Extracellular Polymeric Substances Drive Curvibacter Host Adaptation and Co-Speciation with Hydra
Lukas Becker, Liam Fürbach, Timo Minten-Lange, Jay Bathia, Marius Karbach, Sylvain Foret, Nicolas M. Winterfeldt, Markus Pauly, Ilka Maria IM Axmann, Sebastian Fraune
This study shows Curvibacter bacteria co-evolve with Hydra through extracellular polymeric substances, enabling host-specific colonization and symbiosis stability.
bioRxiv · Sep 8, 2025 · PreprintMicrobiology