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| Multicelled organ | Ecological community |
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| Assumptions | (1) Identification of component microbes is not necessary for
prediction of function
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(1) Understanding interactions among microbiota is essential to predict function
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| (2) Metabolic products and immune responses are characteristic of the
microbiota as a whole
| (2) Metabolic products and immune responses are a consequence of
community structure and microbial interactions
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| (3) Static (changes in healthy microbiota over time
are not functionally important)
| (3) Dynamic
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| (4) Boundaries exist (movement of microbes is not important)
| (4) Spatially continuous and linked by immigration and emigration
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| (5) Host-to-host variation in microbiota is not important
| (5) Host-to-host variation is functionally important
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| (6) Microbiota functions for benefit of the host
| (6) Net microbiota effects can range from negative to neutral to
positive
|
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| Implications | (1) Healthy microbiota function is evaluated by its metabolic products
and immune responses
| (1) Healthy microbiota function is evaluated by both microbial
community structure and its metabolic products and immune responses
|
| (2) Health is restored by providing the right
signals/products that are missing or by neutralizing negative
signals/products
| (2) Health is restored by shifting the community and component
interactions, which requires an understanding of processes that control
community structure and interaction webs
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| (3) Appropriate therapies include broad-spectrum antibiotics, microbiota
transplants, direct manipulation of metabolic products, or immune signals
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(3) Appropriate therapies include carefully tailored probiotics,
modification of internal, or external environment to modify specific
interactions
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