Microbiome–Animal Interaction

Dear Colleagues,

Microbiome–animal interactions have been of great interest since the importance of the microbial diversity and functions for the host was realized. This is primarily true for digestive processes, where animals such as ruminants rely on its microbiome for the supply of nutrients. Furthermore, growing attention is also given in respect of immune responses and social behavior, described as the gut–brain axis. While traditional molecular methods built the foundation for important discovery of the microbiome dark matter, multi-omics strategies keep increasing our understanding of the relations between animal and its microbiome. The developments in the field are also paving the way toward expanding our current knowledge by bridging host genetics and microbiome establishment, dynamics, and function.

This Special Issue on microbiome–animal interaction invites submissions (research articles and reviews) about such topics in domestic and wild animals. The aim is to gather new research results that aid our understanding of the interactions between the animal and its microbiome. Connecting microbiome analyses with host biological data is highly appreciated, and the use of multi-omics tools is recommended to get a deepened understanding of the interaction processes. Potential manuscripts can deal with the shaping of the microbiome by the host genetics or the correlation between traits and the microbiome, the influence of microbiome at different periods in the productive lifespan of various livestock species, and the influence of nutrition as well as environmental impacts caused by the microbial activity.

Prof. Dr. Jana Seifert
Guest Editor
Dr. Live H. Hagen
Co-Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.