Seth Bordenstein
Pennsylvania State University
Scientist, Professor: Microbiome, Symbiosis, Genetics, Evolution, Wolbachia, Phage | Ed @WolbachiaProj | One Health Microbiome Center @PSUmBiome | @hologenomes
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Seth Bordenstein
Nominate the next Microbiome Medal Laureate
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Microbiome Medal, established in 2025 and awarded annually by the One Health Microbiome Center (OHMC) at Penn State, honors scholars or a group of scholars who demonstrate excellence, acumen and ingenuity in research, mentorship and service to the global field of microbiome science.
Gut fungal profiles reveal phylosymbiosis and codiversification across humans and nonhuman primates
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Discovery Report Discovery Reports capture exploratory initial findings centered around a valuable and interesting research question. See all article types » Citation: Van Syoc EP, Gomez A, Davenport ER, Bordenstein SR (2025) Gut fungal profiles reveal phylosymbiosis and codiversification across humans and nonhuman primates. PLoS Biol 23(9): e3003390.
Launching the IUCN Microbial Conservation Specialist Group as a global safeguard for microbial biodiversity - Nature Microbiology
Despite its importance1,2, microbial life is largely absent from global conservation frameworks3,4. Launched in July 2025, the Microbial Conservation Specialist Group (MCSG) was established as a Species Survival Commission (SSC) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The IUCN is the world’s leading authority in environmental science and policy, renowned for shaping conservation priorities across governments, non-governmental organizations and international treaties.
Gut fungi are associated with human genetic variation and disease risk
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Discovery Report Discovery Reports capture exploratory initial findings centered around a valuable and interesting research question. See all article types » Citation: Van Syoc EP, Davenport ER, Bordenstein SR (2025) Gut fungi are associated with human genetic variation and disease risk. PLoS Biol 23(9): e3003339.
Reproductive biology though the lens of the microbiome
Madangchanok Imchen and Seth R. Bordenstein from the One Health Microbiome Center - winner of Applied Microbiology International’s WH Pierce Global Impact in Microbiology Prize 2024 - explore the potential of the reproductive microbiome, particularly the fascinating Wolbachia, to counter global disease threats. Microbiome science has for the past two decades focused extensively on animal guts and plant roots in experiments on host-associated bacterial communities.
The holobiont's extracellular microbiome modulates the adaptation of an intracellular endosymbiont
Abstract Animal holobionts contain two broad classes of microorganisms, intra- and extracellular microbes, that are largely studied in symbiotic siloes. Here we demonstrate the impact of the extracellular gut microbiome on an intracellular reproductive endosymbiont using the Drosophila melanogaster holobiont and its endosymbiont Wolbachia that adaptively cause a paternal-effect lethality of embryos termed cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI).
Microbiome Kickstart Workshop will assist newcomers to the field
Academics Free, comprehensive, workshop is a cornerstone training event for emerging researchers to launch their microbiome studies and network at Penn State UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The One Health Microbiome Center at Penn State has opened registration for its fifth annual Microbiome Kickstart Workshop. This free, comprehensive, workshop is a cornerstone training event for emerging researchers to launch their microbiome studies and network at Penn State. It is set to take place on Aug.
Prophage proteins alter long noncoding RNA and DNA of developing sperm to induce a paternal-effect lethality
Research Article SYMBIOSIS Rupinder Kaur https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2132-8107 r.kaur@psu.edu, Angelina McGarry https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7243-9068, [...] , J. Dylan Shropshire https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4221-2178, Brittany A. Leigh https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5668-9925, and Seth R. Bordenstein https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7346-0954 r.kaur@psu.edu+2 authors fewerAuthors Info & Affiliations Editor’s summary Many arthropods carry symbiotic bacteria.
It is time to authenticate the Microbiome Sciences with accredited educational programs and departments
The first two decades of the 2000s were a defining developmental period for the Microbiome Sciences [1,2]. Technological innovations in profiling, from molecules to ecosystems, unlocked microbial communities and revealed both them and their products to be ubiquitous and influential to the foundation of the biosphere [3–6]. While this early phase produced classic literature for trainees to study, the growth of the Microbiome Sciences has largely occurred within siloed disciplines.
Penn State's renamed One Health Microbiome Center affirms broad expertise
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Microbiome Center in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State has announced its renaming to the One Health Microbiome Center (OHMC), the first center in the world to integrate "One Health" with the microbiome sciences. The new name reflects the center's collaborative culture and aspirations to write its next chapter in the booming field of the microbiome sciences — the study of microbial communities that live throughout the world's environments.
eeid2023
The workshop will focus on the opportunities and challenges of communicating with diverse audiences. Opportunities include sharing knowledge, developing community, and fostering trust but also soliciting funding or other support for research and influencing policy. Challenges to achieving this include overcoming baseline knowledge gaps, pre-existing bias or apprehension, and misinformation.
Free film and panel discussion reveals 'invisible' crisis of the microbial world
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. — At 6 p.m. Thursday, March 2, Penn State’s Microbiome Center will present "The Invisible Extinction" — a movie that spotlights the trailblazing work and charismatic personalities of renowned scientists who aim to save the vanishing microbes that are essential for our survival. The filmjoins Drs.
Widespread phages of endosymbionts: Phage WO genomics and the proposed taxonomic classification of Symbioviridae
Linnaean classification of phage WO. Finally, while phage WO is a model organism to study the tripartite association between viruses, endosymbiotic bacteria, and animal hosts, it is not yet recognized by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). Recently, the ICTV Executive Committee implemented a pipeline for the official classification of viruses from metagenomic datasets [45], including those originating from integrated prophage sequences.
The Cif proteins from Wolbachia prophage WO modify sperm genome integrity to establish cytoplasmic incompatibility
CifA is present in early oogenesis and absent from mature eggs and rescue embryos Expression of cifA alone in the ovaries rescues CI [16,17], yet how CifA protein mediates rescue is unknown and central to further differentiating the mechanistic models of CI.
Discover the Microbes Within! The Wolbachia Project: Citizen Science and Student-Based Discoveries for 15 Years and Counting
Abstract The Elizabeth W. Jones Award for Excellence in Education recognizes an individual who has had a significant impact on genetics education at any education level. Seth R. Bordenstein, Ph.D., Centennial Professor of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University and Founding Director of the Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, is the 2020 recipient in recognition of his cofounding, developing, and expanding Discover the Microbes Within! The Wolbachia Project.
Microorganisms in the reproductive tissues of arthropods
Abstract Microorganisms that reside within or transmit through arthropod reproductive tissues have profound impacts on host reproduction, health and evolution. In this Review, we discuss select principles of the biology of microorganisms in arthropod reproductive tissues, including bacteria, viruses, protists and fungi. We review models of specific symbionts, routes of transmission, and the physiological and evolutionary outcomes for both hosts and microorganisms.
Lateral Phage Transfer in Obligate Intracellular Bacteria (Wolbachia): Verification from Natural Populations
Abstract Lateral transfer of mobile DNA is a hallmark of bacteria with a free-living replicative stage; however, its significance in obligate intracellular bacteria and other heritable endosymbionts remains controversial. Comparative sequence analyses from laboratory stocks infected with Wolbachia pipientis provide some of the most compelling evidence that bacteriophage WO-B transfers laterally between infections of the same insect host.
Paternal Grandmother Age Affects the Strength of Wolbachia-Induced Cytoplasmic Incompatibility in Drosophila melanogaster
Research Article | Host-Microbe Biology Emily M. Layton, Jungmin On, Jessamyn I. Perlmutter, Seth R. Bordenstein, J. Dylan Shropshire Nicole Dubilier, Editor DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01879-19 ABSTRACT Wolbachia are obligate intracellular bacteria that are globally distributed in half of all arthropod species. As the most abundant maternally inherited microbe in animals, Wolbachia manipulate host reproduction via reproductive parasitism strategies, including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI).
Microbiota and the social brain
Animal sociability through microbes Accumulating evidence suggests that the microbiota living in and on animals has important functions in the social architecture of those animals. Sherwin et al. review how the microbiota might facilitate neurodevelopment, help program social behaviors, and facilitate communication in various animal species, including humans.
Mobile DNA in obligate intracellular bacteria
Abstract The small genomes of obligate intracellular bacteria are often presumed to be impervious to mobile DNA and the fluid genetic processes that drive diversification in free-living bacteria. Categorized by reductive evolution and streamlining, the genomes of some obligate intracellular bacteria manifest striking degrees of stability and gene synteny.
The Complexity of Virus Systems: The Case of Endosymbionts
PMCID: PMC3424318 NIHMSID: NIHMS381046 Jason A. Metcalf1 and Seth R. Bordenstein1,2,* Jason A. Metcalf 1Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA Seth R.
An introduction to phylosymbiosis
NOT PEER-REVIEWED "PeerJ Preprints" is a venue for early communication or feedback before peer review. Data may be preliminary. A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.
Host Biology in Light of the Microbiome: Ten Principles of Holobionts and Hologenomes
Loading metrics Seth R. Bordenstein , Kevin R. Theis Seth R. Bordenstein, Kevin R. Theis Published: August 18, 2015 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002226 Abstract Groundbreaking research on the universality and diversity of microorganisms is now challenging the life sciences to upgrade fundamental theories that once seemed untouchable.
Phylosymbiosis Impacts Adaptive Traits in Nasonia Wasps
Research Article | Host-Microbe Biology Edward J. van Opstal, Seth R. Bordenstein Thomas C. G. Bosch, Invited Editor, Martin J. Blaser, Editor DOI: 10.1128/mBio.00887-19 ABSTRACT Phylosymbiosis is defined as microbial community relationships that recapitulate the phylogeny of hosts. As evidence for phylosymbiosis rapidly accumulates in different vertebrate and invertebrate holobionts, a central question is what evolutionary forces cause this pattern.
Absence of Wolbachia in Nonfilariid Nematodes
J Nematol. 2003 Sep; 35(3): 266–270. Seth R. Bordenstein, David H. A. Fitch, and John H. Werren This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Abstract Intracellular bacteria of the genus Wolbachia are among the most abundant endosymbionts on the planet, occurring in at least two major phyla-the Arthropoda and Nematoda. Current surveys of Wolbachia distribution have found contrasting patterns within these groups.
Two-By-One model of cytoplasmic incompatibility: Synthetic recapitulation by transgenic expression of cifA and cifB in Drosophila
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article J. Dylan Shropshire , Seth R. Bordenstein J. Dylan Shropshire, Seth R. Bordenstein Published: June 26, 2019 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008221 Figures Abstract Wolbachia are maternally inherited bacteria that infect arthropod species worldwide and are deployed in vector control to curb arboviral spread using cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI).
Temperature Affects the Tripartite Interactions between Bacteriophage WO, Wolbachia, and Cytoplasmic Incompatibility
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Sarah R. Bordenstein, Seth R. Bordenstein Published: December 15, 2011 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0029106 Figures Abstract Wolbachia infections are a model for understanding intracellular, bacterial symbioses. While the symbiosis is often studied from a binary perspective of host and bacteria, it is increasingly apparent that additional trophic levels can influence the symbiosis.
Speciation by Symbiosis: the Microbiome and Behavior
Minireview J. Dylan Shropshire, Seth R. Bordenstein Nicole Dubilier, Invited Editor, R. John Collier, Editor DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01785-15 ABSTRACT Species are fundamental units of comparison in biology. The newly discovered importance and ubiquity of host-associated microorganisms are now stimulating work on the roles that microbes can play in animal speciation.
THE ROLES OF HOST EVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIPS (GENUS: NASONIA) AND DEVELOPMENT IN STRUCTURING MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES
It is increasingly apparent that microbial symbionts in eukaryotes are not transient passengers randomly acquired from the environment. Rather, their varied roles in nutrition (McCutcheon et al. 2009), immunity (Lee and Mazmanian 2010), development (McFall‐Ngai 2002; Fraune and Bosch 2010), reproduction (Perlman et al. 2008; Werren et al. 2008), and speciation (Bordenstein 2003) indicate that symbiosis is a major component of eukaryotic fitness and evolution.
Gut microbiota diversity across ethnicities in the United States
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Andrew W. Brooks, Sambhawa Priya, Ran Blekhman, Seth R. Bordenstein Andrew W. Brooks, Sambhawa Priya, Ran Blekhman, Seth R. Bordenstein Published: December 4, 2018 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2006842 >> See the preprint Figures Abstract Composed of hundreds of microbial species, the composition of the human gut microbiota can vary with chronic diseases underlying health disparities that disproportionally affect ethnic minorities.
Should Evolution Treat Our Microbes as Part of Us? | Quanta Magazine
Introduction Twilight falls on the Tanzanian plain. As the sky turns a deeper purple, a solitary spotted hyena awakens. She trots along the border of her clan’s territory, marking the boundary with a sour paste from under her tail. She sniffs a passing breeze for hints of itinerant males interested in mating, giving little attention to her stomach’s rumbling over the remnants of the previous night’s hunt or the itch on her flank. The lone hyena chooses what she will do next to make her living.
Microbe Profile: <em class="">Wolbachia</em>: a sex selector, a viral protector and a target to treat filarial nematodes
Fig. 1. A selection of the extensive array of Wolbachia’s hosts surrounding an electron micrograph of Wolbachia from Brugia malayi and a summary of many of the parasitic and beneficial consequences of the diverse Wolbachia–host associations. Wolbachia is the most widespread genus of endosymbiotic bacteria in the animal world, infecting a diverse range of arthropods and nematodes.
THE ROLES OF HOST EVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIPS (GENUS: NASONIA) AND DEVELOPMENT IN STRUCTURING MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES
Although decades of research have characterized the role of reproductive endosymbionts in Nasonia such as Wolbachia (Saul 1961) and Arsenophonus (Werren et al. 1986), little attention has been given to the general bacterial community in Nasonia. We report six key findings: (1) The Nasonia microbial community diversifies as development proceeds from larva to adult. (2) Microbial communities differ between host species, despite identical rearing conditions.
Speciation by symbiosis
In the Origin of Species, Darwin struggled with how continuous changes within a species lead to the emergence of discrete species. Molecular analyses have since identified nuclear genes and organelles that underpin speciation. In this review, we explore the microbiota as a third genetic component that spurs species formation. We first recall Ivan Wallin's original conception from the early 20th century on the role that bacteria play in speciation.
The Hologenomic Basis of Speciation: Gut Bacteria Cause Hybrid Lethality in the Genus Nasonia
Download and print this article for your personal scholarly, research, and educational use. Buy a single issue of Science for just $15 USD.
<i>Wolbachia</i>-induced incompatibility precedes other hybrid incompatibilities in <i>Nasonia</i>
Wolbachia are cytoplasmically inherited bacteria that cause a number of reproductive alterations in insects, including cytoplasmic incompatibility1,2, an incompatibility between sperm and egg that results in loss of sperm chromosomes following fertilization. Wolbachia are estimated to infect 15–20% of all insect species3, and also are common in arachnids, isopods and nematodes3,4.
Wolbachia: Can we save lives with a great pandemic?
References Melnikow E. et al. A potential role for the interaction of Wolbachia surface proteins with the Brugia malayi glycolytic enzymes and cytoskeleton in maintenance of endosymbiosis. PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis. 2013; 7: e2151 Ghelelovitch S. Genetic determinism of sterility in the cross-breeding of various strains of Culex autogenicus. C. R. Hebd Seances Acad. Sci. 1952; 234: 2386-2388 Callaini G. et al.
Microbial Misandry: Discovery of a Spiroplasma Male-Killing Toxin
Bacteria-induced male killing evolved to enhance maternal transmission of the bacteria. Despite significance to arthropod evolution and vector control potential, the genetic basis behind this selfish microbial trait has remained mysterious. In recent work, Harumoto and Lemaitre (2018) describe a Spiroplasma poulsonii male-killing toxin sought for over half a century.
Gut Microbiota Diversity across Ethnicities in the United States
Gut Microbiota Diversity across Ethnicities in the United States Andrew W Brooks, Sambhawa Priya, Ran Blekhman, Seth R Bordenstein bioRxiv 342915; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/342915
The Maternal Effect Gene Wds Controls Wolbachia Titer in Nasonia
Highlights • Wolbachia density variation between Nasonia species is established in oogenesis • N. vitripennis suppresses Wolbachia densities by 100-fold through a maternal genetic effect • Positional cloning identifies the Wolbachia density suppressor gene on chromosome 3 • Wds experiences positive selection and elevated rates of non-synonymous change Summary Maternal transmission of intracellular microbes is pivotal in establishing long-term, intimate symbioses.
Insect gene allows reproductive organs to cope with harmful bacteria
A damaging bacteria with an uncanny ability to pass itself from insect mothers to eggs meets its genomic match in a tiny variety of parasitic wasp, a recent discovery by Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Seth Bordenstein and his team has shown. Offspring of insects infected with the bacteria Wolbachia often die or are converted from male to female.
Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative Launches New Website
Posted by anderc8 on Monday, May 14, 2018 in News, TIPs 2017. Written by Seth Bordenstein, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology The Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, established in 2017 with the support of a Trans-Institutional Programs (TIPs) award, recently launched a new website.
The maternal effect gene Wds controls Wolbachia titer in Nasonia
The maternal effect gene Wds controls Wolbachia titer in Nasonia Lisa J Funkhouser-Jones, Edward J van Opstal, Ananya Sharma, Seth R Bordenstein bioRxiv 256909; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/256909
Using the Wolbachia Bacterial Symbiont to Teach Inquiry-Based Science: A High School Laboratory Series
Abstract Inquiry, discovery, and technology are key pillars in improving science education. We present an inquiry-based lab project using the worldwide symbiosis between the bacterium Wolbachia and invertebrates.
A simple genetic basis for managing maternally transmitted symbionts
A simple genetic basis for managing maternally transmitted symbionts Lisa J Funkhouser-Jones, Edward J van Opstal, Ananya Sharma, Seth R Bordenstein bioRxiv 256909; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/256909
Evolutionary genetics of cytoplasmic incompatibility genes cifA and cifB in prophage WO of Wolbachia
Evolutionary genetics of cytoplasmic incompatibility genes cifA and cifB in prophage WO of Wolbachia Amelia R I Lindsey, Danny W Rice, Sarah R Bordenstein, Andrew W Brooks, Seth R Bordenstein, Irene L G Newton bioRxiv 180075; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/180075
Parasite Microbiome Project: Systematic Investigation of Microbiome Dynamics within and across Parasite-Host Interactions
COMMENTARYCharacterizations of parasite diversity and interactions with hosts as well as the development of effective control methods are among the chief goals of parasitology. In an era in which microbes (archaea, bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and viruses) are known to play varied roles in host health, Koch’s postulates are notably under reconsideration in light of the effects of the microbiome and polymicrobial infections on disease (1, 2).
Speciation by Symbiosis: the Microbiome and Behavior
Species are fundamental units of comparison in biology. The newly discovered importance and ubiquity of host-associated microorganisms are now stimulating work on the roles that microbes can play in animal speciation. We previously synthesized the literature and advanced concepts of speciation by symbiosis with notable attention to hybrid sterility and lethality.
Each animal species hosts a unique microbial community and benefits from it
Nov. 28, 2016, 1:02 PM When the natural microbial communities of tiny jewel wasps like this were replaced with the microbiomes of closely related wasps, their lifespan was significantly decreased. (Bordenstein Laboratory / Vanderbilt) Each animal species hosts its own, unique community of microbes that can significantly improve its health and fitness. That is the implication of a laboratory study that investigated four different animal groups and their associated microbiota.
Phylosymbiosis: Relationships and Functional Effects of Microbial Communities across Host Evolutionary History
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Andrew W. Brooks , Kevin D. Kohl , Robert M. Brucker , Edward J. van Opstal, Seth R. Bordenstein Andrew W. Brooks, Kevin D. Kohl, Robert M. Brucker, Edward J. van Opstal, Seth R.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Seth
Contact Seth, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack