WEB FOCUS
Symbiosis
In this focus
Life depends on relationships. The enormous technological progress achieved in recent years has made it possible to investigate the 'simple' one-on-one interactions between two species as well as defining the associations between complex microbial communities and humans. These efforts have provided insights reaching from the identification of the participating partners to defining beneficial molecular and cellular interactions. This web focus both reflects the broad scope of symbiosis research and demonstrates how similar the underlying concepts are, independent of the system investigated. It is certainly a fascinating and fast-moving field, as we hope is portrayed in this selection of papers.
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Current Research
Article
A microbial symbiosis factor prevents intestinal inflammatory disease
Mazmanian S. K., Round J. L., R & Kasper D. L.
Nature 453, 620–625 (29 May 2008) doi:10.1038/nature07008
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
News and views
Immunology: Soothing intestinal sugars
Kullberg, M. C
Nature 453, 602 (29 May 2008) doi:10.1038/453602a
News Feature
Microbiology: The inside story
Mullard, A.
Nature 453, 578 (29 May 2008) doi:10.1038/453578a
News
Microbiology: Straight from the gut
Mandavilli, A
Nature 453, 581 (29 May 2008) doi:10.1038/449136a
Letter
The genome of Laccaria bicolor provides insights into mycorrhizal symbiosis
Martin, F. et al.
Nature 452, 88–92 (6 Mar 2008) doi:10.1038/nature06556
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
News and views
Genomics: Fungal symbiosis unearthed
Cullen, D.
Nature 452, 42–43 (6 Mar 2008) doi:10.1038/452042a
Letter
Metagenomic and functional analysis of hindgut microbiota of a wood-feeding higher termite
Warnecke, F. et al.
Nature 450, 560–565 (22 Nov 2008) doi:10.1038/nature06269
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
News and views
Microbiology: Woodworker's digest
Brune, A.
Nature 450, 487–488 (22 Nov 2008) doi:10.1038/450487a
Feature
The human Microbiome Project
Turnbaugh, P.J. et al.
Nature 449, 804–810 (18 Oct 2007) doi:10.1038/nature06244
Review Article
An ecological and evolutionary perspective on human—microbe mutualism and disease
Dethlefsen, L., McFall-Ngai, M., Relman, DA.
Nature 449, 811–818 (18 Oct 2007) doi:10.1038/nature06245
News Feature
Fungal roles in soil ecology: Underground networking
Whitfield, J.
Nature 449, 136–138 (13 Sep 2007) doi:10.1038/449136a
Letter
Herpesvirus latency confers symbiotic protection from bacterial infection
Barton, E.S. et al.
Nature 447, 326–329 (17 May 2007) doi:10.1038/nature05762
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
Letter
Evolution of species interactions in a biofilm community
Hansen, S.K., Rainey, P.B., Haagensen, J.A. & Molin, S.
Nature 445, 533–536 (1 Feb 2007) doi:10.1038/nature05514
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
Essay
Adaptive Immunity: Care for the community
McFall-Ngai, M.
Nature 445, 153 (11 Jan 2007) doi:10.1038/445153a
Brief Communications
Microbial ecology: Human gut microbes associated with obesity
Ley, R.E., Turnbaugh, P.J., Klein, S. & Gordon, J.I.
Nature 444, 1022–1023 (21 Dec 2006) doi:10.1038/4441022a
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
Article
An obesity-associated gut microbiome with increased capacity for energy harvest
Turnbaugh, P.J. et al.
Nature 444, 1027–1031 (21 Dec 2006) doi:10.1038/nature05414
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
Letter
Characterization of a carbohydrate transporter from symbiotic glomeromycotan fungi
Schüssler, A., Martin, H., Cohen, D., Fitz, M. & Wipf, D.
Nature 444, 933–936 (14 Dec 2006) doi:10.1038/nature05364
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
News and Views
Genomics: Blueprints for partnerships
Stahl, D.A. & Davidson, S.K.
Nature 443, 925–927 (26 Oct 2006) doi:10.1038/nature05208
Article
Symbiosis insights through metagenomic analysis of a microbial consortium
Woyke, T. et al.
Nature 443, 950–955 (26 Oct 2006) doi:10.1038/nature05192
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
Letter
Deregulation of a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase leads to spontaneous nodule development
Tirichine, L. et al.
Nature 441, 1153–1156 (29 Jun 2006) doi:10.1038/nature04862
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
Letter
Image scoring and cooperation in a cleaner fish mutualism
Bshary, R. & Grutter, A.S.
Nature 441, 975–978 (22 Jun 2006) doi:10.1038/nature04755
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
Letter
Nodulation independent of rhizobia induced by a calcium-activated kinase lacking autoinhibition
Gleason, C. et al.
Nature 441, 1149–1152 (29 Jun 2006) doi:10.1038/nature04812
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
Letter
Horizontal endosymbiont transmission in hydrothermal vent tubeworms
Nussbaumer, A.D., Fisher, C.R. & Bright, M.
Nature 441, 345–348 (18 May 2006) doi:10.1038/nature04793
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information