M. Poulsen

Gut microbiome disturbances of altricial Blue and Great tit nestlings are countered by continuous microbial inoculations from parental microbiomes

The paper investigates how early-life gut microbiome disruptions affect wild bird nestlings and finds that maternal and environmental factors provide resilience against these disruptions.

The termite fungal cultivar Termitomyces combines diverse enzymes and oxidative reactions for plant biomass conversion

This paper identifies redox mechanisms in Termitomyces fungi that contribute to lignin degradation in termite symbiosis, revealing a combination of white- and brown-rot strategies.

Disentangling the relative roles of vertical transmission, subsequent colonizations and diet on cockroach microbiome assembly

This study quantifies how vertical transmission, inoculation sources, and diet shape the gut microbiome of cockroaches, showing that inoculation sources strongly influence community composition while diet affects functional capabilities.

Biogeography and Microscale Diversity Shape the Biosynthetic Potential of Fungus-growing Ant-associated Pseudonocardia

The paper analyzes genetic diversity and biosynthetic potential in Pseudonocardia bacteria associated with fungus-growing ants across a 20km transect, revealing geographic and phylogenetic patterns of microbial diversity.

Gut microbial compositions mirror caste-specific diets in a major lineage of eusocial insects

The paper examines gut microbial compositions in fungus-growing termites, finding that caste-specific diets and division of labor correlate with distinct bacterial community structures.

The scent of symbiosis: gut bacteria affect social interactions in leafcutting ants

This study shows that gut bacteria in leaf-cutting ants influence social behavior by altering chemical signals involved in nestmate recognition.

Inter- and intra-domain functional redundancy in the rumen microbiome during plant biomass degradation

The paper examines functional redundancy in the cow rumen microbiome during plant biomass degradation, finding that methyl-reducing methanogens are strongly correlated with methane emissions.

Hemimetabolous genomes reveal molecular basis of termite eusociality

The paper compares genomes and transcriptomes of termites and cockroaches to identify molecular mechanisms underlying termite eusociality, finding parallels and differences with Hymenoptera.