Symbiosis

Thanks to recent advances in research tools and techniques, Carnegie scientists are now capable of linking genomic information not just to the synthesis of molecules that comprise our physiological functions, but also of extending these investigations to the community interactions that shape both human health and ecosystem resilience.

Revealing the molecular mechanisms underpinning symbiotic relationships is an important part of this aveunue of investigation. Carnegie researchers are probing molecular pathways of communication between the bobtail squid and the luminescent bacterium it hosts, as well as the fidelity with which symbiosis is established in each subsequent generation.

Symbiosis research can also inform conservation efforts and environmental protection strategies. Several Carnegie teams are investigating the relationship between coral and algae in an effort to understand and combat bleaching events that are devastating coral communities around the world. Other scientists hope to transform agriculture by harnessing the symbiotic exchange between legumes and soil bacteria called rhizobia.