Matters Microbial #130: The Holobiont — Animals, Microbes, and Ecology

May 19, 2026

Today Dr. Kevin Kohl, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss how he and his colleagues study the interplay between animals, their resident gut microbes, and the overarching concept of the holobiont.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Kevin Kohl

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Links for this episode

• The One Health Microbiome Center at Pennsylvania State University.
• A very fine essay on the holobiont concept for non-microbiologists.
• A general introductory overview of the holobiont concept.
• The holobiont concept and the coral symbiosis. 
• A partial history of the development of the holobiont concept.
• Dr. Casadevall suggests that context and thus outcomes describes the term "pathogen," and a similar analysis applies to the holobiont.
• A very short description of the holobiont concept. 
• Another overview of the holobiont concept in general, coauthored by Dr. Kohl. 
• Some basic rules for thinking about the holobiont concept.
• A video introduction to the holobiont concept, by Dr. Seth Bordenstein.
• I highly recommend this essay by the science writer Carl Zimmer, "The Human Lake," to think of the connections between lake ecology and microbial interactions with humans.
• Another wonderful article recommended by Dr. Kohl, by Dr. Margaret McFall-Ngai and coauthors, detailing the impact microbes have on animals over evolution and development. 
• The wood rat – creosote – microbiome connection to the holobiont concept, discussed on this podcast (coauthored by Dr. Kohl).
• The fascinating work by Dr. Kohl and colleagues showing the relationship between tadpole development and pond microbes discussed in this podcast.
•  A must read article by Dr. Kohl and colleagues, "Through the microbial looking glass: our shifting understanding of the holobiont and microbes as mediators of organismal biology," illustrates the development and influence of the holobiont concept.
• Dr. Richard Prum's book, "Performance All the Way Down," was discussed during this podcast. There is also a video where Dr. Prum discusses the ideas in this book, describing gene regulation as a performance. 
• Dr. Kohl's faculty website.
• Dr. Kohl's (very interesting) research website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com