The microbiome of the jellyfish

Abstract

All things considered, these results explain the critical role of the microbiome for the complex processes in the life cycle of A. aurita and underline the necessity of an intact microbial ecosystem for a normal development and reproduction. The previous results have shown that the native microbiome of A. aurita provides essential β-carotenoids which are required for a successful strobilation. In polyps with antibiotic-reduced microbial diversity, disrupted strobilation has been observed, along with a significantly decreased expression of bacterial carotenoid biosynthesis genes. These findings illustrate that the microbial partners are actively involved in providing key metabolic products that directly influence the life cycle and the morphological development of this jellyfish.