Work

Frt – Fondation Rene Touraine

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: Microbes -Friends or FoesMost epithelia in animals are colonized by microbial communities.These resident microbes influence fitness and thus ecologically important traits of their hosts, ultimately forming a meta-organism consisting of a multicellular host and a community of associated micro-organisms.Here, I evaluate information in understanding the evolution of epithelial-based innate immunity provided by Hydra, an apparently simple animal which shares deep evolutionary connections with all animals including humans.I highlight growing evidence that the innate immune system with its host-specific antimicrobial peptides and a rich repertoire of pattern recognition receptors has evolved because of the need to control the resident beneficial microbes rather than because of invasive pathogens.In addition, I show that a mutual intertwinement between the stem cell regulatory machinery of the host and the resident microbiota composition ensures the maintenance of homoeostasis between animals and their resident microbiota.Results from this work have opened up new avenues of studies, including insights into how developmental pathways interact with environmental cues such as microbes.

Source: Experimental Dermatology

DOI: 10.1111/exd.13160