In plants
Roots, leaves, stems, flowers, fruits and internal tissues harbour different communities. They can contribute to nutrition, protection and responses to the environment.
Dossier 03 · What lives with us
From microorganisms to the microbiome.
Seeing a bacterium or a fungus means observing a microorganism. Speaking of a microbiome means considering a community, its functions, its molecules, its genes and its relationships with a host and an environment.
In animals and humans
Skin, mouth, gut and other niches host distinct communities. They produce and transform many molecules, including certain volatile compounds.
The holobiont
This word refers to an organism together with its associated microorganisms. It helps us think about the relationship without denying the identity or relative autonomy of each partner.
An important idea
Living does not mean living alone.
Relationships can be beneficial, neutral, variable or unfavourable depending on the partners and the context. The word microbiome therefore implies neither permanent harmony nor automatic disease.