Fig. 6

Comparison of the bacterial succession on Nematostella during ontogeny and during recolonization. During ontogeny, larvae, juvenile polyps, and adult polyps possess distinct bacterial communities. During recolonization of adult polyps, this bacterial colonization pattern occurring during natural development is recapitulated, independent of the developmental stage from which the bacterial inoculum was isolated. While the bacterial successions during ontogeny take around 3 months, the bacterial successions during recolonization take roughly 4 weeks. While initial selection of bacterial colonizers during recolonization is mainly directed by the host, subsequent bacterial succession, and maintenance are mainly controlled by bacteria-bacteria interactions. Starvation of the host results in a rejuvenation of the microbiome towards a juvenile state. Image created in Biorender