Initial acquisition of microbiota

The initial acquisition of microbiota is the formation of an organism's microbiota immediately before and after birth. The microbiota (also called flora) are all the microorganisms including bacteria, archaea and fungi that colonize the organism. The microbiome is another term for microbiota or can refer to the collected genomes.

Many of these microorganisms interact with the host in ways that are beneficial and often play an integral role in processes like digestion and immunity.^[1] The microbiome is dynamic: it varies between individuals, over time, and can influenced by both endogenous and exogenous forces.^[2]

Abundant research in invertebrates ^[3][4][5] has shown that endosymbionts may be transmitted vertically to oocytes or externally transmitted during oviposition.^[6] Research on the acquisition of microbial communities in vertebrates is relatively sparse, but also suggests that vertical transmission may occur.^[7][8]