Placozoan microbiomes reveal evolutionary trajectories towards mutualism among the largely parasitic Rickettsiales
Anna Mankowski, Henry Berndt, Nikolaus Leisch, Hiroaki Nakano, Genichiro Nishi, Michael G. Hadfield, Bruno Hüettel, Tina Enders, Nicole Dubilier, Harald R. Gruber‐Vodicka
The paper studies Rickettsiales microbiomes in placozoans to reveal evolutionary shifts towards mutualism, finding some symbionts have lost parasitic traits.
bioRxiv · Feb 27, 2025 · PreprintMicrobiology