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Getting the Hologenome Concept Right: an Eco-Evolutionary Framework for Hosts and Their Microbiomes

Kevin R. Theis, Nolwenn M. Dheilly, Jonathan L. Klassen and 12 more

mSystems · 2016 · CC BY

doi:10.1128/msystems.00028-16

Abstract

Given the complexity of host-microbiota symbioses, scientists and philosophers are asking questions at new biological levels of hierarchical organization—what is a holobiont and hologenome? When should this vocabulary be applied? Are these concepts a null hypothesis for host-microbe systems or limited to a certain spectrum of symbiotic interactions such as host-microbial coevolution? Critical discourse is necessary in this nascent area, but productive discourse requires that skeptics and proponents use the same lexicon.

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