Matthew H. Becker

TL;DR: Adding an antifungal bacterial species, Janthinobacterium lividum, found on several species of amphibians to the skins of the frog Rana muscosa prevented morbidity and mortality caused by the pathogen chytridiomycosis, showing that cutaneous microbes are a part of amphibian' innate immune system, the microbial community structure on frog skins is a determinant of disease outcome and altering microbial interactions onfrog skins can prevent a lethal disease outcome.

TL;DR: To target at-risk species and amphibian communities, this work develops sampling strategies and filtering protocols that result in probiotics that inhibit Bd under ecologically relevant conditions and persist on susceptible amphibians.

TL;DR: Results suggest that, in a host species-specific manner, amphibian skin may select for microbes that are generally in low abundance in the environment.

TL;DR: It is suggested that a threshold violacein concentration of about 18 μM on a salamander's skin prevents mortality and morbidity caused by B. dendrobatidis, and it is shown that over one-half of individuals in nature support antifungal bacteria that produce Violacein, which suggests that there is a mutualism between violACEin-producing bacteria and P. cinereus.

TL;DR: Results demonstrate that the cutaneous bacterial community of P. cinereus provides protection to the salamander from Bd and that alteration of this community can change disease resistance, Therefore, symbiotic microbes associated with this species appear to be an important component of its innate skin defenses.