Microbiome reduction and endosymbiont gain from a switch in sea urchin life history

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2022023118
• Publication Date: 2021-04-14T21:05:08Z
• Authors: Tyler J. Carrier; Brittany A. Leigh; Dione J. Deaker; Hannah R. Devens; Gregory A. Wray; Seth R. Bordenstein; Maria Byrne; Adam M. Reitzel
• Keywords: Life History Theory; Deuterostome

Significance Microbes have a strong impact on the biology of their host, with those living in gut being essential to immunity, development, and metabolism. A functional gut, however, has been lost several times during animal evolution. Here, using sister sea urchin species, we report that loss corresponds reduced microbial diversity abundance. Gut also coincides associating an endosymbiont complements host nutrition potentially impacts reproduction. Therefore, transitions developmental life histories animals can accompany shifts community.