Innate immunity is a semi‐specific and widely distributed form of immunity, which represents
the first line of defence against pathogens. This type of immunity is critical to maintain …

During the ongoing biodiversity crisis, captive conservation and breeding programs offer a
refuge for species to persist and provide source populations for reintroduction efforts …

Vertebrates harbour microbes both internally and externally, and collectively, these
microorganisms (the 'microbiome') contain genes that outnumber the host's genetic …

The skin constitutes the primary physical barrier between vertebrates and their external
environment. Characterization of skin microorganisms is essential for understanding how a …

Skin is the largest organ of the body and represents the primary physical barrier between
mammals and their external environment, yet the factors that govern skin microbial …

Chytridiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease of amphibians that affects over 700
species on all continents where amphibians occur. The amphibian–chytridiomycosis system …

Amphibian skin is a mucosal surface in direct and continuous contact with a microbially
diverse and laden aquatic and/or terrestrial environment. As such, frog skin is an important …

The mucosal surfaces of wild and farmed aquatic vertebrates face the threat of many aquatic
pathogens, including fungi. These surfaces are colonized by diverse symbiotic bacterial …

Symbiotic microbial communities may interact with infectious pathogens sharing a common
host. The microbiome may limit pathogen infection or, conversely, an invading pathogen can …

Microbiomes play a critical role in promoting a range of host functions. Microbiome function,
in turn, is dependent on its community composition. Yet, how microbiome taxa are …