Webster, Nicole S. “Cooperation, communication, and co-evolution: grand challenges in microbial symbiosis research.” Frontiers in microbiology 5 (2014): 164.
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Microorganisms form symbiotic partnerships with eukaryotes that span all evolutionary stages, from simple amoebae through to humans. The term symbiosis originates from the Greek word “Symbioun” meaning “to live together” and was defined by Anton deBary in 1879 as “the living together of two dissimilar organisms, usually in intimate association, and usually to the benefit of at least one partner” (De Bary, 1879). Whilst the original deBary definition encompasses pathogens and commensals, the term “microbial symbiont” is most commonly used to describe a microorganism that forms a mutualism—a specific, stable and beneficial association with its host (Nyholm and Graf, 2012). Importantly, symbiotic members are “partners” and whilst the term “host” may imply that one partner accommodates or facilitates the association, both members of microbial mutualisms actively contribute to the relationship and the term “host” merely indicates the larger partner. This Grand Challenge Article briefly summarizes the current state of microbial symbiosis research and identifies the methodological and conceptual challenges facing the field into the future.