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Review
. 2020 Feb 5:9:F1000 Faculty Rev-84.
doi: 10.12688/f1000research.20835.1. eCollection 2020.

The influence of host genetics on the microbiome

Alexandra Tabrett  1 , Matthew W Horton  1
Affiliations
Review

The influence of host genetics on the microbiome

Alexandra Tabrett et al. F1000Res. .

Abstract

It is well understood that genetic differences among hosts contribute to variation in pathogen susceptibility and the ability to associate with symbionts. However, it remains unclear just how influential host genes are in shaping the overall microbiome. Studies of both animal and plant microbial communities indicate that host genes impact species richness and the abundances of individual taxa. Analyses of beta diversity (that is, overall similarity), on the other hand, often conclude that hosts play a minor role in shaping microbial communities. In this review, we discuss recent attempts to identify the factors that shape host microbial communities and whether our understanding of these communities is affected by the traits chosen to represent them.

Keywords: Host microbiome; Microbiome traits; beta diversity; genetic influence; metabolism; microbes; microbial communities; plant; plant genetics; plant microbiome.

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Conflict of interest statement

No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.

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