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Abstract:
The close association between animals and their associated microbiota is usually beneficialfor both partners. Here, we used a simple marine model invertebrate, theflatwormMacro-stomum lignano, to characterize the host-microbiota interaction in detail. This analysisrevealed that the different developmental stages each harbor a specific microbiota. Studieswith gnotobiotic animals clarified the physiological significance of the microbiota. While nofitness benefits were mediated by the microbiota when food was freely available, animalswith microbiota showed significantly increasedfitness with a reduced food supply. Themicrobiota ofM. lignanoshows circadian rhythmicity, affecting both the total bacterial loadand the behavior of specific taxa. Moreover, the presence of the worm influences thecomposition of the bacterial consortia in the environment. In summary, theMacrostomum-microbiota system described here can serve as a general model for host-microbe interactionsin marine invertebrates.
