mutualism

Edge evidence

• nutrient and service exchange causes reciprocal fitness benefit biolink:causes

  Exchange of nutrients or services yields positive fitness for both partners.

  • DOI:10.1126/science.1104816 Bäckhed et al. document reciprocal nutrient-harvest benefits in the gut-microbiota mutualism.
• reciprocal fitness benefit enables mutualism RO:0002327

  Sustained mutual benefit realizes the mutualistic lifestyle.

  • DOI:10.1073/pnas.1218525110 McFall-Ngai et al. document mutually beneficial host-microbe associations across animals.
• host control mechanisms selects for microbial traits beneficial to host METPO:2007401

  Host control mechanisms generate selection for microbial traits that benefit the host.

  • DOI:10.1126/science.adi3338 Wilde et al. 2024: host controls (immunity, barrier, homeostasis, transit) generate natural selection for microbial traits that benefit the host.
• microbial traits beneficial to host enables mutualism RO:0002327

  Selection for host-beneficial microbial traits sustains the mutualistic relationship.

  • DOI:10.1126/science.adi3338 Host control selecting for host-beneficial microbial traits underpins stable host-microbe mutualism.
• co-auxotrophy / cross-feeding architecture creates obligate mutualism (syntrophy) biolink:produces

  Reciprocal metabolite dependence (co-auxotrophy) generates obligate mutualism / syntrophy.

  • DOI:10.1038/s41564-023-01596-4 Peng et al. 2024: in co-auxotrophic consortia each member depends on others supplying a nutrient it cannot synthesize, defining syntrophy/obligate mutualism.
• vitamin/N-source/micronutrient exchange enables mutualism RO:0002327

  Exchange of N-sources, vitamins, and micronutrients supports mutualistic associations.

  • DOI:10.3390/plants13060829 Burgunter-Delamare et al. 2024: mutualistic benefits are framed as provision of metabolites (N-sources, vitamins, micronutrients).
• metabolite secretion profile determines mutualism vs antagonism outcome

  The secreted metabolite profile shifts the interaction between mutualism and antagonism.

  • DOI:10.3390/plants13060829 Burgunter-Delamare et al. 2024: the same partner pair can be mutualistic or antagonistic depending on the metabolites secreted.