Symbiosis, encompassing mutualism through parasitism

Definition: An interaction between two organisms living together in more or less intimate association. The term host is usually used for the larger (macro) of the two members of a symbiosis. The smaller (micro) member is called the symbiont organism. Microscopic symbionts are often referred to as endosymbionts. The various forms of symbiosis include parasitism, in which the association is disadvantageous or destructive to one of the organisms; mutualism, in which the association is advantageous, or often necessary to one or both and not harmful to either; and commensalism, in which one member of the association benefits while the other is not affected. However, mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism are often not discrete categories of interactions and should rather be perceived as a continuum of interaction ranging from parasitism to mutualism. In fact, the direction of a symbiotic interaction can change during the lifetime of the symbionts due to developmental changes as well as changes in the biotic/abiotic environment in which the interaction occurs.

ID: GO:0044403

Synonyms:

Articles referencing this term

Metabolic diversity of lichen-forming ascomycetous fungi: culturing, polyketide and shikimate metabolite production, and PKS genes
Elfie Stocker-Wörgötter, Nat. Prod. Rep., 2008 , 25 , 188
DOI: 10.1039/b606983p

The chemistry of gliding bacteria
Markus Nett and Gabriele M. König, Nat. Prod. Rep., 2007 , 24 , 1245
DOI: 10.1039/b612668p

Roles of vitamins B5, B8, B9, B12 and molybdenum cofactor at cellular and organismal levels
Fabrice Rébeillé, Stéphane Ravanel, Andrée Marquet, Ralf R. Mendel, Alison G. Smith and Martin J. Warren, Nat. Prod. Rep., 2007 , 24 , 949
DOI: 10.1039/b703104c

Metal and cofactor insertion
Ralf R. Mendel, Alison G. Smith, Andree Marquet and Martin J. Warren, Nat. Prod. Rep., 2007 , 24 , 963
DOI: 10.1039/b703112m

Accessing the mobile metagenome of the human gut microbiota
Brian V. Jones and Julian R. Marchesi, Mol. BioSyst., 2007 , 3 , 749
DOI: 10.1039/b705657e

Is vanadium a more versatile target in the activity of primordial life forms than hitherto anticipated?
Dieter Rehder, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2008 , 6 , 957
DOI: 10.1039/b717565p

Functional biomimetic models for the active site in the respiratory enzyme cytochrome c oxidase
James P. Collman and Richard A. Decréau, Chem. Commun., 2008 , 5065
DOI: 10.1039/b808070b