Microbiota regulates life cycle transition and nematocyst dynamics in jellyfish

Jellyfish represent one of the most basal animal groups with complex life cycles. The transition from benthic polyp to pelagic medusa, termed strobilation, is the key process that determines the switch in pelagic behavior and jellyfish blooms. Currently, the pivotal position of native microbes on normal strobilation has been recognized, whereas the regulatory mechanisms of commensal microbes underlying the drastic transformation process remain poorly characterized. Here, we investigated microbial-mediated host phenotype dynamics during strobilation in the common jellyfish Aurelia coerulea based on antibiotic-induced microbiome alternation assay.