HYPOTHESIS AND THEORY article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbial Symbioses
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1638634
This article is part of the Research TopicDynamics of the Human Skin MicrobiotaView all 3 articles
Beyond reductionism: the emerging holistic paradigm in indirect control of pathogen infection
Provisionally accepted
- Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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Microbial research has often emphasized direct interactions between pathogens and other microbes, leading to the discovery of antibiotics and biological control agents. However, such approaches frequently overlook the complexity of microbial ecosystems and show limited effectiveness in real-world settings. Indirect interactions, where non-pathogenic microbes influence pathogen behavior through ecological networks, offer an alternative strategy for controlling infectious diseases. We hypothesize that targeting microbes that support or influence pathogen activity, rather than the pathogen itself, can lead to more effective and sustainable disease control. Indirect modulation of pathogen behavior through ecological networks may reduce virulence, persistence, and resistance development. Recent studies in both animal and plant systems support this idea, showing that manipulating non-pathogenic microbial relationships can suppress disease more efficiently than direct intervention. Focusing on indirect ecological relationships allows for a more comprehensive understanding of pathogen dynamics and presents new opportunities for sustainable disease management.
Keywords: Indirect pathogen control, helper microbe, beneficiary microbe, Reductionism, Holism
Received: 31 May 2025; Accepted: 27 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Jang, Kim, Seo and Ryu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Hwi Won Seo, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 305-806, Republic of Korea
Choong-Min Ryu, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 305-806, Republic of Korea
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