Symbiont
Symbiont
Symbiont (/sɪmˈbaɪ.ɒnt/, from the Greek sym, meaning "with", and bios, meaning "life") is an organism that lives in close association with another organism, often to the mutual benefit of both. The term is used to describe a wide range of biological interactions, from mutualistic relationships where both organisms benefit, to parasitic relationships where the symbiont benefits at the expense of the host.
Etymology
The term "symbiont" was first used in the late 19th century and is derived from the Greek words sym (σύν), meaning "with", and bios (βίος), meaning "life". It was originally used to describe organisms that live together in a mutually beneficial relationship, but has since been expanded to include any organism that lives in close association with another, regardless of the nature of the interaction.
Types of Symbionts
There are several different types of symbionts, including:
- Mutualistic Symbionts: Both the symbiont and the host benefit from the relationship.
- Commensal Symbionts: The symbiont benefits from the relationship, but the host is neither helped nor harmed.
- Parasitic Symbionts: The symbiont benefits at the expense of the host.
Related Terms
- Symbiosis: The interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both.
- Host (biology): An organism that harbors a parasitic, a mutualistic, or a commensalist symbiont.
- Parasitism: A non-mutual symbiotic relationship between species, where one species, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Symbiont
- Wikipedia's article - Symbiont
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