@article {pmid40270532,
year = {2025},
author = {Ma, J and Wang, M and Sun, Y and Zheng, Y and Lai, S and Zhang, Y and Wu, Y and Jiang, C and Shen, F},
title = {Cockroach Microbiome Disrupts Indoor Environmental Microbial Ecology with Potential Public Health Implications.},
journal = {Environment & health (Washington, D.C.)},
volume = {3},
number = {4},
pages = {380-391},
doi = {10.1021/envhealth.4c00216},
pmid = {40270532},
issn = {2833-8278},
abstract = {Cockroaches pose a significant global public health concern. However, besides the well-recognized cockroach-induced allergy, the potential impact of the cockroach microbiome on human health through various means is not yet fully elucidated. This study aimed to clarify the health impacts of cockroaches by investigating the microbial interactions among cockroaches, the indoor environment, and humans. We simultaneously collected cockroach, indoor environment (indoor air and floor dust), and human (exhaled breath condensate and skin) samples from residential areas in five cities representing distinct climate zones in China. The 16S rDNA sequencing results revealed that cockroaches harbor diverse bacterial populations that vary across different cities. The prevalence of potential pathogenic bacteria (PPB) in cockroaches ranged from 1.1% to 58.9%, with dominant resistance genes conferring resistance to tetracycline, macrolide, and beta-lactam. The relationships between the cockroach microbiome and the associated environmental and human microbiomes were explored by using fast expectation-maximization microbial source tracking (FEAST). The potential contribution of cockroach bacteria to the floor dust-borne microbiome and indoor airborne microbiome was estimated to be 5.6% and 1.3%, respectively. Similarly, the potential contribution of cockroach PPB to the floor dust-borne microbiome and indoor airborne microbiome was calculated to be 4.0% and 1.2%, respectively. In residences with cockroach infestations, the contribution of other sources to the indoor environment was slightly increased. Collectively, the role of cockroaches in the transmission of microorganisms, particularly pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes, cannot be overlooked.},
}

@article {pmid40268300,
year = {2025},
author = {Goyal, A and Chure, G},
title = {Paradox of the Sub-Plankton: Plausible Mechanisms and Open Problems Underlying Strain-Level Diversity in Microbial Communities.},
journal = {Environmental microbiology},
volume = {27},
number = {4},
pages = {e70094},
doi = {10.1111/1462-2920.70094},
pmid = {40268300},
issn = {1462-2920},
mesh = {*Biodiversity ; *Microbiota ; *Bacteria/genetics/classification ; Gene Transfer, Horizontal ; Genetic Variation ; Ecosystem ; Biological Evolution ; },
abstract = {Microbial communities are often complex and highly diverse, typically with dozens of species sharing spatially-restricted environments. Within these species, genetic and ecological variation often exists at a much finer scale, with closely related strains coexisting and competing. While the coexistence of strains in communities has been heavily explored over the past two decades, we have no self-consistent theory of how this diversity is maintained. This question challenges our conventional understanding of ecological coexistence, typically framed around species with clear phenotypic and ecological differences. In this review, we synthesise plausible mechanisms underlying strain-level diversity (termed microdiversity), focusing on niche-based mechanisms such as nutrient competition, neutral mechanisms such as migration, and evolutionary mechanisms such as horizontal gene transfer. We critically assess the strengths and caveats of these mechanisms, acknowledging key gaps that persist in linking genetic similarity to ecological divergence. Finally, we highlight how the origin and maintenance of microdiversity could pose a major challenge to conventional ecological thinking. We articulate a call-to-arms for a dialogue between well-designed experiments and new theoretical frameworks to address this grand conceptual challenge in understanding microbial biodiversity.},
}

*Biodiversity
*Microbiota
*Bacteria/genetics/classification
Gene Transfer, Horizontal
Genetic Variation
Ecosystem
Biological Evolution

@article {pmid40267173,
year = {2025},
author = {Bull, CT and Salgado-Salazar, C and Romberg, MK and Allen, C and Kantor, M and Handoo, Z and Aboughanem-Sabanadzovic, N and Sabanadzovic, S and Coutinho, T},
title = {Plant Pathogen Name Game: Cross Kingdom Review for the Naming of Biotic Agents Associated with Plants.},
journal = {Annual review of phytopathology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1146/annurev-phyto-111424-090412},
pmid = {40267173},
issn = {1545-2107},
abstract = {To communicate across scientific disciplines, regulatory bodies, and the agricultural community, the naming of plant pathogens assigned to specific taxa is critical. Here, we provide an overview of the nomenclatural systems governing the naming of plant-pathogenic nematodes, fungi, oomycetes, prokaryotes, and viruses. Although we focus on the nature of the nomenclatural codes, we briefly discuss fundamental principles of taxonomy, including classification and identification. Key elements of the codes of nomenclature that ensure stability and clarity when naming species of pathogens are defined. When comparing the practice of nomenclature across different kingdoms, the classification and nomenclatural systems differ, and thus unique challenges are faced. We provide guidance from the codes and current practice for naming novel species. When there are nomenclatural conflicts, international committees play a critical role in their resolution. They also play a role in updating the codes to reflect new advancements in science. With this review, we aim to assist plant pathologists, journal editors, and those in related fields by providing an entrée to the legalistic requirements of the codes. Authors must consult and follow the rules of the appropriate code for any proposal of new or new combinations of names. To those interested in naming new species (or renaming the current ones), we recommend collaborations with experts in the field of taxonomy to ensure that rules for accurate and consistent naming practices and procedures are followed and to increase the likelihood that the proposed nomenclature is correct and acceptable.},
}

@article {pmid40196585,
year = {2025},
author = {Dellicour, S and Gámbaro, F and Jacquot, M and Lequime, S and Baele, G and Gilbert, M and Pybus, OG and Suchard, MA and Lemey, P},
title = {Comparative performance of novel viral landscape phylogeography approaches.},
journal = {bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40196585},
issn = {2692-8205},
support = {/WT_/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom ; R01 AI153044/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States ; R01 AI162611/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States ; U19 AI135995/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {The fast rate of evolution in RNA viruses implies that their evolutionary and ecological processes occur on the same time scale. Genome sequences of these pathogens can therefore contain information about the processes that govern their transmission and dispersal. In particular, landscape phylogeographic approaches use phylogeographic reconstructions to investigate the impact of environmental factors and variables on the spatial spread of viruses. Here, we extend and improve existing approaches and develop three novel landscape phylogeographic methods that can test the impact of continuous environmental factors on the diffusion velocity of viral lineages. In order to evaluate the different methods, we also implemented two simulation frameworks to test and compare their statistical performance. The results enable us to formulate clear guidelines for the use of three complementary landscape phylogeographic approaches that have sufficient statistical power and low rates of false positives. Our open-source methods are available to the scientific community and can be used to investigate the drivers of viral spread, with potential benefits for understanding virus epidemiology and designing tailored intervention strategies.},
}

@article {pmid40266732,
year = {2025},
author = {Duque-Granda, D and Vivero-Gómez, RJ and González Ceballos, LA and Junca, H and Duque, SR and Aroca Aguilera, MC and Castañeda-Espinosa, A and Cadavid-Restrepo, G and Gómez, GF and Moreno-Herrera, CX},
title = {Exploring the Diversity of Microbial Communities Associated with Two Anopheles Species During Dry Season in an Indigenous Community from the Colombian Amazon.},
journal = {Insects},
volume = {16},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/insects16030269},
pmid = {40266732},
issn = {2075-4450},
support = {Hermes 57545//Universidad Nacional de Colombia/ ; },
abstract = {Malaria disease affects millions of people annually, making the Amazon Basin a major hotspot in the Americas. While traditional control strategies rely on physical and chemical methods, the Anopheles microbiome offers a promising avenue for biological control, as certain bacteria can inhibit parasite development and alter vector immune and reproductive systems, disrupting the transmission cycle. For this reason, this study aimed to explore the bacterial communities in An. darlingi and An. triannulatus s.l., including breeding sites, immature stages, and adults from San Pedro de los Lagos (Leticia, Amazonas) through next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The results revealed a higher bacterial genus richness in the L1-L2 larvae of An. triannulatus s.l. Aeromonas and Enterobacter were prevalent in most samples, with abundances of 52.51% in L3-L4 larvae and 48.88% in pupae of An. triannulatus s.l., respectively. In breeding site water, Verrucomicrobiota bacteria were the most dominant (52.39%). We also identified Delftia (15.46%) in An. triannulatus s.l. pupae and Asaia (98.22%) in An. triannulatus, linked to Plasmodium inhibition, and Elizabethkingia, in low abundances, along with Klebsiella and Serratia, known for paratransgenesis potential. Considering the high bacterial diversity observed across the different mosquito life stages, identifying bacterial composition is the first step towards developing new strategies for malaria control. However, the specific roles of these bacteria in anophelines and the malaria transmission cycle remain to be elucidated.},
}

@article {pmid40266381,
year = {2025},
author = {Cuny, MAC and Gloder, G and Bourne, ME and Kalisvaart, SN and Verreth, C and Crauwels, S and Cusumano, A and Lievens, B and Poelman, EH},
title = {Parasitoid Calyx Fluid and Venom Affect Bacterial Communities in Their Lepidopteran Host Labial Salivary Glands.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {33},
pmid = {40266381},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {ALWOP.368//Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research/ ; ALWOP.368//Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research/ ; ALWOP.368//Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research/ ; ALWOP.368//Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research/ ; ALWOP.368//Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research/ ; G.0961.19 N//Flemish Fund for Scientific Research/ ; G.0961.19 N//Flemish Fund for Scientific Research/ ; G.0961.19 N//Flemish Fund for Scientific Research/ ; G.0961.19 N//Flemish Fund for Scientific Research/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Salivary Glands/microbiology ; *Wasps/physiology ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification/drug effects ; *Microbiota ; Larva/parasitology/microbiology ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; *Butterflies/microbiology/parasitology ; Hemolymph/microbiology ; Polydnaviridae/physiology ; *Wasp Venoms/pharmacology ; *Moths/microbiology/parasitology ; },
abstract = {The influence of gut and gonad bacterial communities on insect physiology, behaviour, and ecology is increasingly recognised. Parasitism by parasitoid wasps alters many physiological processes in their hosts, including gut bacterial communities. However, it remains unclear whether these changes are restricted to the gut or also occur in other tissues and fluids, and the mechanisms underlying such changes are unknown. We hypothesise that host microbiome changes result from the injection of calyx fluid (that contain symbiotic viruses known as polydnaviruses) and venom during parasitoid oviposition and that these effects vary by host tissue. To test this, we microinjected Pieris brassicae caterpillars with calyx fluid and venom from Cotesia glomerata, using saline solution and natural parasitism by C. glomerata as controls. We analysed changes in the bacterial community composition in the gut, regurgitate, haemolymph, and labial salivary glands of the host insects. Multivariate analysis revealed distinct bacterial communities across tissues and fluids, with high diversity in the salivary glands and haemolymph. Parasitism and injection of calyx fluid and venom significantly altered bacterial communities in the salivary glands. Differential abundance analysis showed that parasitism affected bacterial relative abundance in the haemolymph, and that Wolbachia was only found in the haemolymph of parasitized caterpillars. Altogether, our findings reveal that parasitism influences the host haemolymph microbiome, and both parasitism and injection of calyx fluid and venom drive changes in the bacterial community composition within the host salivary glands. Given that the composition of salivary glands can influence plant response to herbivory, we discuss these results in the broader context of plant-parasitoid interactions.},
}

Animals
*Salivary Glands/microbiology
*Wasps/physiology
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification/drug effects
*Microbiota
Larva/parasitology/microbiology
Host-Parasite Interactions
*Butterflies/microbiology/parasitology
Hemolymph/microbiology
Polydnaviridae/physiology
*Wasp Venoms/pharmacology
*Moths/microbiology/parasitology

@article {pmid40262702,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhang, S and Sun, C},
title = {Ecological divergence of marine bacteria Alteromonas mediterranea.},
journal = {Molecular phylogenetics and evolution},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {108359},
doi = {10.1016/j.ympev.2025.108359},
pmid = {40262702},
issn = {1095-9513},
abstract = {Alteromonas mediterranea, originally designated as A. macleodii, is a deep-sea ecotype that plays an important ecological role in the ocean. However, a comprehensive understanding of their biogeographic distribution and evolutionary histories remains limited. In this study, our analysis indicated that A. mediterranea members could adapt contrasting marine ecosystems and flourish in nutrient-rich habitats such as feces and coral reefs. No significant correlations between the relative abundance of A. mediterranea members and the environmental variables were identified. Phylogenetic analysis and geographic patterns of A. mediterranea strains suggested that they could be clustered into two clades (clade Ⅰ and clade Ⅱ). In contrast, many distinct genomic traits exist between these clades, such as the complete genes encoding cytochrome o ubiquinol oxidase only involved in clade Ⅱ. Genes were more likely to be lost in the evolutionary history of A. mediterranea relatives. Gene loss might be a major force in all phylogenetic groups driving the distinct clades. Adaptation to different biotopes resulted in the functional differentiation of A. mediterranea members, with the loss of genes encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes. Genes acquired horizontally from unclassified bacteria, and Proteobacteria represented by Gammaproteobacteria played key roles in the functional diversification of A. mediterranea in marine habitats. Given these data, these results are useful for information supplementation of A. mediterranea strains, particularly for making significant advances in understanding marine microbial ecology within different clonal frames using genome-wide recruitments.},
}

@article {pmid40262432,
year = {2025},
author = {Wu, G and Zhang, H and Huang, T and Song, Y and Liu, X and Liu, X and Wang, X and Pei, T and Xu, G and Wang, Z},
title = {Hydraulic and thermal performance trigger the deterministic assembly of water microbiomes: From biogeographical homogenization to machine learning model.},
journal = {Water research},
volume = {282},
number = {},
pages = {123626},
doi = {10.1016/j.watres.2025.123626},
pmid = {40262432},
issn = {1879-2448},
abstract = {Water quality at the point of consumption has long been a health issue because of the potential for microbial ecology. However, research on water hydraulic performance remains in its infancy, and in particular, little is known about the effects of thermal performance during winter. This study explored the effects of stagnation and municipal heating on microbial communities in tap water, focusing on spatial and temporal variations in microbial community composition. The results revealed that stagnation significantly alters the microbial community, especially in heating areas, where the temperature exacerbates microbial growth. Furthermore, hydraulic and thermal performance drive deterministic assembly processes in microbial communities, as evidenced by the reductions in β-diversity, normalized stochasticity ratio (NST), and neutral community model (NCM) fit. Machine learning models revealed that stagnation time greater than 8 h results in increased community abundance because of longer exposure to organic matter and nutrients. The study finding illustrate the importance of environmental influences on microbial community dynamics, and provide valuable insights into the water microbial community, particularly in areas with prolonged stagnation.},
}

@article {pmid40261360,
year = {2025},
author = {Cho, KH and Kwon, Y and Kasani, PH and Lee, SG and Jeong, SJ},
title = {Influence of Maternal Weight Dynamics Prior to and Throughout Gestation on Early Infant Gut Microbiome Colonization.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {32},
pmid = {40261360},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {HR22C1605//Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea/ ; },
mesh = {Humans ; Female ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Pregnancy ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Infant, Newborn ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Feces/microbiology ; *Gestational Weight Gain ; Male ; Meconium/microbiology ; Infant ; *Body Weight ; },
abstract = {This study is aimed at exploring the relationship between maternal weight categories, including pre-pregnancy body mass index (P-BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG), and the composition of the infant gut microbiome in the early days of life. We recruited 71 mother-infant pairs from Kangwon National University Hospital and Bundang CHA Hospital, collecting meconium samples from the infants within the first 5 days postpartum. Using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing (V3-V4 region), this study assessed microbial diversity and the relative abundance of specific bacterial taxa in these initial stool samples. Participants were categorized into groups based on maternal P-BMI and GWG, enabling a comprehensive comparison of the microbiota composition in the infants' meconium across different maternal weight metrics. Our analysis identified significant variations in the infant gut microbiome correlated with maternal weight categories. Key findings include a differential abundance of genera such as Sphingobacteriaceae, Bacillaceae, Cytophagaceae, and Alteromonadaceae across maternal P-BMI groups, whereas Moraxellaceae and Rhodospirillaceae varied across GWG groups. In the P-BMI category, infants born to overweight mothers demonstrated a higher abundance of Pseudopedobacter, and a lower abundance of Citrobacter and Lachnospira, while infants in the underweight group showed a higher abundance of Lachnospira and Weissella. In the normal weight group, Citrobacter and Pseudopedobacter were more abundant. Within the GWG category, infants in the inadequate group showed a higher abundance of Klebsiella, whereas the normal group showed a higher abundance of Holdemania. The composition of the infant gut microbiome in the early postnatal period is significantly influenced by maternal weight categories. Understanding the role of maternal weight in shaping early microbial colonization may provide insights into developing strategies to optimize infant health outcomes through targeted interventions before and during pregnancy.},
}

Humans
Female
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome
Pregnancy
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
Infant, Newborn
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Adult
Body Mass Index
Feces/microbiology
*Gestational Weight Gain
Male
Meconium/microbiology
Infant
*Body Weight

@article {pmid40261136,
year = {2025},
author = {Elias Masiques, N and De Vrieze, J and Hemeryck, LY and Vanhaecke, L and De Smet, S and Van Hecke, T},
title = {Dietary fiber mitigates the differential impact of beef and chicken meat consumption on rat intestinal health.},
journal = {Food & function},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1039/d5fo00900f},
pmid = {40261136},
issn = {2042-650X},
abstract = {In this rat feeding study, it was hypothesized that the impact of red (vs. white) meat consumption on gut health is more pronounced in fiber-deprived diets, whereas fiber-rich diets may attenuate meat-related differences. For this purpose, rats were fed a red (beef) or white (chicken) meat diet with and without fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) for three weeks. Gut health was assessed through colonic microbiota, fermentation metabolites, oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA adducts and histology. In rats on the fiber-deprived diets, beef consumption resulted in higher abundance of mucin-degrading bacteria Akkermansia and lower blood glutathione levels compared to chicken-fed rats. Adding FOS to the meat diets modulated the gut microbiota and fermentation metabolites, affected oxidative stress and inflammation markers in tissues and blood, increased colon length, and reduced fat deposition and liver weight. Thus, results showed that the dietary context should be considered when evaluating the impact of red meat consumption on gut health.},
}

@article {pmid40260087,
year = {2025},
author = {Matsumura, E and Kato, H and Hara, S and Ohbayashi, T and Ito, K and Shingubara, R and Kawakami, T and Mitsunobu, S and Saeki, T and Tsuda, S and Minamisawa, K and Wagai, R},
title = {Single-cell genomics of single soil aggregates: methodological assessment and potential implications with a focus on nitrogen metabolism.},
journal = {Frontiers in microbiology},
volume = {16},
number = {},
pages = {1557188},
pmid = {40260087},
issn = {1664-302X},
abstract = {Soil particles in plant rooting zones are largely clustered to form porous structural units called aggregates where highly diverse microorganisms inhabit and drive biogeochemical cycling. The complete extraction of microbial cells and DNA from soil is a substantial task as certain microorganisms exhibit strong adhesion to soil surfaces and/or inhabit deep within aggregates. However, the degree of aggregate dispersion and the efficacy of extraction have rarely been examined, and thus, adequate cell extraction methods from soil remain unclear. We aimed to develop an optimal method of cell extraction for single-cell genomics (SCG) analysis of single soil aggregates by focusing on water-stable macroaggregates (diameter: 5.6-8.2 mm) from the topsoil of cultivated Acrisol. We postulated that the extraction of microorganisms with distinct taxonomy and functions could be achieved depending on the degree of soil aggregate dispersion. To test this idea, we used six individual aggregates and performed both SCG sequencing and amplicon analysis. While both bead-vortexing and sonication dispersion techniques improved the extractability of bacterial cells compared to previous ones, the sonication technique led to more efficient dispersion and yielded a higher number and more diverse microorganisms than the bead technique. Furthermore, the analyses of nitrogen cycling and exopolysaccharides-related genes suggested that the sonication-assisted extraction led to the greater recovery of microorganisms strongly attached to soil particles and/or inhabited the aggregate subunits that were more physically stable (e.g., aggregate core). Further SCG analysis revealed that all six aggregates held intact microorganisms holding the genes (potentials) to convert nitrate into all possible nitrogen forms while some low-abundance genes showed inter-aggregate heterogeneity. Overall, all six aggregates studied showed similarities in pore characteristics, phylum-level composition, and microbial functional redundancy. Together, these results suggest that water-stable macroaggregates may act as a functional unit in soil and show potential as a useful experimental unit in soil microbial ecology. Our study also suggests that conventional methods employed for the extraction of cells and DNA may not be optimal. The findings of this study emphasize the necessity of advancing extraction methodologies to facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of microbial diversity and function in soil environments.},
}

@article {pmid40259028,
year = {2025},
author = {Hsieh, YE and Yang, SY and Liu, SL and Wang, SW and Wang, WL and Tang, SL and Yang, SH},
title = {Microbial Community Shifts and Nitrogen Utilization in Peritidal Microbialites: The Role of Salinity and pH in Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {31},
pmid = {40259028},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {MOST 111-2621-B-029 -002 -MY3//National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan/ ; MOST 110-2611-M-002-024//National Science and Technology Council/ ; },
mesh = {*Carbonates/metabolism/chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Salinity ; *Nitrogen/metabolism ; *Bacteria/metabolism/genetics/classification/isolation & purification ; *Microbiota ; *Seawater/microbiology/chemistry ; *Geologic Sediments/microbiology/chemistry ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Chemical Precipitation ; },
abstract = {Microbialites have the potential to record environmental changes and act as biosignatures of past geochemical conditions. As such, they could be used as indicators to decipher ancient rock records. Modern microbialites are primarily found in environments where competitors and destructors are absent or where biogeochemical conditions favor their continuous formation. Many previous studies have essentially focused on the role of photosynthetic microbes in controlling pH and carbonate speciation and potentially overlooked alternative non-photosynthetic pathways of carbonate precipitation. Given that microbial activity induces subtle geochemical changes, microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) can involve several mechanisms, from extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), sulfate reduction, anaerobic oxidation of methane, to nitrogen cycling processes, such as ammonification, ureolysis, and denitrification. Moreover, the peritidal zone where temperate microbialites are mostly found today, is under the influence of both freshwater and seawater, arguing for successive biogeochemical processes leading to mineral saturation, and questioning interpretations of fossil records. This study investigates microbialites in three tide pools from the peritidal zone of Fongchueisha, Hengchun, Taiwan, to address the influence of salinity on microbial community composition and carbonate precipitation mechanisms. Microbial samples were collected across varying salinity gradients at multiple time points and analyzed using next-generation sequencing (NGS) of bacterial 16S and eukaryotic 18S rRNA genes. Our results indicate that dominant bacterial groups, including Cyanobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria, were largely influenced by salinity variations, albeit pH exhibited stronger correlation with community composition. Combining our results on geochemistry and taxonomic diversity over time, we inferred a shift in the trophic mode under high salinity conditions, during which the use of urea and amino acids as a nitrogen source outcompetes diazotrophy, ureolysis and ammonification of amino acids reinforcing carbonate precipitation dynamics by triggering an increase in both pH and dissolved inorganic carbon.},
}

*Carbonates/metabolism/chemistry
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Salinity
*Nitrogen/metabolism
*Bacteria/metabolism/genetics/classification/isolation & purification
*Microbiota
*Seawater/microbiology/chemistry
*Geologic Sediments/microbiology/chemistry
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Chemical Precipitation

@article {pmid40258091,
year = {2025},
author = {Hashem, I and Wang, J and Van Impe, JFM},
title = {A Discretized Overlap Resolution Algorithm (DORA) for resolving spatial overlaps in individual-based models of microbes.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {4},
pages = {e1012974},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012974},
pmid = {40258091},
issn = {1553-7358},
abstract = {Individual-based modeling (IbM) is an instrumental tool for simulating spatial microbial growth, with applications in both microbial ecology and biochemical engineering. Unlike Cellular Automata (CA), which use a fixed grid of cells with predefined rules for interactions, IbMs model the individual behaviors of cells, allowing complex population dynamics to emerge. IbMs require more detailed modeling of individual interactions, which introduces significant computational challenges, particularly in resolving spatial overlaps between cells. Traditionally, this is managed using arrays or kd-trees, which require numerous pairwise comparisons and become inefficient as population size increases. To address this bottleneck, we introduce the Discretized Overlap Resolution Algorithm (DORA), which employs a grid-based framework to efficiently manage overlaps. By discretizing the simulation space further and assigning circular cells to specific grid units, DORA transforms the computationally intensive pairwise comparison process into a more efficient grid-based operation. This approach significantly reduces the computational load, particularly in simulations with large cell populations. Our evaluation of DORA, through simulations of microbial colonies and biofilms under varied nutrient conditions, demonstrates its superior computational efficiency and ability to accurately capture microbial growth dynamics compared to conventional methods. DORA's grid-based strategy enables the modeling of densely populated microbial communities within practical computational timeframes, thereby expanding the scope and applicability of individual-based modeling.},
}

@article {pmid40257249,
year = {2025},
author = {Maggiori, C and John, Z and Bower, DM and Millan, M and Hahn, AS and McAdam, A and Johnson, SS},
title = {Draft genome sequence of a member of a putatively novel Rubrobacteraceae genus from lava tubes in Lava Beds National Monument.},
journal = {Microbiology resource announcements},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0133524},
doi = {10.1128/mra.01335-24},
pmid = {40257249},
issn = {2576-098X},
abstract = {We report the draft genome sequence of a member of a potentially novel genus of Rubrobacteraceae isolated from Golden Dome Cave in Lava Beds National Monument. Members of this family are known to inhabit thermophilic environments. The metagenome-assembled genome presented here helps illuminate the genetic capacity of basaltic lava tube environments.},
}

@article {pmid40253969,
year = {2025},
author = {Achouri, H and Derguini, A and Idres, T and Selamoglu, Z and Hamadi, NB and Jalouli, M and Elfalleh, W and Bendif, H and Badraoui, R and Boufahja, F and Dellali, M},
title = {Impact of climate change on the toxicity of bisphenol A in Mytilus galloprovincialis and assessment of phycoremediation using Nannochloropsis salina via a multi-biomarker strategy and modeling.},
journal = {Marine pollution bulletin},
volume = {216},
number = {},
pages = {118010},
doi = {10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118010},
pmid = {40253969},
issn = {1879-3363},
abstract = {In the current study, the mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis, exposed to four varying temperatures (17, 20, 23, and 26 °C), were contaminated with 50 μg/L of bisphenol A both with and without Nannochloropsis salina. The toxicity evaluation is determined by quantifying various biomarkers related to oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, and cellular damage. The key findings indicate that the toxicity of bisphenol A is heightened by rising temperature. The impact of bisphenol A is most evident at 26 °C, leading to excessive production of reactive oxygen species, depletion of non-enzymatic antioxidants, and activation of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and glutathione-S-transferase). The rise in malondialdehyde levels confirms lipid peroxidation caused by bisphenol A and intensified by thermal stress. These findings have been supported by strong molecular interactions between bisphenol A and lectin mytilec apo-form and proximal thread matrix protein 1 from M. galloprovincialis following the computational modeling assay. The incorporation of N. salina as a food additive helped, firstly, to mitigate the stress effects and, secondly, resulted in a noticeable enhancement of oxidative balance and filtration ability, along with decreased lipid peroxidation.},
}

@article {pmid40252751,
year = {2025},
author = {Tuts, L and Heyndrickx, M and Becue, I and Boon, N and De Maesschalck, P and Rasschaert, G},
title = {Tracking antibiotics and antibiotic resistant E. coli in the aquatic environment linked to agriculture.},
journal = {Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {126265},
doi = {10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126265},
pmid = {40252751},
issn = {1873-6424},
abstract = {The application of manure to fertilize agricultural land is associated with the introduction of antibiotic residues and bacteria, including antibiotic resistant bacteria, which can reach surface water through runoff and drainage and groundwater through leaching from the soil. This was investigated by sampling 50 surface water locations (before and after fertilization) and 50 groundwater wells for the presence of antibiotic residues and the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. For the latter, Escherichia coli and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli were used as indicators and profiled for antibiotic resistance. The presence of a wide range of antibiotic residues, though at low concentrations (0.01 - 10 μg/L), in freshwater ecosystems highlights the extensive spread of these substances. Only 16% of the samples were consistently free of antibiotic residues throughout both sampling periods. Notably, the frequent occurrence of sulfonamides and lincomycin in surface waters raises concerns as their concentrations occasionally exceed the predicted no-effect levels for antimicrobial resistance selection. Maximum concentrations were reported at 8.83 μg/L and 1.60 μg/L for sulfamethoxazole and lincomycin, respectively. Additionally, resistance patterns in E. coli indicate increased resistance to sulfamethoxazole following the fertilization period, suggesting that the application of manure on fields contributes to a rise in antibiotic resistance from 20% to 48%. Although antibiotic contamination in groundwater is less prevalent, antibiotic resistance remains widespread. In particular, ESBL-producing E. coli exhibit heightened resistance levels, not limited to β-lactam antibiotics. The detection of resistance to critical last-resort antibiotics such as carbapenems and colistin further emphasizes the urgency of addressing antibiotic resistance in environmental contexts. This study highlights the need for continued monitoring and the implementation of legislation to reduce antibiotic pollution and tackle resistance in aquatic ecosystems.},
}

@article {pmid40251008,
year = {2025},
author = {Rizaludin, MS and Diaz, ASL and Zweers, H and Raaijmakers, JM and Garbeva, P},
title = {Foliar infections by Botrytis cinerea modulate the tomato root volatilome and microbiome.},
journal = {FEMS microbiology ecology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/femsec/fiaf042},
pmid = {40251008},
issn = {1574-6941},
abstract = {The fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea causes significant damage to aboveground plant parts, but its impact on root chemistry and microbiome composition is less understood. This study investigated how B. cinerea foliar infection influences the root volatilome and microbiome of two tomato genotypes: wild Solanum pimpinellifolium and domesticated Solanum lycopersicum var. Moneymaker. In the absence of infection, wild tomato roots emitted higher levels of monoterpenes such as α-pinene and terpinene compared to domesticated tomato roots. The fungal infection induced elevated levels of benzyl alcohol and benzofuran in the root headspace and/or rhizosphere of both genotypes, alongside genotype-specific changes. Multivariate analyses revealed that B. cinerea significantly altered bacterial and fungal community compositions in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane, with stronger bacterial community shifts in the rhizoplane. Taxa depletion and enrichment were observed, particularly among Proteobacteria and Ascomycota. Mantel tests showed significant correlations between rhizoplane bacterial community compositions and root volatilome compounds. Notably, enriched bacterial taxa such as Pelomonas and Comamonadaceae positively correlated with benzyl alcohol and benzofuran levels in the root volatilome. These findings demonstrate that B. cinerea foliar infection might induce profound changes in root volatilome and microbiome composition, highlighting its systemic effects on plant-root chemistry and microbiome composition.},
}

@article {pmid40250533,
year = {2025},
author = {Rosario Rodero, MD and Steyer, JP and Pérez-Bernal, MF and Verstraete, W and Escudié, R and Capson-Tojo, G},
title = {Dinitrogen fixation by open purple non-sulfur bacteria cultures for protein production: Diazotrophy boosts photoheterotrophic uptake rates.},
journal = {Bioresource technology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {132554},
doi = {10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132554},
pmid = {40250533},
issn = {1873-2976},
abstract = {Purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) offer a sustainable alternative to current inefficient protein production systems thanks to their high yields. This study explored the potential of specialized diazotrophic PNSB open cultures for protein production, benchmarking their performance against ammonium-grown PNSB and other diazotrophs. While diazotrophic yields (0.85-0.93 gCODbiomass·gCODsubstrate[-1]; COD being chemical oxygen demand) were slightly lower than non-diazotrophic (∼1.0), they were over double those of heterotrophic-diazotrophic rhizobacteria, with full N recovery as biomass (∼1.0 gNbiomass·gNfixed[-1]). Photoheterotrophic-diazotrophic uptake rates were the fastest ever reported for PNSB and any other diazotroph (e.g., 5.20 ± 0.83 vs. 2.64 ± 0.34 gCODsubstrate·gCODbiomass[-1]·d[-1] for PNSB on NH4[+]). Optimal rates required high light intensities, aligning with diazotrophic energy demands. Photoheterotrophic-diazotrophic conditions were highly selective, enriching a specialized Rhodopseudomonas palustris strain. Biomass protein contents and essential amino acid metrics confirmed nutritional suitability for humans. This work lays the background to exploit PNSB's potential to address global protein demands through sustainable nitrogen fixation.},
}

@article {pmid40248914,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhang, RG and Shang, HY and Milne, RI and Almeida-Silva, F and Chen, H and Zhou, MJ and Shu, H and Jia, KH and Van de Peer, Y and Ma, YP},
title = {SOI: robust identification of orthologous synteny with the Orthology Index and broad applications in evolutionary genomics.},
journal = {Nucleic acids research},
volume = {53},
number = {7},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/nar/gkaf320},
pmid = {40248914},
issn = {1362-4962},
support = {2022YFF1301700//National Key Research and Development Program/ ; KIBXD202401//Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences/ ; //Light of West China/ ; 202101BC070003//Key Basic Research Programs of Yunnan Province/ ; 2022SJ07X-03//PSESP/ ; },
mesh = {*Synteny/genetics ; *Genomics/methods ; *Evolution, Molecular ; *Genome, Plant ; Phylogeny ; Polyploidy ; Algorithms ; Plants/genetics ; },
abstract = {With the explosive growth of whole-genome datasets, accurate detection of orthologous synteny has become crucial for reconstructing evolutionary history. However, current methods for identifying orthologous synteny face great limitations, particularly in scaling with varied polyploidy histories and accurately removing out-paralogous synteny. In this study, we developed a scalable and robust approach, based on the Orthology Index (OI), to effectively identify orthologous synteny. Our evaluation across a large-scale empirical dataset with diverse polyploidization events demonstrated the high reliability and robustness of the OI method. Simulation-based benchmarks further validated the accuracy of our method, showing its superior performance against existing methods across a wide range of scenarios. Additionally, we explored its broad applications in reconstructing the evolutionary histories of plant genomes, including the inference of polyploidy, identification of reticulation, and phylogenomics. In conclusion, OI offers a robust, interpretable, and scalable approach for identifying orthologous synteny, facilitating more accurate and efficient analyses in plant evolutionary genomics.},
}

*Synteny/genetics
*Genomics/methods
*Evolution, Molecular
*Genome, Plant
Phylogeny
Polyploidy
Algorithms
Plants/genetics

@article {pmid40248762,
year = {2025},
author = {Flores, C and Millard, S and Seekatz, AM},
title = {Bridging Ecology and Microbiomes: Applying Ecological Theories in Host-associated Microbial Ecosystems.},
journal = {Current clinical microbiology reports},
volume = {12},
number = {1},
pages = {9},
pmid = {40248762},
issn = {2196-5471},
abstract = {PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review explores the application of classical ecological theory to host-associated microbiomes during initial colonization, maintenance, and recovery. We discuss unique challenges of applying these theories to host-associated microbiomes and host factors to consider going forward.

RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies applying community ecology principles to host microbiomes continue to demonstrate a role for both selective and stochastic processes in shaping host-associated microbiomes. However, ecological frameworks developed to describe dynamics during homeostasis do not necessarily apply during diseased or highly perturbed states, where large variations can potentially lead to alternate stable states.

SUMMARY: Despite providing valuable insights, the application of ecological theories to host-associated microbiomes has some unique challenges. The integration of host-specific factors, such as genotype or immune dynamics in ecological models or frameworks is crucial for understanding host microbiome assembly and stability, which could improve our ability to predict microbiome outcomes and improve host health.},
}

@article {pmid40247944,
year = {2025},
author = {Sun, Y and Sun, S and Zahid, MS and Qiu, Q and Wang, L and Wang, S},
title = {Root-applied brassinosteroid and salicylic acid enhance thermotolerance and fruit quality in heat-stressed 'Kyoho' grapevines.},
journal = {Frontiers in plant science},
volume = {16},
number = {},
pages = {1563270},
pmid = {40247944},
issn = {1664-462X},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: The increasingly severe global greenhouse effect has become an irreversible trend, significantly impacting viticulture regions through heat stress during various grape growth stages, especially under protected cultivation conditions where high temperatures frequently occur. Therefore, studying the impact of heat stress on grapevine growth and fruit quality across the entire growth and development period, along with effective mitigation measures, is crucial.

METHODS: In this study, three-year-old 'Kyoho' grapevines were used as experimental materials, with four treatment groups: a control group, a hightemperature group (heat stress, HT), a high-temperature + brassinolide group (BR), and a high-temperature + salicylic acid group (SA). During the flowering, young berry swelling, and veraison stages, BR and SA were applied via nutrient solutions every seven days.

RESULTS: The results demonstrated that BR restored the maximum photosynthetic rate (Amax) to 96.14% of CK by the 18th day of flowering, significantly outperforming SA's recovery rate of 86.64%. Both treatments maintained light saturation points (1200 μmol•m[⁻²]•s[⁻¹]) and CO2 saturation thresholds equivalent to CK. The decline in PSII photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) was reduced from 18% in HT to 5-8% in BR/SA-treated groups, with BR showing minimal deviation (2.3%) from CK during veraison, effectively mitigating PSII photoinhibition caused by heat stress. Furthermore, both treatments reduced leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) content, minimizing membrane lipid peroxidation, while increasing soluble protein (SP) content to protect leaves. Under heat stress, BR notably improved the fruit set rate by 22.67% compared to HT (SA: 13%), promoted berry expansion, and enhanced the accumulation of sugars and anthocyanins in the fruit skin, with SA showing similar, though slightly less pronounced, effects.

DISCUSSION: These findings provide valuable theoretical insights into the use of exogenous hormones in root nutrient solutions as a strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of heat stress in grape production.},
}

@article {pmid40247820,
year = {2025},
author = {Liu, M and Yao, X and Wang, H and Xu, X and Kong, J and Wang, Y and Chen, W and Bai, H and Wang, Z and Setati, ME and Crauwels, S and Blancquaert, E and Fan, P and Liang, Z and Dai, Z},
title = {Carposphere microbiota alters grape volatiles and shapes the wine grape typicality.},
journal = {The New phytologist},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/nph.70152},
pmid = {40247820},
issn = {1469-8137},
support = {NXNYYZ202101//Agricultural Breeding Project of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region/ ; U20A2041//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; JCTD-2022-06//CAS Youth Interdisciplinary Team/ ; 2021YFE0109500//National Key Research and Development Program of China/ ; YSBR-093//CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research/ ; },
abstract = {While specific environments are known to shape plant metabolomes and the makeup of their associated microbiome, it is as yet unclear whether carposphere microbiota contribute to the characteristics of grape fruit flavor of a particular wine region. Here, carposphere microbiomes and berry transcriptomes and metabolomes of three grape cultivars growing at six geographic sites were analyzed. The composition of the carposphere microbiome was determined mainly by environmental conditions, rather than grape genotype. Bacterial microbiota likely contributed to grape volatile profiles. Particularly, candidate operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in genus Sphingomonas were highly correlated with grape C6 aldehyde volatiles (also called green leaf volatiles, GLVs), which contribute to a fresh taste. Furthermore, a core set of expressed genes was enriched in lipid metabolism, which is responsible for bacterial colonization and C6 aldehyde volatile synthesis activation. Finally, a similar grape volatile profile was observed after inoculating the berry skin of two grape cultivars with Sphingomonas sp., thus providing evidence for the hypothetical microbe-metabolite relationship. These results provide novel insight into how the environment-microbiome-plant quality (E × Mi × Q) interaction may shape berry flavor and thereby typicality, serving as a foundation for decision-making in vineyard microbial management.},
}

@article {pmid40247656,
year = {2025},
author = {Bonazzi, E and De Barba, C and Lorenzon, G and Maniero, D and Bertin, L and Barberio, B and Facciotti, F and Caprioli, F and Scaldaferri, F and Zingone, F and Savarino, EV},
title = {Recent developments in managing luminal microbial ecology in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: from evidence to microbiome-based diagnostic and personalized therapy.},
journal = {Expert review of gastroenterology & hepatology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1080/17474124.2025.2495087},
pmid = {40247656},
issn = {1747-4132},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic condition characterized by abnormal immune responses and intestinal inflammation. Emerging evidence highlights the vital role of gut microbiota in IBD's onset and progression. Recent advances have shaped diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, increasingly focusing on microbiome-based personalized care. Methodology: this review covers studies from 2004 to 2024, reflecting the surge in research on luminal microbial ecology in IBD. Human studies were prioritized, with select animal studies included for mechanistic insights. Only English-language, peer-reviewed articles - clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses - were considered. Studies without clinical validation were excluded unless offering essential insights. Searches were conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science.

AREAS COVERED: we explore mechanisms for managing IBD-related microbiota, including microbial markers for diagnosis and novel therapies such as fecal microbiota transplantation, metabolite-based treatments, and precision microbiome modulation. Additionally, we review technologies and diagnostic tools used to analyze gut microbiota composition and function in clinical settings. Emerging data supporting personalized therapeutic strategies based on individual microbial profiles are discussed.

EXPERT OPINION: Standardized microbiome research integration into clinical practice will enhance precision in IBD care, signaling a shift toward microbiota-based personalized medicine.},
}

@article {pmid40246153,
year = {2025},
author = {Bharathan, A and Arafath, Y and Fathima, A and Hassan, S and Singh, P and Kiran, GS and Selvin, J},
title = {Affection of Environmental Factors on the Pathogenicity of Vibrio vulnificus: Insights into Gene Activation and Disease.},
journal = {Microbial pathogenesis},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {107591},
doi = {10.1016/j.micpath.2025.107591},
pmid = {40246153},
issn = {1096-1208},
abstract = {Climate change, particularly rising sea surface temperatures and altered salinity levels has contributed to the increased prevalence of Vibrio vulnificus infections in humans and marine life. This opportunistic pathogen thrives in warm, estuarine environments, and its virulence is influenced by temperature-dependent gene expression, such as the activation of pVvBt2. Elevated temperatures and iron availability enhance pathogenicity by upregulating key virulence factors, including hemolysin, exotoxins, and biofilm-associated genes. Climate-driven shifts in microbial ecology have also facilitated the global expansion of V. vulnificus, leading to more frequent outbreaks and an increasing threat to public health. The unregulated use of antibiotics has also contributed to the emergence of resistant strains, complicating treatment strategies. This review explores the complex interplay between climate change and the molecular mechanisms driving V. vulnificus pathogenicity, global gene expression responses, and the implications for disease outbreaks. We also discuss current and emerging therapeutic approaches, including antibiotic stewardship and vaccine development, to mitigate the rising health risks posed by this climate-sensitive pathogen.},
}

@article {pmid40244660,
year = {2025},
author = {Narla, AV and Hwa, T and Murugan, A},
title = {Dynamic coexistence driven by physiological transitions in microbial communities.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {122},
number = {16},
pages = {e2405527122},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.2405527122},
pmid = {40244660},
issn = {1091-6490},
support = {542387//Simons Foundation (SF)/ ; 2029480//NSF | BIO | Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB)/ ; R35GM151211//HHS | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)/ ; 2317138//NSF | MPS | Division of Physics (PHY)/ ; },
mesh = {*Ecosystem ; *Models, Biological ; Biomass ; *Microbiota/physiology ; *Microbial Interactions/physiology ; Bacteria/growth & development ; },
abstract = {Microbial ecosystems are commonly modeled by fixed interactions between species in steady exponential growth states. However, microbes in exponential growth often modify their environments so strongly that they are forced out of the growth state into stressed, nongrowing states. Such dynamics are typical of ecological succession in nature and serial-dilution cycles in the laboratory. Here, we introduce a phenomenological model, the Community State Model, to gain insight into the dynamic coexistence of microbes due to changes in their physiological states during cyclic succession. Our model specifies the growth preference of each species along a global ecological coordinate, taken to be the biomass density of the community, but is otherwise agnostic to specific interactions (e.g., nutrient starvation, stress, aggregation), in order to focus on self-consistency conditions on combinations of physiological states, "community states," in a stable ecosystem. We identify three key features of such dynamical communities that contrast starkly with steady-state communities: enhanced community stability through staggered dominance of different species in different community states, increased tolerance of community diversity to fast growing species dominating distinct community states, and increased requirement of growth dominance by late-growing species. These features, derived explicitly for simplified models, are proposed here as principles aiding the understanding of complex dynamical communities. Our model shifts the focus of ecosystem dynamics from bottom-up studies based on fixed, idealized interspecies interaction to top-down studies based on accessible macroscopic observables such as growth rates and total biomass density, enabling quantitative examination of community-wide characteristics.},
}

*Ecosystem
*Models, Biological
Biomass
*Microbiota/physiology
*Microbial Interactions/physiology
Bacteria/growth & development

@article {pmid40243315,
year = {2025},
author = {Weng, L and Cui, Y and Jian, W and Zhang, Y and Pang, L and Cao, Y and Zhou, Y and Liu, W and Lin, H and Tao, Y},
title = {Inter-kingdom interactions and environmental influences on the oral microbiome in severe early childhood caries.},
journal = {Microbiology spectrum},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0251824},
doi = {10.1128/spectrum.02518-24},
pmid = {40243315},
issn = {2165-0497},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: Dental caries arise from intricate interactions among oral microorganisms, impacting ecological stability and disease progression. In this study, we aimed to investigate the microbial diversity and inter-kingdom interactions in severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) and assess the influence of environmental factors such as salivary pH and trace elements. We analyzed 61 children aged 3-4 years with complete deciduous dentition, evaluating salivary pH, buffering capacity, and trace elements (iron, fluoride). We examined the performance of 16S rRNA V1-V9 regions gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) primers for bacteria and fungi from plaque and saliva to characterize community compositions and diversity. Findings revealed significant shifts in bacterial diversity in S-ECC saliva samples, marked by decreased diversity and elevated abundance of cariogenic species, particularly Streptococcus mutans. Candida albicans was notably more prevalent in the S-ECC group, implicating its potential role in pathogenesis. Iron and fluoride concentrations showed no significant correlation with microbial community structure. Network analyses uncovered complex intra- and inter-kingdom interactions, underscoring cooperative and competitive dynamics. S-ECC children exhibited higher abundances of bacteria (Streptococcus mutans, Granulicatella, Actinomyces) and fungi (Candida albicans), with specific microbial taxa associated with reduced salivary pH.

IMPORTANCE: This study illuminates the intricate relationship between bacteria and fungi within the oral microbial community of children, specifically highlighting differences between those with S-ECC and those without caries. Through an extensive analysis of the microbial composition in both saliva and dental plaque, we identified a significant increase in the abundance of specific bacterial taxa (e.g., S. mutans, Granulicatella, Actinomyces) and fungal species (e.g., C. albicans) in the oral cavities of children with S-ECC. This finding underscores the potential role of these microorganisms in the development of caries. Contrary to previous studies that emphasize the importance of iron and fluoride in oral health, our research found no significant correlation between the concentrations of these elements and the composition of oral microbial communities. This result challenges conventional understanding and opens new avenues for future research. Additionally, our findings revealed an association between Veillonella sp., Propionibacterium sp., and Candida sp. and reduced salivary pH. This provides novel insights into the relationship between the oral microenvironment and caries development. The implications of our findings are substantial for the development of prevention and intervention strategies targeting childhood caries. They also underscore the critical need for a deeper exploration of oral microbial interactions and their environmental influences.},
}

@article {pmid40241747,
year = {2025},
author = {Takahashi, M and Hiraoka, S and Matsumoto, Y and Shibagaki, R and Ujihara, T and Maeda, H and Seo, S and Nagasaki, K and Takeuchi, H and Matsuzaki, S},
title = {Host-encoded DNA methyltransferases modify the epigenome and host tropism of invading phages.},
journal = {iScience},
volume = {28},
number = {4},
pages = {112264},
pmid = {40241747},
issn = {2589-0042},
abstract = {Restriction modification (RM) systems are ubiquitous bacterial defense systems; however, some phages evade RM system and adapt to their bacterial hosts. In such cases, phages are thought to stochastically acquire DNA methylation from host-encoded DNA methyltransferases (MTases), facilitating host adaptation. However, no studies have directly compared the methylomes of host bacteria and their infecting phages. Here, we demonstrate the epigenetic landscape of adapted phages with diverse infection histories, focusing on the broad host-range phage KHP30T as its adapts to three Helicobacter pylori strains. Using a multistage infection system, we observed that the adapted phages displayed significantly high titers against the last infected H. pylori strain, suggesting an attendant change in host tropism. Single-molecule real-time sequencing revealed that methylated motifs were predominantly shared between the adapted phages and their most recent host. Our findings enhance our understanding of epigenetic phage-host interactions, which have significant implications for microbial ecology.},
}

@article {pmid40240613,
year = {2025},
author = {Dhungana, I and Nguyen, NH},
title = {Legacy of Repeated Cultivation Drives Cyclical Microbial Community Development in a Tropical Oxisol Soil.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {30},
pmid = {40240613},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {HAW08042-H//U.S. Department of Agriculture/ ; },
mesh = {*Soil Microbiology ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification/growth & development ; *Fungi/classification/growth & development/genetics/isolation & purification ; Soil/chemistry ; Agriculture/methods ; Zea mays/growth & development/microbiology ; *Archaea/classification/growth & development/genetics/isolation & purification ; *Microbiota ; Tropical Climate ; Crops, Agricultural/growth & development/microbiology ; Lactuca/growth & development/microbiology ; Mustard Plant/growth & development/microbiology ; },
abstract = {Agricultural practices and the crop being actively cultivated are some of the most important contributors to soil microbial community assembly processes in agroecosystems. However, it is not well-understood how the cultivation of diverse crop species can directionally shift complex soil microbial communities, especially under continuous monoculture systems. Here, we conducted a field experiment to assess how three crop species (Lactuca sativa, Brassica juncea, and Zea mays) may shift soil microbial (bacteria/archaea and fungi) communities when planted in a monoculture and repeatedly grown for three cycles in a tropical Oxisol soil. We found that while plant species made limited contributions to microbial community differentiation, repeated cultivation was a strong driver of community development over time. The bacterial/archaeal communities exhibited a cyclical community development pattern, initially with strong differentiation that attenuated to a steady state at the end of the three cycles. In contrast, fungal communities generally developed more linearly and may have only started to stabilize after three cropping cycles. These developments may speak to the stronger legacy effects on fungal communities. Together, these results highlight the differences between how bacteria/archaea and fungal communities develop, especially in tropical, underdeveloped, intensively degraded, or marginal soils.},
}

*Soil Microbiology
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification/growth & development
*Fungi/classification/growth & development/genetics/isolation & purification
Soil/chemistry
Agriculture/methods
Zea mays/growth & development/microbiology
*Archaea/classification/growth & development/genetics/isolation & purification
*Microbiota
Tropical Climate
Crops, Agricultural/growth & development/microbiology
Lactuca/growth & development/microbiology
Mustard Plant/growth & development/microbiology

@article {pmid40239902,
year = {2025},
author = {Ma, H and Chen, S and Lv, L and Ye, Z and Yang, J and Wang, B and Zou, J and Li, J and Ganigué, R},
title = {Large-sized aerobic granular biofilm: stable biotechnology to improve nitrogen removal and reduce sludge yield.},
journal = {Bioresource technology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {132543},
doi = {10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132543},
pmid = {40239902},
issn = {1873-2976},
abstract = {Three parallel sequencing batch reactors (control, small-sized polyurethane sponge (PUS) (3.0 mm), and large-sized PUS (10.0 mm)) were used to investigate aerobic granular biofilm (AGB) characteristics. Results show that 10.0 mm PUS facilitated rapid formation of large-sized AGB (AGBL), which exhibited higher biomass concentration (8.5 g/L) and faster settling velocity (69.2-159.3 m/h) than aerobic granular sludge (AGS) (3.2 g/L and 38.6-80.0 m/h). The AGBL system also maintained long-term structural stability with a lower instability coefficient (0.004-0.018 min[-1]) than AGS (0.053-0.090 min[-1]). Additionally, during long-term operation, the AGBL system achieved excellent removal efficiencies for NH4[+]-N (99.6 ± 0.4 %) and total nitrogen (92.3 ± 2.6 %), and exhibited a lower sludge yield (0.05 gVSS/gCOD) than AGS (0.14 gVSS/gCOD). The larger size and compact structure of AGBL increased anoxic/anaerobic zones, enriching denitrifying and hydrolytic/fermentative bacteria. These findings highlight AGBL with large PUS as a more promising biotechnology for practical applications than conventional AGS.},
}

@article {pmid40238873,
year = {2025},
author = {Bukhdruker, S and Gushchin, I and Shevchenko, V and Kovalev, K and Polovinkin, V and Tsybrov, F and Astashkin, R and Alekseev, A and Mikhaylov, A and Bukhalovich, S and Bratanov, D and Ryzhykau, Y and Kuklina, D and Caramello, N and Rokitskaya, T and Antonenko, Y and Rulev, M and Stoev, C and Zabelskii, D and Round, E and Rogachev, A and Borshchevskiy, V and Ghai, R and Bourenkov, G and Zeghouf, M and Cherfils, J and Engelhard, M and Chizhov, I and Rodriguez-Valera, F and Bamberg, E and Gordeliy, V},
title = {Proteorhodopsin insights into the molecular mechanism of vectorial proton transport.},
journal = {Science advances},
volume = {11},
number = {16},
pages = {eadu5303},
doi = {10.1126/sciadv.adu5303},
pmid = {40238873},
issn = {2375-2548},
mesh = {*Protons ; *Rhodopsins, Microbial/chemistry/metabolism ; Hydrogen Bonding ; Models, Molecular ; Proton Pumps/chemistry/metabolism ; Protein Conformation ; },
abstract = {Bacterial proton pumps, proteorhodopsins (PRs), are a major group of light-driven membrane proteins found in marine bacteria. They are functionally and structurally distinct from archaeal and eukaryotic proton pumps. To elucidate the proton transfer mechanism by PRs and understand the differences to nonbacterial pumps on a molecular level, high-resolution structures of PRs' functional states are needed. In this work, we have determined atomic-resolution structures of MAR, a PR from marine actinobacteria, in various functional states, notably the challenging late O intermediate state. These data and information from recent atomic-resolution structures on an archaeal outward proton pump bacteriorhodopsin and bacterial inward proton pump xenorhodopsin allow for deducing key universal elements for light-driven proton pumping. First, long hydrogen-bonded chains characterize proton pathways. Second, short hydrogen bonds allow proton storage and inhibit their backflow. Last, the retinal Schiff base is the active proton donor and acceptor to and from hydrogen-bonded chains.},
}

*Protons
*Rhodopsins, Microbial/chemistry/metabolism
Hydrogen Bonding
Models, Molecular
Proton Pumps/chemistry/metabolism
Protein Conformation

@article {pmid40238292,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhang, Y and Lin, H and Xiong, Y and Zhang, Z and Zeng, L and Liu, Z},
title = {Fu Brick Tea Protects the Intestinal Barrier and Ameliorates Colitis in Mice by Regulating Gut Microbiota.},
journal = {Foods (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {14},
number = {7},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/foods14071122},
pmid = {40238292},
issn = {2304-8158},
support = {2024HX118//Horizontal project of Shaoyang University/ ; 2024JJ7497//Foundation regional joint fund of Hunan Province natural Science/ ; 202401001313//The teaching reform research project of Hunan Province in 2024/ ; 2022YFE0111200//Innovation and transformation of key technologies for efficient preparation of catechin oxidation polymerization products/ ; },
abstract = {Ulcerative colitis (UC) pathogenesis is strongly linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis and compromised intestinal barrier integrity. Emerging evidence suggests that targeted dietary interventions may restore microbial homeostasis and ameliorate colitis progression. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of Fu Brick tea (FBT) using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced murine colitis model. The results indicated that oral administration of FBT extract significantly improved the disease index, reduced inflammatory response, protected intestinal barrier protein (e.g., ZO-1), and maintained intestinal structure integrity. Furthermore, FBT intake increased the diversity of gut microbiota, promoted the growth of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Akkermansia), inhibited the proliferation of harmful bacteria (e.g., Desulfovibrioceae, Escherichia, and Helicobacter), restored intestinal homeostasis, and alleviated colitis symptoms including diarrhea. These findings position FBT as a promising nutraceutical candidate for UC management via multi-target modulation of mucosal immunity and microbial ecology.},
}

@article {pmid40238218,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhadyra, S and Tao, F and Xu, P},
title = {Exploring the Microbiome and Functional Metabolism of Fermented Camel Milk (Shubat) Using Metagenomics.},
journal = {Foods (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {14},
number = {7},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/foods14071102},
pmid = {40238218},
issn = {2304-8158},
abstract = {Shubat is a traditional fermented camel milk drink that originated in Central Asia, with especially deep cultural roots in Kazakhstan. However, systematic studies on the microbial ecology and functional genes of Shubat remain scarce. As a distinctive fer-mented food, its microbial diversity and functional properties have not been fully ex-plored. This study investigates the microbial diversity and functional potential of Shubat by using advanced metagenomic techniques. Its microbial community is mainly composed of bacteria (96.6%), with Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, and Streptococcus being the dominant genera. Functional annotations through EggNOG, KEGG, and CAZy databases highlighted the metabolic versatility of Shubat's microbiota. Key pathways included amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, vitamin biosynthesis, and central carbon metabolism, emphasizing their roles in fermentation and nutritional enhancement. The identification of various enzymes related to chemical synthesis further emphasizes the contribution of the microbiota to Shubat's unique flavor and texture. This study not only provides an important basis for the scientific understanding of Shubat but also expands the application possibilities of fermented food in the field of health and nutrition and confers modern value and significance to traditional food. This integration of science and tradition has not only facilitated the development of food microbiology but also paved new pathways for the global dissemination of traditional foods and the development of functional foods.},
}

@article {pmid40237447,
year = {2025},
author = {Choudoir, MJ and Ishaq, SL and Beiko, RG and Silva, DS and Allen-Vercoe, E and O'Doherty, KC},
title = {The case for microbiome stewardship: what it is and how to get there.},
journal = {mSystems},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0006225},
doi = {10.1128/msystems.00062-25},
pmid = {40237447},
issn = {2379-5077},
abstract = {Microbiomes are essential for human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health. Despite widespread recognition of the importance of microbiomes, there is little attention paid to monitoring and safeguarding microbial ecologies on policy levels. We observe that microbiomes are deteriorating owing to practices at societal levels such as pesticide use in agriculture, air and water pollution, and overuse of antibiotics. Potential policy on these issues would cross multiple domains such as public health, environmental protection, and agriculture. We propose microbiome stewardship as a foundational concept that can act across policy domains to facilitate healthy microbiomes for human and ecosystem health. We examine challenges to be addressed and steps to take toward developing meaningful microbiome stewardship.},
}

@article {pmid40235320,
year = {2025},
author = {Bahram Wlia, A and Majedi, S},
title = {Optimizing hygiene and microbial aspect of paper recycling: a sustainable approach for environmental conservation.},
journal = {Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)},
volume = {71},
number = {3},
pages = {151-157},
doi = {10.14715/cmb/2025.71.3.18},
pmid = {40235320},
issn = {1165-158X},
mesh = {*Recycling/methods ; *Paper ; *Hygiene ; *Bacteria/isolation & purification/classification/genetics ; *Conservation of Natural Resources/methods ; Iraq ; Waste Management/methods ; },
abstract = {This study explores microbial dynamics in paper recycling, emphasizing the significance of sustainable practices for environmental preservation. Samples were collected from various urban waste sources in Erbil city, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, including materials such as pizza boxes, cigarette packets, and coffee cups. Pure bacterial colonies were isolated using standard methods, and their morphological and physiological traits were characterized through biochemical tests. Identification of bacterial species followed established protocols. The study identified diverse bacterial species associated with paper waste, highlighting potential hygiene concerns in the recycling process. The findings of this study contribute to understanding the microbial ecology associated with paper waste and recycling processes. By optimizing hygiene measures and gaining insights into the microbial communities present, this research underscores the importance of sustainable practices in paper recycling to mitigate environmental impacts and promote a healthier ecosystem. Policies for future waste management and reduction of environmental risks have been proposed.},
}

*Recycling/methods
*Paper
*Hygiene
*Bacteria/isolation & purification/classification/genetics
*Conservation of Natural Resources/methods
Iraq
Waste Management/methods

@article {pmid40234253,
year = {2025},
author = {Yao, B and Mou, X and Li, Y and Lian, J and Niu, Y and Liu, J and Lu, J and Li, Y and Li, Y and Wang, X},
title = {Distinct Assembly Patterns of Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities along Altitudinal Gradients in the Loess Plateau's Highest Mountain.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {29},
pmid = {40234253},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {23JRRA672//Youth Science and Technology Fund Program of Gansu Province/ ; 2023449//Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/ ; 22JR5RA076//Gansu Province Natural Science Foundation Program/ ; },
mesh = {*Soil Microbiology ; *Altitude ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; *Fungi/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Soil/chemistry ; Ecosystem ; *Microbiota ; Biodiversity ; *Mycobiome ; China ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; },
abstract = {A critical issue in microbial ecology is quantifying the relative contributions of deterministic and stochastic processes to microbial community assembly, and predicting ecosystem function by understanding the ecological processes of community composition is an integral part. However, the mechanisms driving microbial community assembly along altitudinal gradients in mountain ecosystems remain largely unexplored. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing to examine the structural characteristics and diversity maintenance mechanisms of soil bacterial and fungal communities along an altitudinal gradient (2632-3661 m) in Mahan Mountain, the highest peak of the Loess Plateau. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota and Actinobacteriota dominated the bacterial communities, while Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Mortierellomycota were the predominant fungal groups. Although elevation did not significantly affect bacterial and fungal alpha diversity, notable shifts in community structure were observed along the altitudinal gradients. Bacterial communities were predominantly shaped by deterministic processes, leading to pronounced structural and compositional differentiation across altitudes. In contrast, fungal community assembly was primarily determined by a combination of deterministic and stochastic processes, leading to small pronounced structural divergence. The interplay of topography, climate, and soil conditions influenced the altitudinal distribution and community structure of soil bacteria in this mountain ecosystem.},
}

*Soil Microbiology
*Altitude
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
*Fungi/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
Soil/chemistry
Ecosystem
*Microbiota
Biodiversity
*Mycobiome
China
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing

@article {pmid40230839,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhao, T and Wang, C and Liu, Y and Li, B and Shao, M and Zhao, W and Zhou, C},
title = {The role of polysaccharides in immune regulation through gut microbiota: mechanisms and implications.},
journal = {Frontiers in immunology},
volume = {16},
number = {},
pages = {1555414},
pmid = {40230839},
issn = {1664-3224},
mesh = {*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/immunology ; Humans ; *Polysaccharides/immunology/metabolism ; Animals ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism ; *Immunomodulation ; Cytokines/metabolism ; },
abstract = {Polysaccharides, as complex carbohydrates, play a pivotal role in immune modulation and interactions with the gut microbiota. The diverse array of dietary polysaccharides influences gut microbial ecology, impacting immune responses, metabolism, and overall well-being. Despite their recognized benefits, there is limited understanding of the precise mechanisms by which polysaccharides modulate the immune system through the gut microbiota. A comprehensive search of Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Embase up to May 2024 was conducted to identify relevant studies. This study employs a systematic approach to explore the interplay between polysaccharides and the gut microbiota, focusing on cytokine-mediated and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-mediated pathways. The findings underscore the significant role of polysaccharides in shaping the composition and function of the gut microbiota, thereby influencing immune regulation and metabolic processes. However, further research is necessary to elucidate the detailed molecular mechanisms and translate these findings into clinical applications.},
}

*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/immunology
Humans
*Polysaccharides/immunology/metabolism
Animals
Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism
*Immunomodulation
Cytokines/metabolism

@article {pmid40229524,
year = {2025},
author = {Sakae, K and Kitagami, Y and Matsuda, Y},
title = {Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities Alter in Process to Mycorrhizal Developments of a Mixotrophic Pyrola japonica.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {28},
pmid = {40229524},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {2023-4099//Japan Science Society/ ; JRMJSP2137//Japan Science and Technology Agency/ ; 24K01796//Japan Society for the Promotion of Science/ ; },
mesh = {*Mycorrhizae/growth & development/physiology ; *Rhizosphere ; *Soil Microbiology ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Plant Roots/microbiology ; *Ericaceae/microbiology/growth & development ; *Microbiota ; Biodiversity ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics ; },
abstract = {Rhizosphere bacteria work in synergy with mycorrhizal fungi to promote plant growth. The community structure of rhizosphere bacteria may be influenced by continuous changes in fungal associations with host plants. Asiatic herbaceous plant Pyrola japonica (Ericaceae) forms arbutoid mycorrhizas without fungal mantles, with its mycorrhizal development being visually distinguishable at the cellular level. This study aimed to investigate roles of rhizosphere bacteria and their community shifts along with mycorrhizal developments. We examined bacterial communities at three different developmental stages of mycorrhizal roots-limited, full, and digested-via a partial 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Both α- and β-diversities in the full condition were significantly lower than those in the limited and digested conditions. Significant clusters of bacterial compositions were found among all treatments. In terms of ecological processes of community assembly, communities in limited conditions and bulk soil were influenced by both deterministic and stochastic processes, whereas those in full and digested conditions were regulated only by stochastic ways. Furthermore, the order Rhizobiales and Actinomycetales known as mycorrhizal helper bacteria were characterized in the full and digested conditions through phylogenetic analysis and detection of indicator taxa. These results suggest that mycorrhizal fungi may play ecologically important roles not only as temporal drivers initiating the formation rhizosphere bacterial communities but also as key founders exerting continuous influences to establish priority effects. Moreover, the rhizosphere bacterial community remains after mycorrhizal degeneration and their historical continuity may contribute to maintaining plant-mycorrhizal fungi-bacterial associations.},
}

*Mycorrhizae/growth & development/physiology
*Rhizosphere
*Soil Microbiology
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
Phylogeny
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Plant Roots/microbiology
*Ericaceae/microbiology/growth & development
*Microbiota
Biodiversity
DNA, Bacterial/genetics

@article {pmid40228732,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhang, R and Gong, C and Gao, Y and Chen, Y and Zhou, L and Lou, Q and Zhao, Y and Zhuang, H and Zhang, J and Shan, S and Wang, X and Qian, X and Lei, L and Wong, MH},
title = {Reducing antibiotic resistance genes in soil: The role of organic materials in reductive soil disinfestation.},
journal = {Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {126245},
doi = {10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126245},
pmid = {40228732},
issn = {1873-6424},
abstract = {Increasing attention has been given to the role of reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil. The selection of organic materials in RSD is crucial to the effectiveness of the RSD method. However, the effects of distinct organic materials on ARGs remains unclear. In this study, we selected straw and rapeseed meal as the organic materials in RSD and explored their effects on ARGs. The results showed that using straw significantly reduced the abundance of ARGs, high-risk ARGs, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) by 31.5%-65.8%, while using rapeseed meal led to ARGs enrichment. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis identified MGEs and microbial communities as the primary drivers of ARGS changes under different organic materials. The abundance of MGEs was effectively controlled in straw treatments, reducing the potential for horizontal gene transfer of ARGs. Bacterial diversity was significantly lower in the straw treatments compared to the rapeseed meal treatments, potentially leading to a reduced abundance of ARGs host bacteria. Network co-occurrence analysis further revealed that Symbiobacteraceae and Bacillus were potential bacterial hosts of ARGs. In straw treatments, these genera' abundance decreased by 12%-100% compared to the control (CK) and rapeseed meal groups, further inhibiting the spread of ARGs. These findings demonstrate that RSD with straw as the organic material is more effective in mitigating ARGs compared to rapeseed meal, providing insights into controlling soil antibiotic resistance risks and utilizing agricultural waste resources.},
}

@article {pmid40227232,
year = {2025},
author = {Prochera, A and Muppirala, AN and Kuziel, GA and Soualhi, S and Shepherd, A and Sun, L and Issac, B and Rosenberg, HJ and Karim, F and Perez, K and Smith, KH and Archibald, TH and Rakoff-Nahoum, S and Hagen, SJ and Rao, M},
title = {Enteric glia regulate Paneth cell secretion and intestinal microbial ecology.},
journal = {eLife},
volume = {13},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.7554/eLife.97144},
pmid = {40227232},
issn = {2050-084X},
support = {R01DK130836/NH/NIH HHS/United States ; K08DK110532/NH/NIH HHS/United States ; R01DK135707/NH/NIH HHS/United States ; Fellowship//Schmidt Family Foundation/ ; Graduate Research Fellowship Program//National Science Foundation/ ; Fellowship//National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate/ ; Odyssey Award//Smith Family Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Paneth Cells/metabolism/physiology ; Mice ; *Neuroglia/physiology/metabolism ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology ; Humans ; Myelin Proteolipid Protein/metabolism/genetics ; *Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism/microbiology ; *Enteric Nervous System/physiology ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Male ; Female ; },
abstract = {Glial cells of the enteric nervous system (ENS) interact closely with the intestinal epithelium and secrete signals that influence epithelial cell proliferation and barrier formation in vitro. Whether these interactions are important in vivo, however, is unclear because previous studies reached conflicting conclusions (Prochera and Rao, 2023). To better define the roles of enteric glia in steady state regulation of the intestinal epithelium, we characterized the glia in closest proximity to epithelial cells and found that the majority express the gene Proteolipid protein 1 (PLP1) in both mice and humans. To test their functions using an unbiased approach, we genetically depleted PLP1[+] cells in mice and transcriptionally profiled the small and large intestines. Surprisingly, glial loss had minimal effects on transcriptional programs and the few identified changes varied along the gastrointestinal tract. In the ileum, where enteric glia had been considered most essential for epithelial integrity, glial depletion did not drastically alter epithelial gene expression but caused a modest enrichment in signatures of Paneth cells, a secretory cell type important for innate immunity. In the absence of PLP1[+] glia, Paneth cell number was intact, but a subset appeared abnormal with irregular and heterogenous cytoplasmic granules, suggesting a secretory deficit. Consistent with this possibility, ileal explants from glial-depleted mice secreted less functional lysozyme than controls with corresponding effects on fecal microbial composition. Collectively, these data suggest that enteric glia do not exert broad effects on the intestinal epithelium but have an essential role in regulating Paneth cell function and gut microbial ecology.},
}

Animals
*Paneth Cells/metabolism/physiology
Mice
*Neuroglia/physiology/metabolism
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology
Humans
Myelin Proteolipid Protein/metabolism/genetics
*Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism/microbiology
*Enteric Nervous System/physiology
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Male
Female

@article {pmid40223273,
year = {2025},
author = {Yang, SY and Han, SM and Lee, JY and Kim, KS and Lee, JE and Lee, DW},
title = {Advancing Gut Microbiome Research: The Shift from Metagenomics to Multi-Omics and Future Perspectives.},
journal = {Journal of microbiology and biotechnology},
volume = {35},
number = {},
pages = {e2412001},
doi = {10.4014/jmb.2412.12001},
pmid = {40223273},
issn = {1738-8872},
mesh = {Humans ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics ; *Metagenomics/methods/trends ; *Metabolomics/methods ; *Genomics/methods ; Proteomics/methods ; Precision Medicine ; Host Microbial Interactions ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {The gut microbiome, a dynamic and integral component of human health, has co-evolved with its host, playing essential roles in metabolism, immunity, and disease prevention. Traditional microbiome studies, primarily focused on microbial composition, have provided limited insights into the functional and mechanistic interactions between microbiota and their host. The advent of multi-omics technologies has transformed microbiome research by integrating genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, offering a comprehensive, systems-level understanding of microbial ecology and host-microbiome interactions. These advances have propelled innovations in personalized medicine, enabling more precise diagnostics and targeted therapeutic strategies. This review highlights recent breakthroughs in microbiome research, demonstrating how these approaches have elucidated microbial functions and their implications for health and disease. Additionally, it underscores the necessity of standardizing multi-omics methodologies, conducting large-scale cohort studies, and developing novel platforms for mechanistic studies, which are critical steps toward translating microbiome research into clinical applications and advancing precision medicine.},
}

Humans
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics
*Metagenomics/methods/trends
*Metabolomics/methods
*Genomics/methods
Proteomics/methods
Precision Medicine
Host Microbial Interactions
Multiomics

@article {pmid40222749,
year = {2025},
author = {Belda, I and Izquierdo-Gea, S and Benitez-Dominguez, B and Ruiz, J and Vila, JCC},
title = {Wine Fermentation as a Model System for Microbial Ecology and Evolution.},
journal = {Environmental microbiology},
volume = {27},
number = {4},
pages = {e70092},
doi = {10.1111/1462-2920.70092},
pmid = {40222749},
issn = {1462-2920},
support = {//Center for Computational, Evolutionary and Human Genomics, Stanford University. Postdoc Fellowship to Jean CC VIla/ ; FPU21/06830//Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities/ ; PID2019-105834GA-I00//Agencia Estatal de Investigación/ ; PID2022-138343NB-I00//Agencia Estatal de Investigación/ ; PRE2022-103063//Agencia Estatal de Investigación/ ; },
mesh = {*Wine/microbiology ; *Fermentation ; *Biological Evolution ; Microbiota ; *Bacteria/metabolism/genetics ; Ecosystem ; Models, Biological ; Ecology ; },
abstract = {In vitro microbial communities have proven to be invaluable model systems for studying ecological and evolutionary processes experimentally. However, it remains unclear whether quantitative insights obtained from these laboratory systems can be applied to complex communities assembling and evolving in their natural ecological context. To bridge the gap between the lab and the 'real-world', there is a need for laboratory model systems that better approximate natural and semi-natural ecosystems. Wine fermentation presents an ideal system for this purpose, balancing experimental tractability with rich ecological and evolutionary dynamics. In this perspective piece we outline the key features that make wine fermentation a fruitful model system for ecologists and evolutionary biologists. We highlight the diversity of environmentally mediated interactions that shape community dynamics during fermentation, the complex evolutionary history of wine microbial populations, and the opportunity to study the impact of complex ecologies on evolutionary dynamics. By integrating knowledge from both wine research and microbial ecology and evolution we aim to enhance understanding and foster collaboration between these fields.},
}

*Wine/microbiology
*Fermentation
*Biological Evolution
Microbiota
*Bacteria/metabolism/genetics
Ecosystem
Models, Biological
Ecology

@article {pmid40220383,
year = {2025},
author = {Li, C and Zhu, L and Axe, L and Li, M},
title = {Acclimation of sludge-derived biofilms for effective removal of emerging contaminants: Impacts of inoculum source and carbon supplementation.},
journal = {Journal of hazardous materials},
volume = {492},
number = {},
pages = {138235},
doi = {10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138235},
pmid = {40220383},
issn = {1873-3336},
abstract = {Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) have gathered significant public attention due to their widespread occurrence, high persistence, and increasing exposure potential. In this study, we used polyethylene biocarriers for acclimating biofilms from singular or combined activated sludges collected from three wastewater treatment plants (R, P, and L) over 5 month-long cycles. The acclimated biofilms achieved an average removal rate at 0.333, 0.313, and 0.185 week[-1] for N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and carbamazepine (CBZ), respectively, when external carbon was supplemented, which were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than biofilms that did not receive external carbons. Metabolite screening revealed SMX transformation through ipso-hydroxylation and acetyl conjugation, while CBZ degradation could be initiated by epoxidation. Significant but slower degradation rates (0.024∼0.031 week[-1]) were observed for aminotriazole (AMT), lidocaine (LDC), and trimethoprim (TMP), whereas atrazine (ATZ) exhibited minimal removal, highlighting its high recalcitrance. Biofilms acclimated from individual R and P sludges, with external carbon supplementation, attained the greatest removal efficiencies for 7 CECs. Multivariate statistical correlations (p < 0.05) identified potential degraders, including Sphingomonas and Zoogolea for AMT, Labrys and Koazkia for CBZ, and Asprobacter, unclassified Cyclobacteriaceae (ELB16-189) and Bryobacteraceae (Fen-178) for LDC. Abundance distribution of potential degraders among biofilms revealed that Sludge R favored the enrichment of key degraders for AMT, CBZ and LDC, while Sludge P was more conducive to acclimating CBZ degraders. This study advances our understanding of strategies in biofilm acclimation to improve CEC removal and provides insights into degradation pathways and associated microbial communities for future research.},
}

@article {pmid40220189,
year = {2025},
author = {Knoppersen, RS and Bose, T and Coutinho, TA and Hammerbacher, A},
title = {Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the Gut Bacterial Diversity of Gonipterus sp. n. 2.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {27},
pmid = {40220189},
issn = {1432-184X},
mesh = {Animals ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; *Eucalyptus/parasitology/chemistry ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Diet ; South Africa ; *Coleoptera/microbiology/physiology ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Introduced Species ; Biodiversity ; },
abstract = {The Eucalyptus snout beetle (Gonipterus sp. n. 2) is a destructive invasive pest of Eucalyptus plantations, responsible for significant defoliation and wood yield losses globally. Native to Australia, this beetle has adapted to thrive on diverse Eucalyptus hosts, overcoming their chemical defences. However, the mechanisms by which Gonipterus tolerates or utilises these plant defence metabolites remain poorly understood. In South Africa, Gonipterus sp. n. 2 poses a significant threat to Eucalyptus plantations by causing extensive defoliation and leading to substantial reductions in growth and wood production. This study investigates the relationship between diet, host Eucalyptus species, and the gut microbiome of Gonipterus sp. n. 2. Using controlled feeding experiments, beetles were reared on artificial, semi-artificial, and natural diets, as well as two Eucalyptus genotypes with distinct secondary metabolite profiles. High-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed significant shifts in gut bacterial diversity and composition across diets. Natural diets supported the most diverse microbial communities, while artificial diets fostered a homogenised microbiome dominated by opportunistic taxa like Serratia. Host-specific effects were observed in frass microbiota, with substantial biotransformation of monoterpenes into less toxic derivatives. The results highlight the plasticity of Gonipterus gut microbiota, which enables metabolic adaptability and resilience in diverse environments. This microbial flexibility underpins the invasiveness of Gonipterus, emphasising the role of gut symbionts in overcoming host chemical defences. Understanding these interactions offers novel insights for microbiome-targeted pest management strategies, providing a sustainable approach to mitigate the impact of Gonipterus on global Eucalyptus forestry.},
}

Animals
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome
*Eucalyptus/parasitology/chemistry
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Diet
South Africa
*Coleoptera/microbiology/physiology
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Introduced Species
Biodiversity

@article {pmid40216640,
year = {2025},
author = {Huttunen, KL and Malazarte, J and Jyväsjärvi, J and Lehosmaa, K and Muotka, T},
title = {Temporal Beta Diversity of Bacteria in Streams: Network Position Matters But Differently for Bacterioplankton and Biofilm Communities.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {26},
pmid = {40216640},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {356403//Research Council of Finland/ ; 318230//Research Council of Finland/ ; 318230//Research Council of Finland/ ; },
mesh = {*Biofilms/growth & development ; *Rivers/microbiology/chemistry ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; *Biodiversity ; *Plankton/classification/genetics ; Soil Microbiology ; Ecosystem ; Seasons ; },
abstract = {Concern about biodiversity loss has yielded a surge of studies on temporal change in α-diversity, whereas temporal β-diversity has gained less interest. We sampled bacterioplankton, biofilm, and riparian soil bacteria repeatedly across the open-water season in a pristine stream network to determine the level of temporal β-diversity in relation to stream network position and environmental variability. We tested the hypothesis that aquatic bacterial communities in isolated and environmentally heterogenous headwaters exhibit high temporal β-diversity while the better-connected and environmentally more stable mainstem sections support more stable communities, and soil communities bear no relationship to network position. As expected, temporal β-diversity decreased from headwaters toward mainstems for bacterioplankton. Against expectations, an opposite pattern was observed for biofilm. For bacterioplankton, temporal β-diversity was positively related to temporal variability in water chemistry. For biofilm bacteria, temporal variability was negatively related to variability in temperature. Temporal β-diversity of soil communities did not show any response to stream network position, but was strongly related to variability in the soil environment. The two aquatic habitats and riparian soils supported distinctly different bacterial communities. The number of ASVs shared between the soil and the aquatic communities decreased along the network, and more so for bacterioplankton. The higher temporal variability of bacterial communities in the headwaters likely results from temporally variable input of propagules from riparian soil, emphasizing the role of land-water connection and network position to bacterioplankton community composition. Overall, bacterial communities exhibited high temporal variability, highlighting the importance of temporal replication to fully capture their network-scale biodiversity.},
}

*Biofilms/growth & development
*Rivers/microbiology/chemistry
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
*Biodiversity
*Plankton/classification/genetics
Soil Microbiology
Ecosystem
Seasons

@article {pmid40214404,
year = {2025},
author = {Nilsen, T and Pettersen, R and Keeley, NB and Ray, JL and Majaneva, S and Stokkan, M and Hervik, A and Angell, IL and Snipen, LG and Sundt, MØ and Rudi, K},
title = {Association of Microbial Networks with the Coastal Seafloor Macrofauna Ecological State.},
journal = {Environmental science & technology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.4c12464},
pmid = {40214404},
issn = {1520-5851},
abstract = {Recent evidence suggests that there is a major switch in coastal seafloor microbial ecology already at a mildly deteriorated macrofaunal state. This knowledge is of critical value in the management and conservation of the coastal seafloor. We therefore aimed to determine the relationships between seafloor microbiota and macrofauna on a regional scale. We compared prokaryote, macrofauna, chemical, and geographical data from 1546 seafloor samples, which varied in their exposure to aquaculture activities along the Norwegian and Icelandic coasts. We found that the seafloor samples contained either a network centralized by a sulfur oxidizer (42.4% of samples, n = 656) or a network centralized by an archaeal ammonium oxidizer (44.0% of samples, n = 681). Very few samples contained neither network (9.8% of samples, n = 151) or both (3.8% of samples, n = 58). Samples with a sulfur oxidizer network had a 10-fold higher risk of macrofauna loss (odds ratios, 95% CI: 9.5 to 15.6), while those with an ammonium oxidizer network had a 10-fold lower risk (95% CI: 0.068 to 0.11). The sulfur oxidizer network was negatively correlated to distance from Norwegian aquaculture sites (Spearman rho = -0.42, p < 0.01) and was present in all Icelandic samples (n = 274). The ammonium oxidizer network was absent from Icelandic samples and positively correlated to distance from Norwegian aquaculture sites (Spearman rho = 0.67, p < 0.01). Based on 356 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), we found that bicarbonate-dependent carbon fixation and low-affinity oxygen respiration were associated with the ammonium oxidizer network, while the sulfur oxidizer network was associated with ammonium retention, sulfur metabolism, and high-affinity oxygen respiration. In conclusion, our findings highlight the critical roles of microbial networks centralized by sulfur and ammonium oxidizers in mild macrofauna deterioration, which should be included as an essential part of seafloor surveillance.},
}

@article {pmid40209676,
year = {2025},
author = {Schell, LD and Carmody, RN},
title = {An energetic framework for gut microbiome-mediated obesity induced by early-life exposure to antibiotics.},
journal = {Cell host & microbe},
volume = {33},
number = {4},
pages = {470-483},
doi = {10.1016/j.chom.2025.03.009},
pmid = {40209676},
issn = {1934-6069},
mesh = {*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects ; *Anti-Bacterial Agents/adverse effects/pharmacology ; *Obesity/chemically induced/microbiology/etiology/metabolism ; Animals ; Humans ; *Energy Metabolism/drug effects ; Female ; Mice ; Male ; },
abstract = {Early-life antibiotic (ELA) exposure has garnered attention for its potential role in modulating obesity risk, although outcomes from mouse experiments and human epidemiological studies often vary based on dosage and sex. Low-dose (subtherapeutic) antibiotics can enhance energy availability through moderate alterations in gut microbiome profile, while high-dose (therapeutic) antibiotics substantially deplete the gut microbiota, thereby contributing to short-term negative energy balance. In this perspective, we propose a framework to understand how these distinct impacts of antibiotics on the gut microbiome during critical developmental windows shape long-term obesity risk through their influence on host energy balance. Using this framework, we then propose several hypotheses to explain variation in ELA-induced obesity outcomes across males and females. We conclude by discussing the evolutionary implications of ELAs, positing that the response of the gut microbiome to ELAs may signal energy availability and environmental volatility, influencing metabolic programming and adaptive traits across generations.},
}

*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects
*Anti-Bacterial Agents/adverse effects/pharmacology
*Obesity/chemically induced/microbiology/etiology/metabolism
Animals
Humans
*Energy Metabolism/drug effects
Female
Mice
Male

@article {pmid40208324,
year = {2025},
author = {Mazzella, V and Zahn, G and Dell'Anno, A and Pons, LN},
title = {Marine Mycobiomes Colonize Mediterranean Sponge Hosts in a Random Fashion.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {25},
pmid = {40208324},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {C63C22000520001//National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP)/ ; C63C22000520001//National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP)/ ; C63C22000520001//National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP)/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Porifera/microbiology ; *Fungi/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Mediterranean Sea ; *Mycobiome ; *Seawater/microbiology ; Phylogeny ; Biodiversity ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; DNA, Fungal/genetics ; Ecosystem ; },
abstract = {Marine sponges are widespread, sessile, filter-feeding animals, known for living in association with complex prokaryotic communities structured by host species. Though marine fungi are ubiquitous across marine environments, little is known about sponge-associated fungal communities (mycobiome). Indeed, aside from a few studies based on the isolation of fungal strains for biotechnological purposes, little information is available to understand the diversity and structure of sponge mycobiome. Here, a metabarcoding approach based on the ITS1 marker was applied to examine the structure and composition of fungal communities associated with four Mediterranean sponges. The species: Petrosia ficiformis, Chondrosia reniformis, Crambe crambe, and Chondrilla nucula were analyzed along with the surrounding seawater, revealing Aspergillus (1-56%), Cladosporium (1-75%), Malassezia (1-38.5%), and Pennicillium (1.5-36%) as the most represented fungal genera. Our data showed high intra-specific variability and no clear core mycobiome within each of the sponge species host, suggesting stochastic and perhaps transient community membership. This study sheds light on one of the most abundant yet least understood components of the marine ecosystem. Unraveling the dynamics of fungal interactions within sponge holobionts is essential to advance our understanding of their ecological roles and functions. By addressing the enigmatic nature of sponge-associated fungi, this research opens new avenues for exploring their contributions to marine ecosystems and resolving the many unanswered questions in this field.},
}

Animals
*Porifera/microbiology
*Fungi/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
Mediterranean Sea
*Mycobiome
*Seawater/microbiology
Phylogeny
Biodiversity
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic
DNA, Fungal/genetics
Ecosystem

@article {pmid40208265,
year = {2025},
author = {DiPietri, VT and Grady, ZS and Frost, AN and Stitzel, SE and Sivey, JD},
title = {Toilet Bowl Cleaning Tablets as Sources of Chlorine, Bromine, and Disinfection Byproducts in Wastewater.},
journal = {Environmental science & technology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.4c12026},
pmid = {40208265},
issn = {1520-5851},
abstract = {Commercial toilet bowl cleaning tablets were examined in laboratory systems to characterize their release of active halogens and their potential to form trihalomethanes (THMs) when combined with synthetic sewage. Active halogens (e.g., HOCl, HOBr, and reactive halamines) were quantified via derivatization with 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene prior to analysis by liquid chromatography. The effects of several variables on halogen release profiles were examined, including pH, ionic strength, temperature, tank solution volume, flushing frequency, and tablet brand. Changes in pH resulted in modest or no appreciable changes in halogen release profiles. Release of active halogens increased as ionic strength decreased and as temperature increased. Tank volume, flushing frequency, and tablet brand had pronounced impacts on halogen release profiles. Maximum measured active chlorine and bromine concentrations in toilet tank water were 189 mg/L as Cl2 and 164 mg/L as Cl2, respectively. Active halogens persisted in toilet bowl water for >24 h. When toilet-tablet-treated water was combined with synthetic sewage, THMs formed at up to 219 ppb with bromine incorporation factors up to 2.86. Active halogens and highly brominated THMs released into wastewater from toilet tablets could have implications for downstream microbial ecology, septic system performance, and overall water quality.},
}

@article {pmid40206699,
year = {2025},
author = {Connors, E and Gallagher, KL and Dutta, A and Oliver, M and Bowman, JS},
title = {Suspended detrital particles support a distinct microbial ecosystem in Palmer Canyon, Antarctica, a coastal biological hotspot.},
journal = {Polar biology},
volume = {48},
number = {2},
pages = {62},
pmid = {40206699},
issn = {0722-4060},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: The coastal region of the Western Antarctic Peninsula is considered a biological hotspot with high levels of phytoplankton productivity and krill biomass. Recent in situ observations and particle modeling studies of Palmer Canyon, a deep bathymetric feature in the region, demonstrated the presence of a recirculating eddy that traps particles, retaining a distinct particle layer over the summer season. We applied metagenomic sequencing and Imaging Flow Cytobot (IFCB) analysis to characterize the microbial community in the particle layer. We sampled across the upper water column (< 200 m) along a transect to identify the locations of increased particle density, categorizing particles into either living cells or cellular detritus via IFCB. An indicator species analysis of community composition demonstrated the diatom Corethron and the bacteria Sulfitobacter were significantly highly abundant in samples with high levels of living cells, while the mixotrophic dinoflagellate Prorocentrum texanum and prokaryotes Methanomassiliicoccales and Fluviicola taffensis were significantly more abundant in samples with high detritus within the particle layer. From our metagenomic analysis, the significantly differentially abundant metabolic pathway genes in the particle layer of Palmer Canyon included pathways for anaerobic metabolism, such as methanogenesis and sulfate reduction. Overall, our results indicate that distinct microbial species and metabolic pathway genes are present in the retained particle layer of Palmer Canyon.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00300-025-03380-y.},
}

@article {pmid40205489,
year = {2025},
author = {Soares, A and Rassner, SME and Edwards, A and Farr, G and Blackwell, N and Sass, H and Guglielmo, P and Schofield, D and Mitchell, AC},
title = {Hydrogeological and geological partitioning of iron and sulfur cycling bacterial consortia in subsurface coal-based mine waters.},
journal = {FEMS microbiology ecology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/femsec/fiaf039},
pmid = {40205489},
issn = {1574-6941},
abstract = {Pyrite oxidation drives iron and sulfur availability across Earth's subsurface and is partly microbially mediated. Subsurface microbial communities accelerate this process at circumneutral pH directly by weathering pyritic surfaces and indirectly by causing changes to the surrounding microenvironment thereby further accelerating pyrite weathering. However, our understanding of community structure dynamics and associated biogeochemistry in Fe- and S-rich lithologies, e.g. pyritic coal, is limited. Here we present the first comprehensive regional and seasonal genus-level survey of bacterial groundwater communities in a pyritic coal-based aquifer in the South Wales Coalfield (SWC), using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Seasonal changes in community structure were limited, suggesting limited influence of surface processes on subsurface communities. Instead, hydrogeologically distinct mine water blocks (MWB) and coal rank largely explained bacterial community structure variation across sites. Fe(II)-oxidising Betaproteobacteriales genera Gallionella and Sideroxydans dominated the bacterial communities across nine sites and seven MWBs, while three sites within a single MWB, were dominated by S-oxidising Epsilonbacteraeota genera Sulfuricurvum and Sulfurovum. The co-occurrence of pairs of Fe(II)- and S-oxidising bacterial genera suggests functional redundancy, which coupled with genus-specific morphologies and life strategies, indicates the importance of distinct environmental and ecological niches within the SWC groundwater at seasonal and regional scales.},
}

@article {pmid40205473,
year = {2025},
author = {Rodriguez-Cruz, UE and Ochoa-Sánchez, M and Eguiarte, LE and Souza, V},
title = {Running against the clock: Exploring microbial diversity in an extremely endangered microbial oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert.},
journal = {FEMS microbiology ecology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/femsec/fiaf033},
pmid = {40205473},
issn = {1574-6941},
abstract = {The Cuatro Ciénegas Basin is a biodiversity hotspot known for its unique biodiversity. However, this ecosystem is facing severe anthropogenic threats that are drying its aquatic systems. We investigated microbial communities at three sites with different physicochemical and environmental characteristics (Pozas Rojas, Archean Domes, and the Churince system) within the basin to explore potential connections to deep aquifers and determine if the sites shared microorganisms. Utilizing 16S rRNA gene data, we identified a core microbiota between Pozas Rojas and Archean Domes. Sulfur reduction appears to shape the microbial connectivity among sites, since sulfur-reducing bacteria has the highest prevalence between samples from Pozas Rojas and Archean Domes: Halanaerobium sp. (88.46%) and Desulfovermiculus halophilus (65%); and between the Churince system and Archean Domes: Halanaerobium sp. (63%) and Desulfovermiculus halophilus (60%). Furthermore, metagenome assembled genomes from Ectothiorhodospira genus were found in both Archean Domes and Churince, suggesting microbial dispersal. An important finding is that microbial diversity in the Archean Domes system declined, from 2016 to 2023 the ecosystem lost 29 microbial phyla. If this trend continues, the basin will lose most of its water, resulting in the loss of various prokaryotic lineages and potential biotechnological solutions, such as enzymes or novel antibiotics. Our findings highlighting the need for water extraction regulations to preserve the basin's biodiversity.},
}

@article {pmid40205253,
year = {2025},
author = {Dasgupta, M and Paul, R and Chowdhury, P and Mondal, S and Ahmed, J and Mukherjee, C and Das, S and Tribedi, P},
title = {Management of Enterococcus faecalis biofilms: a combinatorial approach with phytochemical.},
journal = {Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40205253},
issn = {1678-4405},
support = {TNU/R&D/MP/2021/010//The Neotia University/ ; },
abstract = {The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance in Enterococcus faecalis infections was primarily due to their robust biofilm formation, highlighting the urgent need for meaningful strategies. Since combinatorial application of natural phytochemical often offer promising outcomes in dealing with microbial infections, present study indicated the pharmacological, antimicrobial and antibiofilm potential of combinatorial strategies of natural phytochemical involving cuminaldehyde and thymoquinone against E. faecalis. Towards this direction, in silico analysis suggested that both compounds could show favourable oral bioavailability and high GI absorption, with a considerable solubility and drug-likeness profiles. Furthermore, in vitro antimicrobial assay indicated that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of cuminaldehyde and thymoquinone were found to be 500 µg/mL and 30 µg/mL, respectively against E. faecalis. Thereafter, the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index score of 0.73 indicated an additive effect prevailed between cuminaldehyde and thymoquinone, enhancing their antimicrobial potential. Thereafter, sub-MIC doses of cuminaldehyde (40 µg/mL) and thymoquinone (8 µg/mL) were selected to assess their antibiofilm potential. Though the compounds were able to show antibiofilm activity separately, their combination was significantly more effective, reduced biofilm formation by approximately 80%, and decreased production of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and protein content by ~ 76% and ~ 70%, respectively. Further studies revealed that the antibiofilm activity of the test compounds could likely to be attributed to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhancement of membrane permeability. Taken together, all this experimental observation revealed that combination of these natural compounds could potentially improve the treatment outcomes of biofilm-borne infections of E. faecalis.},
}

@article {pmid40203032,
year = {2025},
author = {Timilsina, S and Iruegas-Bocardo, F and Jibrin, MO and Sharma, A and Subedi, A and Kaur, A and Minsavage, GV and Huguet-Tapia, JC and Klein-Gordon, J and Adhikari, P and Adhikari, TB and Cirvilleri, G and de la Barrera, LBT and Bernal, E and Creswell, TC and Doan, TTK and Coutinho, TA and Egel, DS and Félix-Gastélum, R and Francis, DM and Kebede, M and Ivey, ML and Louws, FJ and Luo, L and Maynard, ET and Miller, SA and Nguyen, NTT and Osdaghi, E and Quezado-Duval, AM and Roach, R and Rotondo, F and Ruhl, GE and Shutt, VM and Thummabenjapone, P and Trueman, C and Roberts, PD and Jones, JB and Vallad, GE and Goss, EM},
title = {Diversification of an emerging bacterial plant pathogen; insights into the global spread of Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. perforans.},
journal = {PLoS pathogens},
volume = {21},
number = {4},
pages = {e1013036},
doi = {10.1371/journal.ppat.1013036},
pmid = {40203032},
issn = {1553-7374},
abstract = {Emerging and re-emerging plant diseases continue to present multifarious threats to global food security. Considerable recent efforts are therefore being channeled towards understanding the nature of pathogen emergence, their spread and evolution. Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. perforans (Xep), one of the causal agents of bacterial spot of tomato, rapidly emerged and displaced other bacterial spot xanthomonads in many tomato production regions around the world. In less than three decades, it has become a dominant xanthomonad pathogen in tomato production systems across the world and presents a compelling example for understanding diversification of recently emerged bacterial plant pathogens. Although Xep has been continuously monitored in Florida since its discovery, the global population structure and evolution at the genome-scale is yet to be fully explored. The objectives of this work were to determine genetic diversity globally to ascertain if different tomato production regions contain genetically distinct Xep populations, to examine genetic relatedness of strains collected in tomato seed production areas in East Asia and other production regions, and to evaluate variation in type III secretion effectors, which are critical pathogenicity and virulence factors, in relationship to population structure. We used genome data from 270 strains from 13 countries for phylogenetic analysis and characterization of type III effector gene diversity among strains. Our results showed notable genetic diversity in the pathogen. We found genetically similar strains in distant tomato production regions, including seed production regions, and diversification over the past 100 years, which is consistent with intercontinental dissemination of the pathogen in hybrid tomato production chains. Evolution of the Xep pangenome, including the acquisition and loss of type III secreted effectors, is apparent within and among phylogenetic lineages. The apparent long-distance movement of the pathogen, together with variants that may not yet be widely distributed, poses risks of emergence of new variants in tomato production.},
}

@article {pmid40202691,
year = {2025},
author = {Pimentel, AC and Cesar, CS and Martins, AHB and Martins, M and Cogni, R},
title = {Wolbachia Offers Protection Against Two Common Natural Viruses of Drosophila.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {24},
pmid = {40202691},
issn = {1432-184X},
mesh = {Animals ; *Wolbachia/physiology ; *Drosophila melanogaster/virology/microbiology ; *Drosophila/virology/microbiology ; Symbiosis ; Female ; },
abstract = {Wolbachia pipientis is a maternally transmitted endosymbiont infecting more than half of terrestrial arthropod species. Wolbachia can express parasitic phenotypes such as manipulation of host reproduction and mutualist phenotypes such as protection against RNA virus infections. Because Wolbachia can invade populations by reproductive manipulation and block virus infection, it is used to modify natural insect populations. However, the ecological importance of virus protection is not yet clear, especially due to scarce information on Wolbachia protection against viruses that are common in nature. We used systemic infection to investigate whether Wolbachia protects its host by suppressing the titer of DMELDAV and DMelNora virus, two viruses that commonly infect Drosophila melanogaster flies in natural populations. Antiviral protection was tested in three systems to assess the impact of Wolbachia strains across species: (1) a panel of Wolbachia strains transfected into Drosophila simulans, (2) two Wolbachia strains introgressed into the natural host D. melanogaster, and (3) two native Wolbachia strains in their natural hosts Drosophila baimaii and Drosophila tropicalis. We showed that certain Wolbachia strains provide protection against DMelNora virus and DMELDAV, and this protection is correlated with Wolbachia density, which is consistent with what has been observed in protection against other RNA viruses. Additionally, we found that Wolbachia does not protect its original host, D. melanogaster, from DMELDAV infection. While native Wolbachia can reduce DMELDAV titers in D. baimaii, this effect was not detected in D. tropicalis. Although the Wolbachia protection-induced phenotype seems to depend on the virus, the specific Wolbachia strain, and the host species, our findings suggest that antiviral protection may be one of the mutualistic effects that helps explain why Wolbachia is so widespread in arthropod populations.},
}

Animals
*Wolbachia/physiology
*Drosophila melanogaster/virology/microbiology
*Drosophila/virology/microbiology
Symbiosis
Female

@article {pmid40201423,
year = {2025},
author = {Boden, L and Bludau, D and Sieber, G and Deep, A and Baikova, D and David, GM and Hadžiomerović, U and Stach, TL and Boenigk, J},
title = {The impact of elevated temperature and salinity on microbial communities and food selectivity in heterotrophic nanoflagellates in the Boye River.},
journal = {ISME communications},
volume = {5},
number = {1},
pages = {ycaf049},
pmid = {40201423},
issn = {2730-6151},
abstract = {Microbial predator-prey interactions play a crucial role in aquatic food webs. Bacterivorous protists not only regulate the quantity and biomass of bacterial populations but also profoundly influence the structure of bacterial communities. Consequently, alterations in both the quantity and quality of protist bacterivory can influence the overall structure of aquatic food webs. While it is well-documented that changes in environmental conditions or the occurrence of abiotic stressors can lead to shifts in microbial community compositions, the impact of such disturbances on food selection remains unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of elevated temperature and salinization on food selectivity of heterotrophic nanoflagellates by monitoring the uptake of preselected target bacteria via catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization and fluorescence microscopy. Our results indicate that salinization, but not increased temperature, significantly increased the flagellates' selection against Microbacterium lacusdiani (Actinomycetota). However, the effect of the reduced grazing pressure was counterbalanced by the negative effect of increased salinity on the growth of Actinomycetota. Our results suggest that the effect of stressors on the feeding behavior of protistan predators may strongly affect the composition of their prey community, when bacterial taxa are concerned that are less sensitive to the particular stressor.},
}

@article {pmid40200306,
year = {2025},
author = {Bindels, LB and Watts, JEM and Theis, KR and Carrion, VJ and Ossowicki, A and Seifert, J and Oh, J and Shao, Y and Hilty, M and Kumar, P and Hildebrand, F and Lovejoy, C and Wigley, P and Yu, K and Zhang, M and Zhang, T and Walter, J and Desai, MS and Huws, SA and Schriml, LM and Ravel, J and Fricke, WF and Eloe-Fadrosh, EA and Lee, CK and Clavel, T},
title = {A blueprint for contemporary studies of microbiomes.},
journal = {Microbiome},
volume = {13},
number = {1},
pages = {95},
pmid = {40200306},
issn = {2049-2618},
mesh = {*Microbiota ; Humans ; },
abstract = {This editorial piece co-authored by the Senior Editors at Microbiome aims to highlight current challenges in the field of environmental and host-associated microbiome research. We also take the opportunity to clarify our expectations for the articles submitted to the journal. At Microbiome, we are seeking studies that provide either new mechanistic insights into the role of microbiomes in health and environmental systems or substantial conceptual or technical advances. Manuscripts need to meet high standards of language accuracy, quality of microbiome analyses, and data and protocol availability, including detailed reporting of wet-lab and in silico protocols, all of which can critically enhance transparency and reproducibility. We think that such efforts are essential to push the boundaries of our knowledge on microbiomes in a concerted, international effort.},
}

*Microbiota
Humans

@article {pmid40197060,
year = {2025},
author = {Giacomini, JJ and Torres-Morales, J and Dewhirst, FE and Borisy, GG and Mark Welch, JL},
title = {Spatial ecology of the Neisseriaceae family in the human oral cavity.},
journal = {Microbiology spectrum},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0327524},
doi = {10.1128/spectrum.03275-24},
pmid = {40197060},
issn = {2165-0497},
abstract = {The human oral microbiome is a diverse ecosystem in which bacterial species have evolved to occupy specific niches within the oral cavity. The Neisseriaceae family, which includes human oral species in the genera Neisseria, Eikenella, Kingella, and Simonsiella, plays a significant role in both commensal and pathogenic relationships. In this study, we investigate the distribution and functional adaptations of Neisseriaceae species across oral habitats, focusing on their site tropisms and ecological roles. We employed a metapangenomic approach in which a curated set of reference genomes representing Neisseriaceae diversity was used for competitive mapping of metagenomic reads. Our analysis revealed distinct habitat preferences among Neisseriaceae species, with Kingella oralis, Neisseria elongata, and Neisseria mucosa primarily found in dental plaque; Neisseria subflava on the tongue dorsum; and Neisseria cinerea in the keratinized gingiva. Functional enrichment analyses identified genes and pathways underpinning habitat-specific adaptations. Plaque specialists showed metabolic versatility, with adaptations in nitrogen metabolism, including nitrate reduction and denitrification, lysine degradation, and galactose metabolism. Tongue dorsum specialists exhibited adaptations including enhanced capabilities for amino acid biosynthesis, short-chain fatty acid and glycerol transport, as well as lipopolysaccharide glycosylation, which may aid in resisting antimicrobial peptides and maintaining membrane integrity. These findings provide insights into the ecological roles and adaptive strategies of Neisseriaceae species within the human oral microbiome and establish a foundation for exploring functional specialization and microbial interactions in these niches.IMPORTANCEUnraveling the distribution and functional adaptations of Neisseriaceae within the human oral microbiome is essential for understanding the roles of these abundant and prevalent commensals in both health and disease. Through a metapangenomic approach, we uncovered distinct habitat preferences of various Neisseriaceae taxa across the oral cavity and identified key genetic traits that may drive their habitat specialization and role in host-microbe interactions. These insights enhance our understanding of the microbial dynamics that shape oral microbial ecology, offering potential pathways for advancing oral health research.},
}

@article {pmid40197052,
year = {2025},
author = {Liu, S and Ru, J and Guo, X and Gao, Q and Deng, S and Lei, J and Song, J and Zhai, C and Wan, S and Yang, Y},
title = {Altered precipitation and nighttime warming reshape the vertical distribution of soil microbial communities.},
journal = {mSystems},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0124824},
doi = {10.1128/msystems.01248-24},
pmid = {40197052},
issn = {2379-5077},
abstract = {Soil depth determines microbial community composition. Yet, it remains largely unexplored how climate changes affect the vertical distribution of soil microbial communities. Here, we investigated the effects of altered precipitation and nighttime warming on microbial communities in the topsoils (0-20 cm) and subsoils (20-50 cm) of a temperate grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. As commonly observed under nutrient scarcity conditions, bacterial and fungal α-diversity and network complexity decreased with soil depth. However, protistan α-diversity and network complexity increased, which was attributed to less niche overlap and smaller body size. Strikingly, the slopes of linear regressions of microbial α-diversity/network complexity and soil depth were all reduced by altered precipitation. Microbial community composition was significantly influenced by both depth and reduced precipitation, and to a lesser extent by nighttime warming and elevated precipitation. The ribosomal RNA gene operon (rrn) copy number, a genomic proxy of bacterial nutrient demand, decreased with soil depth, and the percentages of positive network links were higher in the subsoil, supporting the "hunger game" hypothesis. Both reduced precipitation and nighttime warming decreased the rrn copy number in the subsoils while increasing the percentages of positive links, enhancing potential niche sharing among bacterial species. The stochasticity level of bacterial and fungal community assemblies decreased with soil depth, showing that depth acted as a selection force. Altered precipitation increased stochasticity, attenuating the depth's filtering effect and diminishing its linear relationship with microbial diversity. Collectively, we unveiled the predominant influence of altered precipitation in affecting the vertical distribution of soil microbial communities.IMPORTANCEUnderstanding how climate change impacts the vertical distribution of soil microbial communities is critical for predicting ecosystem responses to global environmental shifts. Soil microbial communities exhibit strong depth-related stratification, yet the effects of climate change variables, such as altered precipitation and nighttime warming, on these vertical patterns have been inadequately studied. Our research uncovers that altered precipitation disrupts the previously observed relationships between soil depth and microbial diversity, a finding that challenges traditional models of soil microbial ecology. Furthermore, our study provides experimental support for the hunger game hypothesis, highlighting that oligotrophic microbes, characterized by lower ribosomal RNA gene operon (rrn) copy numbers, are selectively favored in nutrient-poor subsoils, fostering increased microbial cooperation for resource exchange. By unraveling these complexities in soil microbial communities, our findings offer crucial insights for predicting ecosystem responses to climate change and for developing strategies to mitigate its adverse impacts.},
}

@article {pmid40195174,
year = {2025},
author = {Burazerović, J and Jovanović, M and Savković, Ž and Breka, K and Stupar, M},
title = {Finding the Right Host in the Darkness of the Cave-New Insights into the Ecology and Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Hyperparasitic Fungi (Arthrorhynchus nycteribiae, Laboulbeniales).},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {23},
pmid = {40195174},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {451- 03- 66/2024- 03/200178; 451- 03- 65/2024- 03/ 200178//Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia/ ; 451- 03- 66/2024- 03/200178; 451- 03- 65/2024- 03/ 200178//Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia/ ; 451- 03- 66/2024- 03/200178; 451- 03- 65/2024- 03/ 200178//Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia/ ; 451- 03- 66/2024- 03/200178; 451- 03- 65/2024- 03/ 200178//Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Chiroptera/parasitology/microbiology ; *Caves/microbiology ; *Ascomycota/genetics/isolation & purification/physiology/classification ; *Diptera/microbiology ; Serbia ; Male ; Female ; Phylogeny ; },
abstract = {The aim of this study was to determine the presence of the hyperparasitic fungus Arthrorhynchus nycteribiae and to analyze its spatio-temporal pattern in the two bat flies (Penicillidia conspicua and P. dufourii) parasitizing on bats. We collected 612 samples of bat flies from 400 bats in 20 caves in the Central Balkans. Hyperparasite was identified based on morphological and molecular analyses of rDNA genes (LSU and SSU). A. nycteribiae was reported for the first time in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, and confirmed in Serbia. Of the 20 sites examined, we found A. nycteribiae at 11 sites. The prevalence of A. nycteribiae infection in the bats examined was approximately 17%. Miniopterus schreibersii harbored the highest number of bat flies and was the only bat species hosting the infected bat flies of the species P. conspicua. Our results showed significant differences in infection patterns during the different seasons: the highest prevalence of bat flies with hyperparasitic fungi was found in the summer season (23%) and the lowest in spring (2%). Female bat fly hosts showed a significantly higher prevalence of infection than male bat flies. This study makes an important contribution to the knowledge of the distribution of A. nycteribiae and to the understanding of complex parasite-host relationships in the poorly studied areas of the Central Balkans.},
}

Animals
*Chiroptera/parasitology/microbiology
*Caves/microbiology
*Ascomycota/genetics/isolation & purification/physiology/classification
*Diptera/microbiology
Serbia
Male
Female
Phylogeny

@article {pmid40186763,
year = {2025},
author = {Huang, YD and Zhao, XL and Lin, Y and Ouyang, XM and Cheng, XS and Liang, LY and Huo, YN and Xie, GJ and Lin, JH and Jazag, A and Guleng, B},
title = {Mindin orchestrates the macrophage-mediated resolution of liver fibrosis in mice.},
journal = {Hepatology international},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40186763},
issn = {1936-0541},
support = {No. 81970460//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; No. 2023J011598//Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND & AIMS: Liver disease that progresses to cirrhosis is an enormous health problem worldwide. The extracellular matrix protein Mindin is known to have immune functions, but its role in liver homeostasis remains largely unexplored. We aimed to characterize the role of Mindin in the regulation of liver fibrosis.

APPROACH & RESULTS: Mindin was upregulated in mice with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis, and was primarily expressed in hepatocytes. Global Mindin knockout mice were generated, which were susceptible to liver fibrosis. Notably, Mindin failed to activate hepatic stellate cells directly; however, it played a role in promoting the recruitment and phagocytosis of macrophages, and caused a phenotypic switch toward restorative macrophages during liver fibrosis. Furthermore, Mindin was found to bind to the αM-I domain of CD11b/CD18 heterodimeric receptors. To further explore this mechanism, we created Mindin and CD11b double-knockout (DKO) mice. In DKO mice, phagocytosis was further reduced, and liver fibrosis was markedly exacerbated.

CONCLUSIONS: Mindin promotes the resolution of liver fibrosis and the Mindin/CD11b axis might represent a novel target for the macrophage-mediated regression of liver fibrosis.},
}

@article {pmid40186595,
year = {2025},
author = {Pérez, J and Boyero, L and Pearson, RG and Gessner, MO and Tonin, A and López-Rojo, N and Rubio-Ríos, J and Correa-Araneda, F and Alonso, A and Cornejo, A and Albariño, RJ and Anbalagan, S and Barmuta, LA and Boulton, AJ and Burdon, FJ and Caliman, A and Callisto, M and Campbell, IC and Cardinale, BJ and Carneiro, LS and Casas, JJ and Chará-Serna, AM and Chauvet, E and Colón-Gaud, C and Davis, AM and de Eyto, E and Degebrodt, M and Díaz, ME and Douglas, MM and Encalada, AC and Figueroa, R and Flecker, AS and Fleituch, T and Frainer, A and García, EA and García, G and García, PE and Giller, PS and Gómez, JE and Gonçalves, JF and Graça, MAS and Hall, RO and Hamada, N and Hepp, LU and Hui, C and Imazawa, D and Iwata, T and Junior, ESA and Landeira-Dabarca, A and Leal, M and Lehosmaa, K and M'Erimba, CM and Marchant, R and Martins, RT and Masese, FO and Maul, M and McKie, BG and Medeiros, AO and Middleton, JA and Muotka, T and Negishi, JN and Ramírez, A and Rezende, RS and Richardson, JS and Rincón, J and Serrano, C and Shaffer, AR and Sheldon, F and Swan, CM and Tenkiano, NSD and Tiegs, SD and Tolod, JR and Vernasky, M and Wanderi, EW and Watson, A and Yule, CM},
title = {Positive Feedback on Climate Warming by Stream Microbial Decomposers Indicated by a Global Space-For-Time Substitution Study.},
journal = {Global change biology},
volume = {31},
number = {4},
pages = {e70171},
doi = {10.1111/gcb.70171},
pmid = {40186595},
issn = {1365-2486},
support = {UAL18-RNM-B006-B//2014-2020 Operational Programme FEDER Andalusia/ ; IT951-16//Eusko Jaurlaritza/ ; IT1471-22//Eusko Jaurlaritza/ ; UIDB/04292/2020//Funda ç ão para a Ci ência e a Tecnologia, Portugal/ ; //UAL-HIPATIA/ ; },
mesh = {*Rivers/microbiology ; *Climate Change ; Temperature ; *Global Warming ; Plants/metabolism ; Carbon Cycle ; },
abstract = {Decomposition of plant litter is a key ecological process in streams, whose contribution to the global carbon cycle is large relative to their extent on Earth. We examined the mechanisms underlying the temperature sensitivity (TS) of instream decomposition and forecast effects of climate warming on this process. Comparing data from 41 globally distributed sites, we assessed the TS of microbial and total decomposition using litter of nine plant species combined in six mixtures. Microbial decomposition conformed to the metabolic theory of ecology and its TS was consistently higher than that of total decomposition, which was higher than found previously. Litter quality influenced the difference between microbial and total decomposition, with total decomposition of more recalcitrant litter being more sensitive to temperature. Our projections suggest that (i) warming will enhance the microbial contribution to decomposition, increasing CO2 outgassing and intensifying the warming trend, especially in colder regions; and (ii) riparian species composition will have a major influence on this process.},
}

*Rivers/microbiology
*Climate Change
Temperature
*Global Warming
Plants/metabolism
Carbon Cycle

@article {pmid40185870,
year = {2025},
author = {Ripoll, J and Stenger, PL and Nuñez, NF and Demenois, J and Stokes, A and Gourmelon, V and Dinh, K and Robert, N and Drouin, J and Mournet, P and Léopold, A and Read, J and Gardes, M and Maggia, L and Carriconde, F},
title = {Unexpected microbial diversity in new Caledonia's ultramafic ecosystems with conservation implications in a biodiversity hotspot.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {11564},
pmid = {40185870},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {IAC-SLN Research Collaboration N°DE2013-041//Société Le Nickel (SLN-Eramet Group)/ ; agreement CSF N°1PS2013-CNRT.IAC/BIOINDIC//CNRT "Nickel & son Environnement"/ ; },
mesh = {New Caledonia ; *Biodiversity ; *Soil Microbiology ; *Ecosystem ; Mycorrhizae/genetics/classification ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Fungi/genetics/classification ; *Bacteria/genetics/classification ; },
abstract = {Soils harbour an incredible diversity of microorganisms that play crucial roles in ecosystem functioning. However, this biodiversity remains largely overlooked, with a poor understanding of how patterns form across landscapes. An eDNA metabarcoding approach was used to identify potential overarching patterns in fungal and bacterial communities from ultramafic ecosystems in New Caledonia, a renowned biodiversity hotspot. Our comprehensive analysis revealed several key findings, notably an important microbial diversity in the extreme environments of iron crust soils. Clear tendencies in phyla composition were also observed, with the fungal groups Ascomycota and Mucoromycota acting as potential indicators of land degradation (only in lateritic soils for Mucoromycota). For bacteria, Chloroflexi was characteristic of open vegetation, while Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria were observed in higher relative abundances in the closed vegetation. The ectomycorrhizal fungal functional group was also found to be rich and unique, with a hypothetical endemism rate of 87%, and over-represented by the Cortinarius genus in rainforests and maquis (shrublands) dominated by ectomycorrhizal plants. Finally, each ultramafic Massif demonstrated a unique microbial community. Thus, our findings provide valuable insights into microbial ecology and emphasize the need for tailored conservation strategies for this biodiversity hotspot.},
}

New Caledonia
*Biodiversity
*Soil Microbiology
*Ecosystem
Mycorrhizae/genetics/classification
Conservation of Natural Resources
Fungi/genetics/classification
*Bacteria/genetics/classification

@article {pmid40184706,
year = {2025},
author = {He, L and Li, J and Tang, L and Wang, Y and Zhao, X and Ding, K and Xu, L and Gu, L and Cheng, S and Wei, YY},
title = {Applying side-stream gas recirculation to promote anaerobic digestion of food waste under ammonia stress: Overlooked impact of gaseous atmospheres on microorganisms.},
journal = {Water research},
volume = {281},
number = {},
pages = {123571},
doi = {10.1016/j.watres.2025.123571},
pmid = {40184706},
issn = {1879-2448},
abstract = {High ammonia concentrations can be toxic to microorganisms, leading to the accumulation of hydrogen (H2) and acids in anaerobic digestion (AD) system. In this study, a side gas recycling strategy (SGR), coupled with a primary reactor and a small side-stream reactor, which recirculates biogas between primary reactor and side reactor was employed to mitigate ammonia inhibition. This approach enabled the mesophilic side-stream gas recirculation system (SMGR) and the thermophilic side-stream gas recirculation system (STGR) to ultimately withstand ammonia stress levels of 2.5 g/L and 3.5 g/L, respectively, while maintaining lower hydrogen partial pressures. In contrast, the control group experienced system failure at an ammonia concentration of 2 g/L. Enzyme activity, microbial community, and metaproteomic analysis indicated that the side reactor enriched microorganisms with strong hydrogen-utilizing capacity, while the primary reactor was enriched with Methanosaeta. Furthermore, key pathways related to propionate metabolism, ABC transporters, and methane production were enhanced in the primary reactor, along with increased ATPase activity. The activity of key enzymes involved in AD was also significantly enhanced. This study enhances the understanding of the impact of gas atmosphere control on the microbial ecology and metabolic characteristics of AD system, providing valuable insights and practical guidance for the development of Engineering applications in this field.},
}

@article {pmid40184705,
year = {2025},
author = {Barrantes-Jiménez, K and Lejzerowicz, F and Tran, T and Calderón-Osorno, M and Rivera-Montero, L and Rodríguez-Sánchez, C and Wikmark, OG and Eiler, A and Grossart, HP and Arias-Andrés, M and Rojas-Jiménez, K},
title = {Anthropogenic imprint on riverine plasmidome diversity and proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes following pollution and urbanization.},
journal = {Water research},
volume = {281},
number = {},
pages = {123553},
doi = {10.1016/j.watres.2025.123553},
pmid = {40184705},
issn = {1879-2448},
abstract = {Plasmids are key determinants in microbial ecology and evolution, facilitating the dissemination of adaptive traits and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Although the molecular mechanisms governing plasmid replication, maintenance, and transfer have been extensively studied, the specific impacts of urbanization-induced pollution on plasmid ecology, diversity, and associated ARGs in tropical regions remain underexplored. This study investigates these dynamics in a tropical aquatic ecosystem, providing novel insights into how pollution shapes plasmid composition and function. In contrast to the observed decrease in chromosomal diversity, we demonstrate that pollution associated with urbanization increases the diversity and taxonomic composition of plasmids within a bacterial community (plasmidome). We analyzed eighteen water and sediment metagenomes, capturing a gradient of pollution and ARG contamination along a tropical urban river. Plasmid and chromosomal diversity profiles were found to be anti-correlated. Plasmid species enrichment along the pollution gradient led to significant compositional differences in water samples, where differentially abundant species suggest plasmid maintenance within specific taxonomic classes. Additionally, the diversity and abundance of ARGs related to the plasmidome increased concomitantly with the intensity of fecal and chemical pollution. These findings highlight the critical need for targeted plasmidome studies to better understand plasmids' environmental spread, as their dynamics are independent of chromosomal patterns. This research is crucial for understanding the consequences of bacterial evolution, particularly in the context of environmental and public health.},
}

@article {pmid40184632,
year = {2025},
author = {Huang, Y and Mao, X and Zheng, X and Zhao, Y and Wang, D and Wang, M and Chen, Y and Liu, L and Wang, Y and Polz, MF and Zhang, T},
title = {Longitudinal dynamics and cross-domain interactions of eukaryotic populations in wastewater treatment plants.},
journal = {The ISME journal},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/ismejo/wraf058},
pmid = {40184632},
issn = {1751-7370},
abstract = {Activated sludge is a large reservoir of novel microorganisms and microbial genetic diversity. While much attention has been given to the profile and functions of prokaryotes, the eukaryotic diversity remains largely unexplored. In this study, we analyzed longitudinal activated sludge samples spanning 13 years from the largest secondary wastewater treatment plants in Hong Kong, unveiling a wealth of eukaryotic taxa and 681 856 non-redundant protein-coding genes, the majority (416044) of which appeared novel. Ciliophora was the most dominant phylum with a significant increase after a transient intervention (bleaching event). Our metagenomic analysis reveals close linkage and covariation of eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and prokaryotic viruses (phages), indicating common responses to environmental changes such as transient intervention and intermittent fluctuations. Furthermore, high-resolution cross-domain relationships were interpreted by S-map, demonstrating a predatory role of Arthropoda, Ascomycota, Mucoromycota, and Rotifera. This high-resolution profile of microbial dynamics expands our knowledge on yet-to-be-cultured populations and their cross-domain interactions and highlights the ecological importance of eukaryotes in the activated sludge ecosystem.},
}

@article {pmid40183581,
year = {2025},
author = {Aminian-Dehkordi, J and Dickson, A and Valiei, A and Mofrad, MRK},
title = {MetaBiome: a multiscale model integrating agent-based and metabolic networks to reveal spatial regulation in gut mucosal microbial communities.},
journal = {mSystems},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0165224},
doi = {10.1128/msystems.01652-24},
pmid = {40183581},
issn = {2379-5077},
abstract = {Mucosal microbial communities (MMCs) are complex ecosystems near the mucosal layers of the gut essential for maintaining health and modulating disease states. Despite advances in high-throughput omics technologies, current methodologies struggle to capture the dynamic metabolic interactions and spatiotemporal variations within MMCs. In this work, we present MetaBiome, a multiscale model integrating agent-based modeling (ABM), finite volume methods, and constraint-based models to explore the metabolic interactions within these communities. Integrating ABM allows for the detailed representation of individual microbial agents each governed by rules that dictate cell growth, division, and interactions with their surroundings. Through a layered approach-encompassing microenvironmental conditions, agent information, and metabolic pathways-we simulated different communities to showcase the potential of the model. Using our in-silico platform, we explored the dynamics and spatiotemporal patterns of MMCs in the proximal small intestine and the cecum, simulating the physiological conditions of the two gut regions. Our findings revealed how specific microbes adapt their metabolic processes based on substrate availability and local environmental conditions, shedding light on spatial metabolite regulation and informing targeted therapies for localized gut diseases. MetaBiome provides a detailed representation of microbial agents and their interactions, surpassing the limitations of traditional grid-based systems. This work marks a significant advancement in microbial ecology, as it offers new insights into predicting and analyzing microbial communities.IMPORTANCEOur study presents a novel multiscale model that combines agent-based modeling, finite volume methods, and genome-scale metabolic models to simulate the complex dynamics of mucosal microbial communities in the gut. This integrated approach allows us to capture spatial and temporal variations in microbial interactions and metabolism that are difficult to study experimentally. Key findings from our model include the following: (i) prediction of metabolic cross-feeding and spatial organization in multi-species communities, (ii) insights into how oxygen gradients and nutrient availability shape community composition in different gut regions, and (iii) identification of spatiallyregulated metabolic pathways and enzymes in E. coli. We believe this work represents a significant advance in computational modeling of microbial communities and provides new insights into the spatial regulation of gut microbiome metabolism. The multiscale modeling approach we have developed could be broadly applicable for studying other complex microbial ecosystems.},
}

@article {pmid40179787,
year = {2025},
author = {Wang, Z and Tu, S and Shehzad, K and Hou, J and Xiong, S and Cao, M},
title = {Comparative study of organosilicon and inorganic silicon in reducing cadmium accumulation in wheat: Insights into rhizosphere microbial communities and molecular regulation mechanisms.},
journal = {Journal of hazardous materials},
volume = {492},
number = {},
pages = {138061},
doi = {10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138061},
pmid = {40179787},
issn = {1873-3336},
abstract = {Silicon is widely used as a "quality element" and "stress resistance element" in crop production and the remediation of heavy metal-contamination soils. Compared to inorganic silicon, organosilicon has unique properties such as amphiphilicity, low surface energy and high biocompatibility. Our previous research has confirmed the effectiveness of organosilicon-modified fertilizers in inhibiting Cadmium (Cd) absorption in wheat. Therefore, it is of great importance to further explore the potential mechanisms and comprehensive benefits of organosilicon. In this study, the microbiological and molecular mechanisms by which organosilicon reduces Cd concentration in wheat compared to inorganic silicon were investigated in depth. The findings indicated that, in comparison with inorganic silicon, organosilicon exhibited a more remarkable efficacy. Specifically, it was more effective in reducing the Cd concentration in wheat grains, achieving a reduction range of 35-39 % as opposed to the 23-28 % reduction achieved by inorganic silicon. Moreover, it manifested a greater ability to mitigate health risks, with a reduction range of 33-42 % compared to the 25-30 % reduction of inorganic silicon. Furthermore, organosilicon contributed to a significant increase in wheat yield, with a growth range of 11-14 % in contrast to the 8-11 % increase from inorganic silicon. Additionally, it enhanced the quality of the grains, substantially improving the protein content and amino acid content. The comparative advantages of organosilicon over inorganic silicon would be firstly due to the reduction of the bioavailability of soil Cd by increasing the available silicon content in the soil and improving the soil microbial ecology (increasing the abundance of Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Massilia and Talaromyces and reducing the enrichment of Fusarium). Secondly, organosilicon achieved vacuolar compartmentalization of Cd by upregulating the expression of the ABC transporter gene (TaABCB7), thereby alleviating Cd toxicity and restricting Cd transport from leaves to grains. Meanwhile, organosilicon increased the wheat yield by optimizing the availability of soil nutrients and enhancing photosynthesis. These results demonstrate the immense potential of organosilicon in mitigating heavy metal contamination in crops.},
}

@article {pmid40179176,
year = {2025},
author = {Lentsch, V and Woller, A and Rocker, A and Aslani, S and Moresi, C and Ruoho, N and Larsson, L and Fattinger, SA and Wenner, N and Barazzone, EC and Hardt, WD and Loverdo, C and Diard, M and Slack, E},
title = {Vaccine-enhanced competition permits rational bacterial strain replacement in the gut.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {388},
number = {6742},
pages = {74-81},
doi = {10.1126/science.adp5011},
pmid = {40179176},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {Animals ; Mice ; *Escherichia coli/immunology/growth & development/physiology ; *Salmonella Vaccines/immunology/administration & dosage ; *Salmonella typhimurium/immunology/growth & development/physiology ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Administration, Oral ; Escherichia coli Infections/prevention & control/immunology/microbiology ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Female ; Adaptive Immunity ; *Antibiosis ; Antibodies, Bacterial/immunology ; },
abstract = {Colonization of the intestinal lumen precedes invasive infection for a wide range of enteropathogenic and opportunistic pathogenic bacteria. We show that combining oral vaccination with engineered or selected niche-competitor strains permits pathogen exclusion and strain replacement in the mouse gut lumen. This approach can be applied either prophylactically to prevent invasion of nontyphoidal Salmonella strains, or therapeutically to displace an established Escherichia coli. Both intact adaptive immunity and metabolic niche competition are necessary for efficient vaccine-enhanced competition. Our findings imply that mucosal antibodies have evolved to work in the context of gut microbial ecology by influencing the outcome of competition. This has broad implications for the elimination of pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacterial reservoirs and for rational microbiota engineering.},
}

Animals
Mice
*Escherichia coli/immunology/growth & development/physiology
*Salmonella Vaccines/immunology/administration & dosage
*Salmonella typhimurium/immunology/growth & development/physiology
Immunity, Mucosal
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Administration, Oral
Escherichia coli Infections/prevention & control/immunology/microbiology
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
Female
Adaptive Immunity
*Antibiosis
Antibodies, Bacterial/immunology

@article {pmid40177466,
year = {2025},
author = {Hwang, J and Hayward, A and Sofen, LE and Pitz, KJ and Chavez, FP and Edwards, BR},
title = {Daily microbial rhythms of the surface ocean interrupted by the new moon-a lipidomic study.},
journal = {ISME communications},
volume = {5},
number = {1},
pages = {ycaf044},
doi = {10.1093/ismeco/ycaf044},
pmid = {40177466},
issn = {2730-6151},
abstract = {Lipids are essential biomolecules for cell physiology and are commonly used as biomarkers to elucidate biogeochemical processes over a large range of environments and timescales. Here, we use high-temporal-resolution lipidomic analysis to characterize the surface ocean community in the productive upwelling region overlying the Monterey Bay Canyon. We observed a strong diel signal with a drawdown of lipids at night and an increase during the day that seemed to correspond to wholesale removal of lipids from the surface ocean as opposed to internal metabolism. Individual lipid species were organized into coregulated groups that were interpreted as representing different phytoplankton guilds. Concentrations of long-chained triacylglycerols (TAGs) showed unique patterns over the course of five days. TAGs were used to estimate the amount of energy cycled through the surface ocean. These calculations revealed diurnal carbon cycling that was on scales comparable to net primary production. The diel pattern dissipated from most lipid modules on Day 3 as tidal forcing increased at our site with the advent of the new moon. Pigment analysis indicated that the community shifted from a diatom-dominated community to a more diverse assemblage, including more haptophytes, chlorophytes, and Synechococcus during the new moon. The shift in community appears to promote higher nutritional quality of biomass, with more essential fatty acids in the surface ocean during the spring tide. This analysis showcases the utility of lipidomics in characterizing community dynamics and underscores the importance of considering both diel and tidal timescales when sampling in productive coastal regions.},
}

@article {pmid40177465,
year = {2025},
author = {Krause, SMB and van den Berg, NI and Brenzinger, K and Zweers, H and Bodelier, PLE},
title = {Beyond methane consumption: exploring the potential of methanotrophic bacteria to produce secondary metabolites.},
journal = {ISME communications},
volume = {5},
number = {1},
pages = {ycaf030},
doi = {10.1093/ismeco/ycaf030},
pmid = {40177465},
issn = {2730-6151},
abstract = {Microbial methane-consuming communities significantly impact biogeochemical processes and greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, we explored secondary metabolites produced by methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) and their ecological roles. We analyzed the volatile profiles of four MOB strains under controlled conditions and conducted a meta-analysis using high-quality genomes from 62 cultured MOB strains and 289 metagenome-assembled genomes to investigate their potential for producing secondary metabolites. Results show species-specific volatile production, such as germacrene by Methylobacter luteus, which may play a role in the regulation of environmental methane consumption. The meta-analysis revealed that biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) for terpenes and β-lactones were more prevalent in the Methylocystaceae and/or Beijerinckiaceae families, while aryl polyene BGCs were dominant in the Methylococcaceae family, reflecting habitat-specific adaptations. These findings advance our understanding of the metabolic capabilities of MOB and underscore the importance of integrating experimental data with genomic and metabolomic analyses to elucidate their ecology, environmental interactions, and contributions to methane cycling.},
}

@article {pmid40177402,
year = {2025},
author = {Pellengahr, F and Corella-Puertas, E and Mattelin, V and Saadi, N and Bertella, F and Boulay, AM and van der Meer, Y},
title = {Modeling marine microplastic emissions in Life Cycle Assessment: characterization factors for biodegradable polymers and their application in a textile case study.},
journal = {Frontiers in toxicology},
volume = {7},
number = {},
pages = {1494220},
doi = {10.3389/ftox.2025.1494220},
pmid = {40177402},
issn = {2673-3080},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: With the continuous increase of plastics production, it is imperative to carefully examine their environmental profile through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). However, current LCA modeling is not considering the potential impacts of plastic emissions on the biosphere. To integrate plastic emissions into LCA, characterization factors are needed that commonly consist of three elements: a fate factor, an exposure factor, and an effect factor. In this context, fate factors quantify the distribution and longevity of plastics in the environment. Research on these fate factors is still limited, especially for biodegradable polymers. Hence, the main objective of this research was to determine the fate factors of biodegradable polymers [poly (lactic acid), poly (butylene succinate), and poly (ε-caprolactam)] based on primary experimental data for the marine environment.

METHODS: The validity of former research is tested by comparing the degradation evolution of i. macro- and microplastic particles, ii. two different grades of the polymer, and iii. different temperature levels. The degradation data are obtained by monitoring the oxygen consumption over a period of six months in natural seawater. The determined degradation rates are combined with sedimentation, resuspension, and deep burial rates to obtain fate factors. These fate factors are used to develop polymer-specific characterization factors. The resulting characterization factors are tested in an LCA case study of a synthetic sports shirt made from biodegradable polymer fibers. It allows to assess the relative importance of microplastic impacts compared to other life cycle impacts.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Comparing the resulting specific surface degradation rates indicates that microplastic degradation rates could be overestimated when using macroplastic degradation data. Pertaining to the case study, the results show that the impact on ecosystem quality by microplastic emissions could account for up to 30% of the total endpoint category. Overall, this work aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration to leverage the accuracy of LCA studies and thus provide guidance for novel material development.},
}

@article {pmid40175811,
year = {2025},
author = {Alexander, NR and Brown, RS and Duwadi, S and Womble, SG and Ludwig, DW and Moe, KC and Murdock, JN and Phillips, JL and Veach, AM and Walker, DM},
title = {Leveraging Fine-Scale Variation and Heterogeneity of the Wetland Soil Microbiome to Predict Nutrient Flux on the Landscape.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {22},
pmid = {40175811},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {DEB 1933925//National Science Foundation/ ; EF-2125065//National Science Foundation/ ; sub-award 220858//Natural Resource Conservation Services/ ; Molecular Biosciences Program//Middle Tennessee State University/ ; },
mesh = {*Wetlands ; *Soil Microbiology ; *Microbiota ; *Bacteria/genetics/classification/metabolism/isolation & purification ; Soil/chemistry ; Nitrogen/metabolism ; *Nutrients/metabolism ; Nitrogen Cycle ; Phosphorus/metabolism ; Ecosystem ; Agriculture ; },
abstract = {Shifts in agricultural land use over the past 200 years have led to a loss of nearly 50% of existing wetlands in the USA, and agricultural activities contribute up to 65% of the nutrients that reach the Mississippi River Basin, directly contributing to biological disasters such as the hypoxic Gulf of Mexico "Dead" Zone. Federal efforts to construct and restore wetland habitats have been employed to mitigate the detrimental effects of eutrophication, with an emphasis on the restoration of ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and retention. Soil microbial assemblages drive biogeochemical cycles and offer a unique and sensitive framework for the accurate evaluation, restoration, and management of ecosystem services. The purpose of this study was to elucidate patterns of soil bacteria within and among wetlands by developing diversity profiles from high-throughput sequencing data, link functional gene copy number of nitrogen cycling genes to measured nutrient flux rates collected from flow-through incubation cores, and predict nutrient flux using microbial assemblage composition. Soil microbial assemblages showed fine-scale turnover in soil cores collected across the topsoil horizon (0-5 cm; top vs bottom partitions) and were structured by restoration practices on the easements (tree planting, shallow water, remnant forest). Connections between soil assemblage composition, functional gene copy number, and nutrient flux rates show the potential for soil bacterial assemblages to be used as bioindicators for nutrient cycling on the landscape. In addition, the predictive accuracy of flux rates was improved when implementing deep learning models that paired connected samples across time.},
}

*Wetlands
*Soil Microbiology
*Microbiota
*Bacteria/genetics/classification/metabolism/isolation & purification
Soil/chemistry
Nitrogen/metabolism
*Nutrients/metabolism
Nitrogen Cycle
Phosphorus/metabolism
Ecosystem
Agriculture

@article {pmid40175529,
year = {2025},
author = {Pascoal, F and Branco, P and Torgo, L and Costa, R and Magalhães, C},
title = {Definition of the microbial rare biosphere through unsupervised machine learning.},
journal = {Communications biology},
volume = {8},
number = {1},
pages = {544},
pmid = {40175529},
issn = {2399-3642},
abstract = {The microbial rare biosphere, composed of low-abundance microorganisms in a community, lacks a standardized delineation method for its definition. Currently, most studies rely on arbitrary thresholds to define the microbial rare biosphere (e.g., 0.1% relative abundance per sample), hampering comparisons across studies. To address this challenge, we present ulrb (Unsupervised Learning based Definition of the Rare Biosphere), available as an R package. ulrb uses unsupervised machine learning to optimally classify taxa into abundance categories (e.g., rare, intermediate, or abundant) within microbial communities. We show that ulrb is more consistent than threshold-based approaches and can be applied to data derived from common microbial ecology protocols and non-microbial studies. ulrb can be used to identify different types of rarity and is statistically valid for the analysis of various dataset sizes. In conclusion, ulrb discerns rare from abundant organisms in a user-independent manner, finding applicability in selected ecological datasets.},
}

@article {pmid40174026,
year = {2024},
author = {Shimano, S and Hiruta, SF and Sánchez-Chávez, DI and Pfingstl, T},
title = {Coastal mites (Oribatida, Ameronothridae) found far from the coast in moss growing on the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, France, fifty years after their first discovery in this historic site.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {5556},
number = {1},
pages = {62-71},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5556.1.6},
pmid = {40174026},
issn = {1175-5334},
abstract = {A species of oribatid mite, Ameronothrus maculatus (Michael, 1882), was collected from moss growing on the building of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. This species of Ameronothridae is usually found in coastal Holarctic environments. The specimens were studied by Scanning Electron Microscope and could be clearly assigned to this taxon. This population was first discovered by F. Grandjean approximately 50 years ago, and the present record demonstrates that it has persisted despite its habitat being a tourist destination visited by over 14 million people annually. The record of this species far upstream and on anthropogenic structures is rare but not out of the ordinary in Northern Europe where its distribution can reach far beyond the edges of the estuaries. For further confirmation, we obtained DNA sequences for the COI gene (1554 bp, LC848687), and they were almost identical to those of an earlier found and sequenced specimen of A. maculatus from Germany, differing by only a single base. As supplemental information on A. maculatus from Paris, the region includes whole nucleic ribosomal RNA genes (18S, 5.8S, and 28S, LC848688), partial elongation factor 1 alpha (LC848689), and the complete nucleotide sequence of mitochondrion were also determined.},
}

@article {pmid40172536,
year = {2025},
author = {Madison, JD and Osborne, OG and Ellison, A and Garvey Griffith, CN and Gentry, L and Gross, H and Gratwicke, B and Grayfer, L and Muletz-Wolz, CR},
title = {Probiotic colonization of Xenopus laevis skin causes short-term changes in skin microbiomes and gene expression.},
journal = {Infection and immunity},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0056924},
doi = {10.1128/iai.00569-24},
pmid = {40172536},
issn = {1098-5522},
abstract = {Probiotic therapies have been suggested for amelioration efforts of wildlife disease such as chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium spp. in amphibians. However, there is a lack of information on how probiotic application affects resident microbial communities and immune responses. To better understand these interactions, we hypothesized that probiotic application would alter microbial community composition and host immune expression in Xenopus laevis. Accordingly, we applied three amphibian-derived and anti-Batrachochytrium bacteria strains (two Pseudomonas spp. and one Stenotrophomonas sp.) to X. laevis in monoculture and also as a cocktail. We quantified microbial community structure using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We also quantified genes involved in X. laevis immune responses using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and skin transcriptomics over 1 and 3-week periods. All probiotic treatments successfully colonized X. laevis skin for 3 weeks, but with differential amplicon sequence variant (ASV) sequence counts over time. Bacterial community and immune gene effects were most pronounced at week 1 post-probiotic exposure and decreased thereafter. All probiotic treatments caused initial changes to bacterial community alpha and beta diversity, including reduction in diversity from pre-exposure anti-Batrachochytrium bacterial ASV relative abundance. Probiotic colonization by Pseudomonas probiotic strain RSB5.4 reduced expression of regulatory T cell marker (FOXP3, measured with RT-qPCR) and caused the greatest gene expression changes detected by transcriptomics. Single bacterial strains and mixed cultures, therefore, altered amphibian microbiome-immune interactions. This work will help to improve our understanding of the role of the microbiome-immune interface underlying both disease dynamics and emergent eco-evolutionary processes.IMPORTANCEAmphibian skin microbial communities have an important role in determining disease outcomes, in part through complex yet poorly understood interactions with host immune systems. Here we report that probiotic-induced changes to the Xenopus laevis frog skin microbial communities also result in significant alterations to these animals' immune gene expression. These findings underscore the interdependence of amphibian skin immune-microbiome interactions.},
}

@article {pmid40170918,
year = {2025},
author = {Hager, K and Luo, ZH and Montserrat-Diez, M and Ponce-Toledo, RI and Baur, P and Dahlke, S and Andrei, AS and Bulzu, PA and Ghai, R and Urich, T and Glatzel, S and Schleper, C and Rodrigues-Oliveira, T},
title = {Diversity and environmental distribution of Asgard archaea in shallow saline sediments.},
journal = {Frontiers in microbiology},
volume = {16},
number = {},
pages = {1549128},
pmid = {40170918},
issn = {1664-302X},
abstract = {In recent years, our understanding of archaeal diversity has greatly expanded, especially with the discovery of new groups like the Asgard archaea. These archaea show diverse phylogenetic and genomic traits, enabling them to thrive in various environments. Due to their close relationship to eukaryotes, a large number of metagenomic studies have been performed on Asgard archaea. Research on the fine scale distribution, diversity and quantification in saline aquatic sediments where they mostly occur, has, however, remained scarce. In this study, we investigated depths of shallow saline sediment cores from three distinct European environments: the Baltic Sea near Hiddensee, the coastal Lake Techirghiol in Romania, and an estuarine canal in Piran, Slovenia. Based on 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing, we observe variation in the relative abundance and occurrence of at least seven different Asgard groups that are distinct between the three environments and in their depth distribution. Lokiarchaeia and Thorarchaeia emerge as dominant Asgard groups across all sites, reaching maximal relative abundances of 2.28 and 2.68% of the total microbial communities respectively, with a maximal abundance of all Asgard reaching approx. 5.21% in Hiddensee. Quantitative PCR assays provide insights into the absolute abundance of Lokiarchaeia, supporting distinct patterns of distribution across depths in different sediments. Co-occurrence network analysis indicates distinct potential microbial partners across different Asgard groups. Overall, our study shows that Asgard archaea are found as a stable component in shallow sediment layers and have considerably diversified on macro- and microscales.},
}

@article {pmid40168336,
year = {2025},
author = {Brangsch, H and Marcordes, S and Busch, A and Weber, M and Wolf, SA and Semmler, T and Höper, D and Calvelage, S and Linde, J and Barth, SA},
title = {Comparative genomics of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis strains within a group of captive lowland tapirs.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {20},
number = {4},
pages = {e0320499},
pmid = {40168336},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Perissodactyla/microbiology ; *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; *Mycobacterium avium/genetics/isolation & purification/classification ; *Genomics/methods ; Genome, Bacterial ; Phylogeny ; Multilocus Sequence Typing ; Whole Genome Sequencing ; },
abstract = {Within a group of three captive lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) suffering from clinically apparent mycobacteriosis, non-tuberculous Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) strains were isolated from the animals and the tapir's enclosure. Based on MIRU-VNTR findings, which identified two closely related INMV profiles (124 and 246), a micro-evolutionary event was assumed, and four available MAH strains were submitted to whole genome sequencing (short- and long-read technologies). Surprisingly, the differences based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were exceptionally high between the four strains, i.e., between 841 and 11,166 bases, due to a strong impact of homologous recombination. Thus, an ad hoc core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme was created and pangenome analysis was conducted for determining the genomic similarity between the strains. The INMV246 isolate obtained from sputum on the enclosure floor and one INMV124 isolate of tapir #2 showed the highest congruence, suggesting that both originated from a shared source. The other two INMV124 isolates were genomically distinct from these strains. Nevertheless, in all four strains two plasmids were detected, which were highly conserved between the strains. The study showed that the genomic variability between MAH strains isolated from the same site within a short period of time can be exceptionally high and the influence of homologous recombination needs to be considered when determining MAH strain relationships, particularly via SNP analyses.},
}

Animals
*Perissodactyla/microbiology
*Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
*Mycobacterium avium/genetics/isolation & purification/classification
*Genomics/methods
Genome, Bacterial
Phylogeny
Multilocus Sequence Typing
Whole Genome Sequencing

@article {pmid40167801,
year = {2025},
author = {Banu, S and Valero, KCW and Rivero, F},
title = {Simulated Heat Waves Affect Cell Fate and Fitness in the Social Amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {21},
pmid = {40167801},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {#101044202/ERC_/European Research Council/International ; },
mesh = {*Dictyostelium/genetics/physiology/growth & development ; *Hot Temperature ; Cyclic AMP/metabolism ; Spores, Protozoan/genetics/physiology/growth & development ; Protozoan Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; },
abstract = {The effects of heatwaves at organism and population levels have been widely investigated; however, little is known about how they affect the development of cell populations and the fitness of the resulting organism. Disruptions caused by heatwaves are especially critical during early developmental stages in organisms lacking parental developmental protection or care. Here we use the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, a soil microbe with a life cycle that transitions between single-cell and multicellular stages. D. discoideum thrives optimally at 22 °C and elevated temperatures impair (27 °C) or completely arrest (30 °C) growth, development, and spore yield. We established a simulated heatwave model in which vegetative cells were exposed to 27 °C for 3 days and studied the effects on the expression of early and cell type specific developmental genes using real-time quantitative PCR. A single heatwave severely impaired the expression of cyclic AMP-dependent early developmental gene markers (carA, acaA, pkaR, gtaC, tgrC1, and csaA) as well as that of prespore markers (cotB and spiA), while the expression of the prestalk marker ecmA was less affected. When mixed with heat-stressed cells, reporter cells expressing β-galactosidase grown at 22 °C preferentially occupy the spore mass of the fruiting body. Chimera assays of wild-type and reporter cells grown at optimal temperature or subjected to a heatwave confirmed a decreased fitness (contribution to chimeric fruiting bodies). We conclude that exposure of unprotected organisms at the single cell stage to a single heatwave has the potential to negatively impact their ability to cope with environmental extremes.},
}

*Dictyostelium/genetics/physiology/growth & development
*Hot Temperature
Cyclic AMP/metabolism
Spores, Protozoan/genetics/physiology/growth & development
Protozoan Proteins/genetics/metabolism

@article {pmid40167318,
year = {2025},
author = {Détain, A and Suzuki, H and Wijffels, RH and Leborgne-Castel, N and Hulatt, CJ},
title = {Snow algae exhibit diverse motile behaviors and thermal responses.},
journal = {mBio},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0295424},
doi = {10.1128/mbio.02954-24},
pmid = {40167318},
issn = {2150-7511},
abstract = {Snow algal blooms influence snow and glacier melt dynamics, yet the mechanisms involved in community assemblage, development, and dispersal are not well understood. While microbial swimming behavior contributes significantly to the productivity and organization of aquatic and terrestrial microbiomes, the potential impact of algal cell motility in melting snow on the formation of visible, large-scale surface bloom patterns is largely unknown. Here, using video tracking and phototaxis experiments of unique isolates, we evaluated the motility of diverse snow algal taxa from green, red, and golden colored snow blooms in response to light and thermal gradients. We show that many species are efficient cryophilic microswimmers with speed thermal optima below 10°C although taxa with cryotolerant swimming traits were also identified. The significant motility of snow algae at low temperatures, a result of specialized adaptations, supports the importance of active movement in the life histories of algae inhabiting snow meltwater. However, diversity in swimming performance and behavior reveal a range of evolutionary outcomes and sensitivity of motile life stages to dynamic environments.IMPORTANCESwimming motility is a fundamental mechanism that controls the assembly, structure, and productivity of microbiomes across diverse environments and is highly sensitive to temperature. Especially, the role of cell swimming activity in algal bloom formation at the very low temperatures of snowmelt has been hypothesized, but not studied. By examining the movement patterns of snow algae and modeling the thermal response curves of swimming speed, the data reveal the key role of active cell movement that may have further important impacts on the microbial ecology and melt rates of snow and ice in polar and alpine regions.},
}

@article {pmid40162837,
year = {2025},
author = {Major, SR and Polinski, JM and Penn, K and Rodrigue, M and Harke, MJ},
title = {Novel and diverse features identified in the genomes of bacteria isolated from a hydrothermal vent plume.},
journal = {Applied and environmental microbiology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0259324},
doi = {10.1128/aem.02593-24},
pmid = {40162837},
issn = {1098-5336},
abstract = {Hydrothermal vent plumes (HVPs), formed by high-temperature vent emissions, are rich in compounds that support chemosynthesis and serve as reservoirs of microbial diversity and genetic innovation. Through turbulence, mixing, and interaction with subsea currents, vent communities are thought to disperse across ocean basins. In this study, we focused on the plume of the Moytirra hydrothermal vent field, a relatively unexplored site, to investigate its microbial inhabitants. We cultured bacteria from the Moytirra HVP using 11 different media types and performed complete genome sequencing on 12 isolates. Our analyses revealed four putatively novel species from the Thalassobaculum, Sulfitobacter, Idiomarina, and Christiangramia genera. Comparative genomics identified unique genomic islands containing biosynthetic gene clusters, including a novel Non-Ribosomal Peptide Synthetase/Polyketide Synthase cluster, toxin-antitoxin systems, and evidence of horizontal gene transfer facilitated by prophages. These findings underscore the potential of HVPs as a source of novel microbial species and biotechnologically relevant genes, contributing to our understanding of the biodiversity and genetic complexity of these extreme environments.IMPORTANCEHydrothermal vents are dynamic environments that offer unique nutrients for chemosynthetic organisms to drive biology in the deep-sea. The dynamics of these ecosystems are thought to drive genomic innovation in resident populations. Hydrothermal vent plumes (HVPs) mix with surrounding water, carrying local microbiota with them and dispersing for hundreds of kilometers. This study isolated bacteria from a HVP to capture a genomic snapshot of the microbial community, revealing four putatively novel species of bacteria within three taxonomic classes. The addition of these genomes to public databases provides valuable insights into the genomic function, architecture, and novel biosynthetic gene clusters of bacteria found in these extreme environments.},
}

@article {pmid40162703,
year = {2025},
author = {Souza Beraldo, C},
title = {An interactive art activity to promote student reflection and learning about host-microbe interactions.},
journal = {Journal of microbiology & biology education},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0006325},
doi = {10.1128/jmbe.00063-25},
pmid = {40162703},
issn = {1935-7877},
abstract = {The use of art in science teaching can effectively help students understand complex and abstract concepts, particularly in the fields of Microbiology and Microbial Ecology, where the study objects-the microbes-are invisible to human eyes. To explore how different factors shape host-microbe interactions, I developed the activity MicrobiART, which uses mixed art materials to create analogies that illustrate the dynamic relationships between hosts, microbes, and their environments. MicrobiART was presented as an alternative session at a PhD students' conference in Espoo, Finland. Participants were invited to combine papers, balls, and paint-representing hosts, microbes, and environmental factors, respectively-to create paintings that depict the outcomes of these interactions. The completed artworks were then displayed in a mini exhibition. Following this session, participants were invited to engage in discussion to identify patterns in the paintings and reflect on the analogies' meanings and limitations. The activity is adaptable to various age groups and to both non-specialist and specialist audiences. Anecdotal evidence suggests that participants understood how interaction outcomes depend on the specific combination of players (host, microbes, and environment), while also recognizing emergent patterns. For instance, interactions within the same environment often share similar colors, contrasting with those from a different environment. Moreover, participants found the experience enjoyable, particularly due to its interactive and aesthetic appeal. These findings highlight the value of integrating science and art in science communication, especially in conference spaces: such integration fosters connections, inspires new ideas and teaching approaches, and provides a relaxed setting for discussion.},
}

@article {pmid40161817,
year = {2025},
author = {Band, VI and Gribonika, I and Stacy, A and Bouladoux, N and Mistry, S and Burns, A and Perez-Chaparro, PJ and Chau, J and Enamorado, M and Nagai, M and Bhushan, V and Golec, DP and Schwartzberg, PL and Hourigan, SK and Nita-Lazar, A and Belkaid, Y},
title = {Sulfide is a keystone metabolite for gut homeostasis and immunity.},
journal = {bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1101/2025.03.06.641928},
pmid = {40161817},
issn = {2692-8205},
abstract = {Hydrogen sulfide is a gaseous, reactive molecule specifically enriched in the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we uncover a non-redundant role for sulfide in the control of both microbial and immune homeostasis of the gut. Notably, depletion of sulfide via both pharmaceutical and dietary interventions led to a profound collapse of CD4 T cells in the ileum of the small intestine lamina propria and significant impact on microbial ecology. As a result, mice with reduced sulfide within the gut were deficient in their ability to mount T cell dependent antibody responses to oral vaccine. Mechanistically, our results support the idea that sulfide could act directly on CD4 T cells via enhanced AP-1 activation, leading to heightened proliferation and cytokine production. This study uncovers sulfides as keystone components in gut ecology and provides mechanistic insight between diet, gut sulfide production and mucosal immunity.},
}

@article {pmid40160925,
year = {2025},
author = {Amirmijani, A and Pordel, A and Dehghani, K and Pourmoghaddam, MJ and Masigol, H and Grossart, HP},
title = {Two new pestalotioid fungi from tropical fruits in Iran.},
journal = {MycoKeys},
volume = {115},
number = {},
pages = {221-240},
doi = {10.3897/mycokeys.115.136469},
pmid = {40160925},
issn = {1314-4049},
abstract = {In a survey of tropical plant diseases in southern and southeastern Iran, samples of diseased Mangiferaindica and Psidiumguava leaves with necrotic symptoms were collected between 2021 and 2022. Six representative isolates of Neopestalotiopsis and Robillarda (three isolates for each) were studied using morphological characteristics as well as multi-locus phylogenetic analysis based on (i) the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear rDNA, (ii) part of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), and (iii) the β-tubulin (tub2). After morphological investigation, our phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Neopestalotiopsis and Robillarda isolates under study differed from all previously described species within these genera. Based on our polyphasic approach, two new species, including Neopestalotiopsisguava sp. nov. from necrotic Mangiferaindica and Robillardakhodaparastii sp. nov. from Psidiumguava are described and illustrated from Iran.},
}

@article {pmid40157674,
year = {2025},
author = {Wu, X and Yu, D and Ma, Y and Fang, X and Sun, P},
title = {Function and therapeutic potential of Amuc_1100, an outer membrane protein of Akkermansia muciniphila: A review.},
journal = {International journal of biological macromolecules},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {142442},
doi = {10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.142442},
pmid = {40157674},
issn = {1879-0003},
abstract = {The gut microbiota-derived protein Amuc_1100, a key outer membrane component of Akkermansia muciniphila, has emerged as a groundbreaking therapeutic agent with unique structural and functional properties. Amuc_1100 exerts multifaceted immune-metabolic effects through novel mechanisms, including modulation of TLR2/4 and JAK/STAT pathways. This review highlights its unique multi-component structure that enables synergistic biological activity, and its pharmacological properties, which underlies its ability to enhance intestinal barrier integrity, restore microbiota balance, and suppress systemic inflammation. Crucially, Amuc_1100 demonstrates unprecedented therapeutic versatility across both intestinal disorders (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, antibiotic-associated diarrhea) and extraintestinal conditions-notably improving neuropsychiatric symptoms via gut-serotonin axis regulation, combating cancer through CD8+ T cell activation, and mitigating cardiotoxicity via gut-heart immune crosstalk. Emerging innovations in targeted delivery systems, including gut-retentive nano-formulations and engineered probiotic vectors, further amplify its clinical potential. We critically evaluate recent advances distinguishing Amuc_1100's mechanisms from live bacterial interventions. By synthesizing evidence from preclinical models, this work positions Amuc_1100 as a prototype for next-generation microbiome-derived therapeutics, bridging microbial ecology with precision medicine.},
}

@article {pmid40152585,
year = {2025},
author = {Wang, F and Luo, J and Zhang, Z and Liu, Y and Sheng, Dh and Zhuo, L and Li, Y-z},
title = {Differential crosstalk between toxin-immunity protein homologs divides Myxococcus nonself siblings into close and distant social relatives.},
journal = {mBio},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0390224},
doi = {10.1128/mbio.03902-24},
pmid = {40152585},
issn = {2150-7511},
abstract = {Many bacteria discriminate self and nonself using toxins and their corresponding immunity proteins. The toxin-immunity systems often include homologs, potentially creating crosstalk with unknown influences on kin discrimination. In this study, we investigated the kinship controlled by four homologous toxin-immunity systems in the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus. We determined that the four homologous systems each play an independent role in the discrimination of self and nonself. However, the immunity proteins inactivate not only the corresponding nuclease toxin proteins but also some non-corresponding toxin proteins, depending on their sequence and structural similarities. The nonself relatives controlled by toxin-immunity proteins with or without crosstalk exhibit differential co-growth and collaborative behaviors. We concluded that differential crosstalk between toxin-immunity protein homologs can divide bacterial nonself lineages into close and distant relatives displaying differential collaboration and antagonistic behaviors.IMPORTANCEThis study significantly contributes to our knowledge of kin selection and social behavior in bacteria. The interactions between four homologous toxin-immunity protein systems of Myxococcus xanthus were investigated, and evidence was obtained that these systems can distinguish between self and nonself cells within a species. Importantly, this study revealed that nonself lineages, which display varying degrees of genetic relatedness, can co-grow and collaborate in distinct patterns. This discovery implies that the differential crosstalk between homologous toxin-immunity proteins can mimic the degree of kinship; through this activity, bacteria can differentiate close and distant relatives. This novel insight into bacterial social dynamics and kin discrimination supports kin selection theory and enriches our knowledge on microbial interactions and evolutionary strategies. These findings have broad implications for microbial ecology, evolution, and the development of cooperation strategies.},
}

@article {pmid40151948,
year = {2025},
author = {Šulčius, S and Alzbutas, G and Lukashevich, V},
title = {Cyanophage Lysis of the Cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena Affects the Variability and Fitness of the Host-Associated Microbiome.},
journal = {Environmental microbiology},
volume = {27},
number = {4},
pages = {e70042},
doi = {10.1111/1462-2920.70042},
pmid = {40151948},
issn = {1462-2920},
support = {S-LL-21-10//Lietuvos Mokslo Taryba/ ; },
mesh = {*Microbiota ; *Bacteriophages/genetics/physiology ; *Nodularia/metabolism/virology ; Bacteriolysis ; Viral Load ; Cyanobacteria/virology/metabolism/genetics ; },
abstract = {Cyanobacteria are intricately linked with its microbiome through multiple metabolic interactions. We assessed how these interactions might be affected by cyanophage infection and lysis in cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena. The genome-scale metabolic models and analysis of putative metabolic interactions revealed a bidirectional cross-feeding potential within the N. spumigena microbiome, with heterotrophic bacteria exhibiting a greater level of trophic dependency on the cyanobacterium. Our results indicate that microbes associated with N. spumigena rely on the supply of various amino acids, reduced carbon compounds and protein synthesis cofactors released by the cyanobacterial host. We observed that compositional changes in the N. spumigena microbiome were associated with the multiplicity of infection and increased with increasing initial viral load. Higher mortality of N. spumigena led to decreased variability in the relative abundances of bacteria, suggesting an indirect restriction of their niche space. Lysis of N. spumigena resulted in a substantial decline in the estimated absolute abundances of heterotrophic bacteria, indicating reduced fitness of co-occurring bacteria in the absence of N. spumigena. Altogether, we demonstrate how a gradual increase in viral pressure on the photosynthetic host propagates through the co-occurring microbial community, disrupting cooperative nature and microbial connectivity within the N. spumigena microbiome.},
}

*Microbiota
*Bacteriophages/genetics/physiology
*Nodularia/metabolism/virology
Bacteriolysis
Viral Load
Cyanobacteria/virology/metabolism/genetics

@article {pmid40149089,
year = {2025},
author = {Nussbaumer-Pröll, A and Hausmann, B and Weber, M and Pjevac, P and Berry, D and Zeitlinger, M},
title = {A Pilot Study on the Impact of Cranberry and Ascorbic Acid Supplementation on the Urinary Microbiome of Healthy Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.},
journal = {Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {14},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/antibiotics14030278},
pmid = {40149089},
issn = {2079-6382},
abstract = {Background: The collection of microorganisms that colonize the human genital and urinary tract is referred to as the genitourinary microbiome. Urinary tract infections (UTIs), which predominantly affect women, are linked to alterations in the genitourinary microbiome. Cranberries (Vaccinium oxycoccos), rich in proanthocyanidins, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), known for their urinary acidification properties, are commonly used for UTI prevention. However, their effects on the genitourinary microbiome remain inadequately characterized. This pilot study assesses the genitourinary microbiome composition in healthy women and evaluates the influence of cranberry and ascorbic acid supplementation. Methods: In a randomized, controlled, and open-label trial, 27 healthy women in their reproductive age (18-40 years) were assigned to three groups: cranberry (n = 8), ascorbic acid (n = 10), and control (n = 9). Urine samples were collected at three time points and processed for 16S rRNA gene amplicon-based microbial community composition analysis. Microbiome composition was compared within and between groups, and between study visits. Results: Sufficient microbial DNA was extracted from all midstream urine samples. The genitourinary microbiome was predominantly composed of Lactobacillus spp., as reported previously. No significant shifts in microbial composition were observed in response to cranberry or ascorbic acid supplementation, and no statistically significant differences were detected between the intervention and control groups or between study visits. Conclusion: The genitourinary microbiome of healthy women remained stable during cranberry or ascorbic acid supplementation. Further studies in patients with recurrent UTIs are needed to explore the potential impacts of these supplements on the genitourinary microbiome in disease states.},
}

@article {pmid40149015,
year = {2025},
author = {Fournier, P and Pellan, L and Jaswa, A and Cambon, MC and Chataigner, A and Bonnard, O and Raynal, M and Debord, C and Poeydebat, C and Labarthe, S and Delmotte, F and This, P and Vacher, C},
title = {Revealing microbial consortia that interfere with grapevine downy mildew through microbiome epidemiology.},
journal = {Environmental microbiome},
volume = {20},
number = {1},
pages = {37},
pmid = {40149015},
issn = {2524-6372},
support = {20-PCPA-0010//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Plant and soil microbiomes can interfere with pathogen life cycles, but their influence on disease epidemiology remains understudied. Here, we analyzed the relationships between plant and soil microbiomes and long-term epidemiological records of grapevine downy mildew, a major disease caused by the oomycete Plasmopara viticola.

RESULTS: We found that certain microbial taxa were consistently more abundant in plots with lower disease incidence and severity and that the microbial community composition could predict disease incidence and severity. Microbial diversity was not strongly linked to epidemiological records, suggesting that disease incidence and severity is more related to the abundance of specific microbial taxa. These key taxa were identified in the topsoil, where the pathogen's oospores overwinter, and in the phyllosphere, where zoospores infect leaves. By contrast, the leaf endosphere, where the pathogen's mycelium develops, contained few taxa of interest. Surprisingly, the soil microbiota was a better predictor of disease incidence and severity than the leaf microbiota, suggesting that the soil microbiome could be a key indicator of the dynamics of this primarily aerial disease.

CONCLUSION: Our study integrates long-term epidemiological data with microbiome profiles of healthy plants to reveal fungi and bacteria relevant for the biocontrol of grapevine downy mildew. The resulting database provides a valuable resource for designing microbial consortia with potential biocontrol activity. The framework can be applied to other crop systems to guide the development of biocontrol strategies and reduce pesticide use in agriculture.},
}

@article {pmid40148178,
year = {2025},
author = {Hodžić, A and Duscher, GG and Alić, A and Beck, R and Berry, D},
title = {Peritrophic matrix: an important determinant of vector competence in hematophagous arthropods.},
journal = {Trends in parasitology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1016/j.pt.2025.03.005},
pmid = {40148178},
issn = {1471-5007},
abstract = {The peritrophic matrix (PM) is a non-cellular, glycan-rich structure that lines the gut epithelium of most invertebrates, including arthropod vectors that transmit diseases of public health and veterinary concern. This semipermeable barrier, functionally analogous to the vertebrate mucosal layer, separates the gut lumen from epithelial cells and provides protection against invading pathogens and their toxins. Beyond its mechanical protective role in the gut, the PM plays a crucial part in arthropod innate immunity. Here, we summarize the most recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of vector-pathogen interactions in blood-feeding arthropods and discuss the significance of the PM in modulating vector competence. This knowledge could contribute to the development of novel strategies to control vector-borne infections.},
}

@article {pmid40147302,
year = {2025},
author = {Keneally, C and Chilton, D and Dornan, TN and Kidd, SP and Gaget, V and Toomes, A and Lassaline, C and Petrovski, R and Wood, L and Brookes, JD},
title = {Multi-omics reveal microbial succession and metabolomic adaptations to flood in a hypersaline coastal lagoon.},
journal = {Water research},
volume = {280},
number = {},
pages = {123511},
doi = {10.1016/j.watres.2025.123511},
pmid = {40147302},
issn = {1879-2448},
abstract = {Microorganisms drive essential biogeochemical processes in aquatic ecosystems and are sensitive to both salinity and hydrological changes. As climate change and anthropogenic activities alter hydrology and salinity worldwide, understanding microbial ecology and metabolism becomes increasingly important for managing aquatic ecosystems. Biogeochemical processes were investigated on sediment microbial communities during a significant flood event in the hypersaline Coorong lagoon, South Australia (the largest in the Murray-Darling Basin since 1956). Samples from six sites across a salinity gradient were collected before and during flooding in 2022. To assess changes in microbial taxonomy and metabolic function, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was employed alongside untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to assess changes in microbial taxonomy and metabolic function. Results showed a decrease in microbial richness and diversity during flooding, especially in hypersaline conditions. Pre-flood communities were enriched with osmolyte-degrading and methanogenic taxa, alongside osmoprotectant metabolites, such as glycine betaine and choline. Flood conditions favored taxa such as Halanaerobiaceae and Beggiatoaceae, inducing inferred metagenomic shifts indicative of sulfur cycling and nitrogen reduction pathways, while also enriching a greater diversity of metabolites including Gly-Phe dipeptides and guanine. This study demonstrates that integrating metabolomics with microbial community analysis enhances understanding of ecosystem responses to disturbance. These findings suggest microbial communities rapidly change in response to salinity reductions while maintaining key biogeochemical functions. Such insights are valuable for ecosystem management and predictive modelling under environmental stressors such as flooding.},
}

@article {pmid40146382,
year = {2025},
author = {Nain, D and Rana, A and Raychoudhury, R and Sen, R},
title = {Parasite-Induced Replacement of Host Microbiota: Impact of Xenos gadagkari Parasitization on the Microbiota of Polistes wattii.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {20},
pmid = {40146382},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {DST/INSPIRE/03/2021/000175, IF200146//Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India/ ; 1061830779//Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India/ ; CRG-2021/007010//Science and Engineering Research Board/ ; CRG-2021/007010//Science and Engineering Research Board/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Wasps/microbiology/physiology ; *Microbiota ; Female ; Male ; *RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; Seasons ; Bacteria/genetics/classification/isolation & purification ; },
abstract = {The study of microbiota of social insects under different ecological conditions can provide important insights into the role of microbes in their biology and behavior. Polistes is one of the most widely distributed and extensively studied genera of social wasps, yet a comprehensive study on the microbiota of any species of Polistes or any primitively eusocial wasp is missing. Polistes wattii is an Asian wasp, which hibernates in winter and exhibits a biannual nest founding strategy. It is often parasitized by the strepsipteran endoparasite/parasitoid Xenos gadagkari, which changes the morpho-physiology and behavior of their hosts. In this study, we employ 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, using the Oxford Nanopore platform, to study the microbial community of P. wattii and investigate the effects of seasonality, sex, and Xenos parasitism. We show that the microbiota differs in females from solitary foundress spring nests and multiple foundress summer nests. The microbiota also differs in males and females. Finally, we show that X. gadagkari parasitism replaces and homogenizes the microbiota of P. wattii. Unlike the unparasitized wasps, the microbiota of X. gadagkari parasitoids and parasitized wasps are dominated by Wolbachia and Providencia. Although the normal microbiota of P. wattii resembles that of highly eusocial vespid wasps, we show that the microbiota of parasitized P. wattii becomes more like the microbiota of strepsipterans. Therefore, it appears that X. gadagkari and other such strepsipteran parasitoids may have a bigger impact on the biology of their hosts than previously thought.},
}

Animals
*Wasps/microbiology/physiology
*Microbiota
Female
Male
*RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Host-Parasite Interactions
Seasons
Bacteria/genetics/classification/isolation & purification

@article {pmid40146077,
year = {2025},
author = {Savchenko, V and Yu, XA and Polz, MF and Böttcher, T},
title = {Chitinivorax: The New Kid on the Block of Bacterial 2-Alkyl-4(1H)-quinolone Producers.},
journal = {ACS chemical biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1021/acschembio.5c00046},
pmid = {40146077},
issn = {1554-8937},
abstract = {2-Alkyl-4(1H)-quinolones play a key role in bacterial communication, regulating biofilm formation, and virulence. Their antimicrobial properties also support bacterial survival and interspecies competition in microbial communities. In addition to the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa various species of Burkholderia and Pseudoalteromonas are known to produce 2-alkyl-4(1H)-quinolones. However, the evolutionary relationships of their biosynthetic gene clusters remain largely unexplored. To address this, we investigated the phylogeny of 2-alkyl-4(1H)-quinolone biosynthetic gene clusters, leading to the discovery of Chitinivorax as a fourth genus capable of producing 2-alkyl-4(1H)-quinolones, expanding our knowledge of the diversity of bacteria involved in quinolone-biosynthesis.},
}

@article {pmid40143451,
year = {2025},
author = {Jenkins, G and Boyd, ES and Danchin, A and Hervé, V},
title = {Microbiome Notes-Building a Library of Descriptive Microbial Ecology.},
journal = {Environmental microbiology reports},
volume = {17},
number = {2},
pages = {e70085},
doi = {10.1111/1758-2229.70085},
pmid = {40143451},
issn = {1758-2229},
}

@article {pmid40142506,
year = {2025},
author = {Govaert, M and Duysburgh, C and Kesler, B and Marzorati, M},
title = {Effects of NatureKnit™, a Blend of Fruit and Vegetable Fibers Rich in Naturally Occurring Bound Polyphenols, on the Metabolic Activity and Community Composition of the Human Gut Microbiome Using the M-SHIME[®] Gastrointestinal Model.},
journal = {Microorganisms},
volume = {13},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/microorganisms13030613},
pmid = {40142506},
issn = {2076-2607},
support = {Not applicable//VDF FutureCeuticals, Inc./ ; },
abstract = {This study evaluated the impact of a proprietary blend of fruit and vegetable fibers rich in naturally occurring bound polyphenols (commercially marketed as NatureKnit[TM]), compared to purified fibers (inulin and psyllium), on the human gut microbiome using the validated M-SHIME[®] gastrointestinal model. A short-term single-stage colonic M-SHIME[®] experiment (with fecal inoculum from three healthy human donors) was used to evaluate the test products compared to a negative control. Samples were assessed for pH, gas pressure, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, lactate, and ammonium from 0 h to 48 h. Microbial community composition was assessed at 0 h (negative control only), 24 h, and 48 h (lumen) or 48 h (mucosal). All test products were fermented well in the colon as demonstrated by decreases in pH and increases in gas pressure over time; these changes occurred faster with the purified fibers, whereas NatureKnit™ demonstrated slow, steady changes, potentially indicating a gentler fermentation process. SCFA production significantly increased over the course of the 48 h experiment with all test products versus negative control. SCFA production was significantly greater with NatureKnit™ versus the purified fibers. Shifts in the microbial community composition were observed with all test products versus negative control. At the conclusion of the 48 h experiment, the absolute bacterial abundance and the richness of observed bacterial taxa in the lumen compartment was significantly greater with NatureKnit™ compared with inulin, psyllium, and negative control. Overall, NatureKnit™ demonstrated greater or similar prebiotic effects on study measures compared with established prebiotic fibers.},
}

@article {pmid40142410,
year = {2025},
author = {Hassen, AI and Muema, EK and Diale, MO and Mpai, T and Bopape, FL},
title = {Non-Rhizobial Endophytes (NREs) of the Nodule Microbiome Have Synergistic Roles in Beneficial Tripartite Plant-Microbe Interactions.},
journal = {Microorganisms},
volume = {13},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/microorganisms13030518},
pmid = {40142410},
issn = {2076-2607},
support = {A-089//Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development/ ; },
abstract = {Microbial symbioses deal with the symbiotic interactions between a given microorganism and another host. The most widely known and investigated microbial symbiosis is the association between leguminous plants and nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. It is one of the best-studied plant-microbe interactions that occur in the soil rhizosphere and one of the oldest plant-microbe interactions extensively studied for the past several decades globally. Until recently, it used to be a common understanding among scientists in the field of rhizobia and microbial ecology that the root nodules of thousands of leguminous species only contain nitrogen-fixing symbiotic rhizobia. With the advancement of molecular microbiology and the coming into being of state-of-the-art biotechnology innovations, including next-generation sequencing, it has now been revealed that rhizobia living in the root nodules of legumes are not alone. Microbiome studies such as metagenomics of the root nodule microbial community showed that, in addition to symbiotic rhizobia, other bacteria referred to as non-rhizobial endophytes (NREs) exist in the nodules. This review provides an insight into the occurrence of non-rhizobial endophytes in the root nodules of several legume species and the beneficial roles of the tripartite interactions between the legumes, the rhizobia and the non-rhizobial endophytes (NREs).},
}

@article {pmid40141768,
year = {2025},
author = {Ghobashy, MOI and Al-Otaibi, AS and Alharbi, BM and Alshehri, D and Ghabban, H and Albalawi, DA and Alenzi, AM and Alatawy, M and Alatawi, FA and Algammal, AM and Mir, R and Mahrous, YM},
title = {Metagenomic Characterization of Microbiome Taxa Associated with Coral Reef Communities in North Area of Tabuk Region, Saudia Arabia.},
journal = {Life (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {15},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/life15030423},
pmid = {40141768},
issn = {2075-1729},
support = {Research no.0144-1444-S//Deanship of Research and Graduate Studies at University of Tabuk/ ; },
abstract = {The coral microbiome is highly related to the overall health and the survival and proliferation of coral reefs. The Red Sea's unique physiochemical characteristics, such a significant north-south temperature and salinity gradient, make it a very intriguing research system. However, the Red Sea is rather isolated, with a very diversified ecosystem rich in coral communities, and the makeup of the coral-associated microbiome remains little understood. Therefore, comprehending the makeup and dispersion of the endogenous microbiome associated with coral is crucial for understanding how the coral microbiome coexists and interacts, as well as its contribution to temperature tolerance and resistance against possible pathogens. Here, we investigate metagenomic sequencing targeting 16S rRNA using DNAs from the sediment samples to identify the coral microbiome and to understand the dynamics of microbial taxa and genes in the surface mucous layer (SML) microbiome of the coral communities in three distinct areas close to and far from coral communities in the Red Sea. These findings highlight the genomic array of the microbiome in three areas around and beneath the coral communities and revealed distinct bacterial communities in each group, where Pseudoalteromonas agarivorans (30%), Vibrio owensii (11%), and Pseudoalteromonas sp. Xi13 (10%) were the most predominant species in samples closer to coral (a coral-associated microbiome), with the domination of Pseudoalteromonas_agarivorans and Vibrio_owensii in Alshreah samples distant from coral, while Pseudoalteromonas_sp._Xi13 was more abundant in closer samples. Moreover, Proteobacteria such as Pseudoalteromonas, Pseudomonas and Cyanobacteria were the most prevalent phyla of the coral microbiome. Further, Saweehal showed the highest diversity far from corals (52.8%) and in Alshreah (7.35%) compared to Marwan (1.75%). The microbial community was less diversified in the samples from Alshreah Far (5.99%) and Marwan Far (1.75%), which had comparatively lower values for all indices. Also, Vibrio species were the most prevalent microorganisms in the coral mucus, and the prevalence of these bacteria is significantly higher than those found in the surrounding saltwater. These findings reveal that there is a notable difference in microbial diversity across the various settings and locales, revealing that geographic variables and coral closeness affect the diversity of microbial communities. There were significant differences in microbial community composition regarding the proximity to coral. In addition, there were strong positive correlations between genera Pseudoalteromonas and Vibrio in close-to-coral environments, suggesting that these bacteria may play a synergistic role in Immunizing coral, raising its tolerance towards environmental stress and overall coral health.},
}

@article {pmid40138093,
year = {2025},
author = {Demeulenaere, É},
title = {In search of the microbial path to Terroir: a place-based history of the ecologization of French cheese microbiology, 1990-2000s.},
journal = {History and philosophy of the life sciences},
volume = {47},
number = {2},
pages = {22},
pmid = {40138093},
issn = {1742-6316},
support = {EXORIGINS//Emergence(s) Ville de Paris/ ; },
mesh = {*Cheese/microbiology/history ; France ; History, 20th Century ; *Food Microbiology/history ; Milk/history/microbiology ; Animals ; },
abstract = {At the crossroads between food studies and science and technology studies, this paper analyzes the role of laboratories located within traditional cheese territories in the ecologization of cheese microbiology in France at the turn of the twentieth century. The paper argues that their connectedness with Protected Designation of Origin raw-milk cheese organizations advocating for a strong understanding of terroir played a key role in challenging the modern strain-by-strain approach and fostering a shift towards a new research object: microbial communities in their ecologies. Modernization and standardization in cheese production from the 1950s onwards laid indeed on the improvement of hygiene to get "cleaner" milks, and on lab research on microbial strains to develop selected starter cultures. This led to a dramatic loss of microbial abundance within raw milks, which progressively provoked milk processing issues, as well as a loss of cheese typicality, an issue for place-based cheeses. To face it, the modernist approach promoted more laboratorial research on microbial strains to develop new starter cultures and the diversification of microbial collections, within an ex-situ conservation framework. In contrast, microbiologists conducting applied research for raw-milk terroir cheeses investigated environmental microbial reservoirs, microbial fluxes, as well as farming practices that favor "natural seeding" and enrich milk native microflora. A new approach emerged, namely "practice-driven microbial ecology" (écologie microbienne dirigée), which enacts the dynamic and ubiquitous properties of microbial life. The paper offers a situated account on the "microbial (ecology) turn" described by other authors, highlighting the ecological approach developed in the 1990s-2000s by French microbiologists in search of "the microbial path to terroir".},
}

*Cheese/microbiology/history
France
History, 20th Century
*Food Microbiology/history
Milk/history/microbiology
Animals

@article {pmid40137691,
year = {2025},
author = {Maitre, A and Mateos-Hernandez, L and Kratou, M and Egri, N and Maye, J and Juan, M and Hodžić, A and Obregón, D and Abuin-Denis, L and Piloto-Sardinas, E and Fogaça, AC and Cabezas-Cruz, A},
title = {Effects of Live and Peptide-Based Antimicrobiota Vaccines on Ixodes ricinus Fitness, Microbiota, and Acquisition of Tick-Borne Pathogens.},
journal = {Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {14},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/pathogens14030206},
pmid = {40137691},
issn = {2076-0817},
mesh = {Animals ; *Ixodes/microbiology/immunology ; Mice ; *Microbiota/immunology/drug effects ; *Bacterial Vaccines/immunology/pharmacology ; Staphylococcus epidermidis/immunology/drug effects ; Rickettsia/immunology ; Tick-Borne Diseases/prevention & control/immunology/microbiology ; Female ; Vaccines, Subunit/immunology/administration & dosage ; Borrelia burgdorferi Group/immunology ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, Attenuated/immunology/administration & dosage ; },
abstract = {This study explored the effects of antimicrobiota vaccines on the acquisition of Borrelia and Rickettsia, and on the microbiota composition of Ixodes ricinus ticks. Using a murine model, we investigated the immunological responses to live Staphylococcus epidermidis and multi-antigenic peptide (MAP) vaccines. Immunized mice were infected with either Borrelia afzelii or Rickettsia helvetica, and subsequently infested with pathogen-free I. ricinus nymphs. We monitored the tick feeding behavior, survival rates, and infection levels. Additionally, we employed comprehensive microbiota analyses, including the alpha and beta diversity assessments and microbial co-occurrence network construction. Our results indicate that both live S. epidermidis and MAP vaccines elicited significant antibody responses in mice, with notable bactericidal effects against S. epidermidis. The vaccination altered the feeding patterns and fitness of the ticks, with the Live vaccine group showing a higher weight and faster feeding time. Microbiota analysis revealed significant shifts in the beta diversity between vaccine groups, with distinct microbial networks and taxa abundances observed. Notably, the MAP vaccine group exhibited a more robust and complex network structure, while the Live vaccine group demonstrated resilience to microbial perturbations. However, the effects of antimicrobiota vaccination on Borrelia acquisition appeared taxon-dependent, as inferred from our results and previous findings on microbiota-driven pathogen refractoriness. Staphylococcus-based vaccines altered the microbiota composition but had no effect on B. afzelii infection, and yielded inconclusive results for R. helvetica. In contrast, previous studies suggest that E. coli-based microbiota modulation can induce a pathogen-refractory state, highlighting the importance of both bacterial species and peptide selection in shaping microbiota-driven pathogen susceptibility. However, a direct comparison under identical experimental conditions across multiple taxa is required to confirm this taxon-specific effect. These findings suggest that antimicrobiota vaccination influences tick fitness and microbiota assembly, but its effects on pathogen transmission depend on the bacterial taxon targeted and the selected peptide epitopes. This research provides insights into the need for strategic bacterial taxon selection to enhance vaccine efficacy in controlling tick-borne diseases.},
}

Animals
*Ixodes/microbiology/immunology
Mice
*Microbiota/immunology/drug effects
*Bacterial Vaccines/immunology/pharmacology
Staphylococcus epidermidis/immunology/drug effects
Rickettsia/immunology
Tick-Borne Diseases/prevention & control/immunology/microbiology
Female
Vaccines, Subunit/immunology/administration & dosage
Borrelia burgdorferi Group/immunology
Vaccination
Vaccines, Attenuated/immunology/administration & dosage

@article {pmid40134242,
year = {2025},
author = {Trombley, J and Celenza, JL and Frey, SD and Anthony, MA},
title = {Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Boost Development of an Invasive Brassicaceae.},
journal = {Plant, cell & environment},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/pce.15508},
pmid = {40134242},
issn = {1365-3040},
support = {//This study was supported by the Dick George Invasives Fund awarded to S.D.F. and M.A.A. M.A.A. was supported by a Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF) Vienna Research Groups for Young Investigators grant awarded to MAA (VRG22-007)./ ; },
abstract = {Invasive plant growth is affected by interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF are mutualists of most land plants but suppress the growth of many plants within the Brassicaceae, a large plant family including many invasive species. Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) is a nonnative, nonmycorrhizal Brassicaceae distributed throughout North America in forest understories where native species rely on AMF. If AMF suppress growth of garlic mustard, it may be possible to inoculate AMF to manage invasions. Here, we show that in contrast to expectation, garlic mustard growth nearly doubled in response to AMF inoculation under both laboratory and field conditions. This effect was negatively linked to investments in glucosinolates, a class of defensive compounds. In contrast to typical symbiosis, AMF did not produce arbuscules where nutrient exchange occurs in roots, but AMF inoculation increased plant and soil nitrogen availability. Our findings reveal an adjacent pathway by which AMF promote invasive plant growth without classic symbiotic exchanges. Prior assumptions that garlic mustard suppresses AMF are inadequate to explain invasion success since it benefits from interactions with AMF. This study is the first to demonstrate extensive growth promotion following AMF inoculation in mustard plants, with important implications for invasion biology and agriculture.},
}

@article {pmid40131450,
year = {2025},
author = {Sun, L and Guan, W and Tai, X and Qi, W and Zhang, Y and Ma, Y and Sun, X and Lu, Y and Lin, D},
title = {Research Progress on Microbial Nitrogen Conservation Technology and Mechanism of Microorganisms in Aerobic Composting.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {19},
pmid = {40131450},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {32160756//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; GAUfx-04J03//Fuxi Foundation of Gansu Agricultural University/ ; 23CXNN0007//Gansu Province Science and Technology Plan Project Technology Innovation Guidance Program - LuGan Science and Technology Collaboration topic/ ; 2023-3-66//Science and Technology Plan Project of Lanzhou city/ ; GNKJ-2024-46//Research and Application of Supporting Technologies for Gansu Pig Industry/ ; GAU-XKTD-2022-24//The Discipline Team Project of Gansu Agricultural University/ ; },
mesh = {*Nitrogen/metabolism ; *Composting ; *Manure/microbiology ; *Soil Microbiology ; Livestock/microbiology ; Bacteria/metabolism/genetics/classification ; Aerobiosis ; Animals ; Soil/chemistry ; Microbiota/physiology ; },
abstract = {With economic development and improvements in living standards, the demand for livestock products has steadily increased, resulting in the generation of large amounts of livestock manure, which seriously pollutes the ecological environment and poses a threat to human health. High-temperature aerobic composting is an effective method for treating livestock manure; however, traditional composting processes often lead to considerable nitrogen loss, reduced efficiency of soil conditioners, and increased emissions of harmful gases. The incorporation of physical, chemical, and biological additives can effectively retain nitrogen within the compost. Among these, microbial agents are particularly noteworthy as they precisely regulate the microbial community structure associated with nitrogen transformation during aerobic composting, altering the abundance of functional genes and enzyme activities involved in nitrogen transformation. This approach significantly reduces nitrogen loss and harmful gas emissions. This paper reviews the application effects of microbial agents on nitrogen retention during aerobic composting and explores the underlying regulatory mechanisms, aiming to provide theoretical guidance and new research directions for the application of microbial agents in enhancing nitrogen retention during aerobic composting.},
}

*Nitrogen/metabolism
*Composting
*Manure/microbiology
*Soil Microbiology
Livestock/microbiology
Bacteria/metabolism/genetics/classification
Aerobiosis
Animals
Soil/chemistry
Microbiota/physiology