Project 10
Adaptation through genes without change to the genome: host adaptation via change in its microbiome composition

Led by Marc Feldman

This project uses mathematical approaches to predict and interpret patterns of inheritance of microbial diversity under different environmental conditions. Our analysis has particular relevance for medicine, as well as providing theoretical predictions for other fields such as pest control and nature preservation.

Publications

Coordinated change at the colony level in fruit bat fur microbiomes through time.
[download PDF]
Kolodny O, Weinberg M, Reshef L, Harten L, Hefetz A, Gophna U, Feldman MW, Yovel Y. 2018. Nat Ecol Evol DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0731-z

Blog posts

Research project 10: Host adaptation via change in its microbiome
Feldman MW, Kolodny O. 3 October 2017.

EES predictions this project tests

vi. in addition to selection, adaptive variants are propagated through repeated environmental induction, non-genetic inheritance, learning and cultural transmission
ix. heritable variation will be systematically biased towards variants that are adaptive and well-integrated with existing aspects of the phenotype