Considering birds to understand the interplay of MHC, microbiota, and odor: a comment on Schubert et al.

Article Microbiology

The Gut Microbial Composition Is Species-Specific and Individual-Specific in Two Species of Estrildid Finches, the Bengalese Finch and the Zebra Finch

Oncu Maraci et al.

Summary: Microbial communities in the gastrointestinal tracts of animals have significant impacts on host physiological processes. Host-specific and environmental factors interact in shaping gut microbial communities in humans, resulting in inter-individual differences. However, the extent to which microbes are individual-specific and controlled by host-specific factors across different animal taxa remains not fully understood.

FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY (2021)

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Review Behavioral Sciences

How can the MHC mediate social odor via the microbiota community? A deep dive into mechanisms

Nadine Schubert et al.

Summary: Research on the relationship between MHC genes, microbial communities, and odor signaling has gained attention, but there is still poor understanding of how MHC affects microbial communities to produce chemical signals. More empirical studies and clearer predictions are needed to advance this research area.

BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY (2021)

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Article Biology