative networks and increases stability therefore benefiting the host.
The ecology of the microbiome: Networks, competition, and stability
Katharine Z. Coyte, Jonas Schluter, Kevin R. Foster
Science 350(6261): 663-666
ABSTRACT:
The human gut harbors a large and complex community of beneficial
microbes that remain stable over long periods. This stability
is considered critical for good health but is
poorly understood. Here we develop a body of ecological theory to help
us understand
microbiome stability. Although cooperating
networks of microbes can be efficient, we find that they are often
unstable. Counterintuitively,
this finding indicates that hosts can benefit
from microbial competition when this competition dampens cooperative
networks
and increases stability. More generally,
stability is promoted by limiting positive feedbacks and weakening
ecological interactions.
We have analyzed host mechanisms for maintaining
stability—including immune suppression, spatial structuring, and
feeding
of community members—and support our key
predictions with recent data.
