Review
Immunology
Andrew Gustin, Ross Cromarty, Luca Schifanella, Nichole R. Klatt
Summary: Women and girls play a crucial role in driving new HIV infections, with the vaginal microbiome composition affecting susceptibility to HIV. Low diversity with Lactobacillus crispatus dominance decreases HIV risk, while high diversity environments increase it. Altering the microbiome towards a Lactobacillus-dominated state is seen as a promising strategy to reduce HIV incidence rates.
SEMINARS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Surgery
Miseker Abate, Henry Walch, Kanika Arora, Chad M. Vanderbilt, Teng Fei, Harrison Drebin, Shoji Shimada, Anna Maio, Yelena Kemel, Zsofia K. Stadler, Joseph Schmeltz, Smita Sihag, Geoffrey Y. Ku, Ping Gu, Laura Tang, Santosha Vardhana, Michael F. Berger, Murray F. Brennan, Nikolaus D. Schultz, Vivian E. Strong
Summary: Distinct patterns of genomic alterations and variations in microbial profiles were found in gastric cancer patients of African, European, and Asian ancestry. These differences may contribute to disparities in oncologic outcomes, and precision medicine has the potential to mitigate these disparities.
Article
Ecology
Manolito G. Torralba, Claire Kuelbs, Kelvin Jens Moncera, Rhonda Roby, Karen E. Nelson
Summary: The study of microbial communities on artwork using molecular biology methods has immense potential in identifying potentially damaging species and addressing challenges in restoration and preservation efforts. Different types of artwork, such as paintings on wood, paintings on canvases, and stone sculptures, were found to have differing bacterial communities, with certain oxidase-positive genera potentially responsible for deterioration and fading. This genomics-based approach provides advantages in identifying harmful species that may not be detected using traditional methods and in overcoming challenges in preservation and restoration.
Article
Immunology
Rahel Nardos, Eric T. Leung, Erin M. Dahl, Sean Davin, Mark Asquith, W. Thomas Gregory, Lisa Karstens
Summary: This study reveals the overlap between urogenital microbiomes in the bladder and vagina, with higher overlap in cases. Differences in the central bacteria of the overall community structure were also identified.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Magali Rey-Campos, Raquel Rios-Castro, Cristian Gallardo-Escarate, Beatriz Novoa, Antonio Figueras
Summary: Metatranscriptomics is a useful approach for studying microbiomes, providing information on both microbial diversity and the host-microbiome relationship. Despite differences in microbiome composition among tissues and species, common taxa can be identified using both metatranscriptomic analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ray Keren, Raphael Meheust, Joanne M. Santini, Alex Thomas, Jacob West-Roberts, Jillian F. Banfield, Lisa Alvarez-Cohen
Summary: This study investigated the genetic control of arsenic metabolic capacities based on microbial genomes and found distinct metabolic guilds. The microbiomes of humans exposed to arsenic showed a specific arsenic gene signature, and arsenic methylation plays an important role in soil and human microbiomes.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Sahana Kuthyar, Aspen T. Reese
Summary: This hypothesis proposes that different interactions with animals play a role in shaping the human microbiome globally, impacting human health. Despite the known importance of human-animal interfaces on health disparities, more research is needed to fully understand this critical aspect of biology.
Review
Microbiology
Namrata Deka, Saqib Hassan, George Seghal Kiran, Joseph Selvin
Summary: The vaginal microbiome, led by Lactobacillus, is a complex and dynamic microecosystem. Bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal disorder, associated with dysbiosis of normal vaginal microbiota. Understanding the functional aspects of the vaginal microbiome may help improve diagnostics and treatment strategies.
JOURNAL OF BASIC MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael J. Tisza, Christopher B. Buck
Summary: Despite the challenges, this study reveals over 45,000 unique virus taxa sequences from thousands of datasets, with historically high per-genome completeness. By reanalyzing large publicly available case-control studies, over 2,200 strong virus-disease associations are found.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Orly Grobeisen-Duque, Carlos Daniel Mora-Vargas, Ma. Guadalupe Aguilera-Arreola, Addy Cecilia Helguera-Repetto
Summary: The genitourinary microbiome is crucial for women's reproductive health, contributing to implantation, protecting against complications, and defending against infections. This review provides insight into the relationship between a healthy microbiome and women's overall health across different developmental stages, including infertility. It also explores the inflammatory responses associated with a dysbiotic state and presents evidence for preventive measures.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shenghui Li, Ruochun Guo, Yue Zhang, Peng Li, Fang Chen, Xifan Wang, Jing Li, Zhuye Jie, Qingbo Lv, Hao Jin, Guangyang Wang, Qiulong Yan
Summary: This study analyzed the viral genomes in the human oral cavity and created the Oral Virus Database (OVD), which expands our knowledge of the phylogenetic diversity and host specificity of oral viruses. It also reveals differences in viral diversity and composition related to oral cavity habitats and host properties.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shenghui Li, Ruochun Guo, Yue Zhang, Peng Li, Fang Chen, Xifan Wang, Jing Li, Zhuye Jie, Qingbo Lv, Hao Jin, Guangyang Wang, Qiulong Yan
Summary: The human oral cavity is an important reservoir for many unexplored viruses that play a crucial role in maintaining oral health and microbial balance. By analyzing a large dataset of oral metagenomes, the study reveals a wide range of diversity and host specificity in oral viruses, as well as variations in viral composition among different oral habitats.
Article
Microbiology
Johanna B. Holm, Michael T. France, Pawel Gajer, Bing Ma, Rebecca M. Brotman, Michelle Shardell, Larry Forney, Jacques Ravel
Summary: Metagenomic community state types (mgCSTs) are a novel approach to describe and define vaginal microbiomes based on both composition and functional potential. They enable the investigation of multiple strains and functional diversity within the same species, and may lead to novel hypotheses and therapeutic strategies to improve women's genital health.
Article
Oncology
Tove Wikstrom, Sanna Abrahamsson, Johan Bengtsson-Palme, Joakim Ek, Pihla Kuusela, Elham Rekabdar, Peter Lindgren, Ulla-Britt Wennerholm, Bo Jacobsson, Lil Valentin, Henrik Hagberg
Summary: This study used a transcriptomic approach to investigate the differences in the active vaginal microbiome and human transcriptome at midgestation between women delivering spontaneously preterm and those delivering at term. The study found that primarily bacterial species of low occurrence were differentially expressed at midgestation in women who delivered preterm. However, specific human transcripts, such as KLK2, KLK3, and several isoforms of MT1s, were found to be expressed at higher levels in preterm cases, indicating their potential involvement in critical inflammatory pathways associated with spontaneous preterm delivery.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Antonella Marangoni, Luca Laghi, Sara Zagonari, Giulia Patuelli, Chenglin Zhu, Claudio Foschi, Sara Morselli, Maria Federica Pedna, Vittorio Sambri
Summary: The vaginal microbiota during pregnancy shifts towards a dominance of lactobacilli and a reduction in diversity, accompanied by changes in metabolites. IL-6 and IL-8 levels in the vagina are associated with leukocyte count and symptoms, but not with dysbiosis, while IL-8 concentration can predict the presence of vaginal Candida spp. Spontaneous abortion cases are linked to abnormal vaginal microbiome and elevated levels of specific metabolites in the vaginal environment.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
J. C. Borgogna, M. D. Shardell, E. K. Santori, T. M. Nelson, J. M. Rath, E. D. Glover, J. Ravel, P. E. Gravitt, C. J. Yeoman, R. M. Brotman
BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Joanna-Lynn C. Borgogna, Michelle D. Shardell, Savannah G. Grace, Elisa K. Santori, Benjamin Americus, Zhong Li, Alexander Ulanov, Larry Forney, Tiffanie M. Nelson, Rebecca M. Brotman, Jacques Ravel, Carl J. Yeoman
Summary: The study found a direct impact of common biogenic amines on vaginal Lactobacillus species, with increases in biogenic amines associated with the development of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and affecting the growth and lactic acid production of Lactobacillus species. Results suggest that biogenic amines play an important role in destabilizing vaginal Lactobacillus species and diminishing their protective role in the vaginal microenvironment.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Danko, Daniela Bezdan, Evan E. Afshin, Sofia Ahsanuddin, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Daniel J. Butler, Kern Rei Chng, Daisy Donnellan, Jochen Hecht, Katelyn Jackson, Katerina Kuchin, Mikhail Karasikov, Abigail Lyons, Lauren Mak, Dmitry Meleshko, Harun Mustafa, Beth Mutai, Russell Y. Neches, Amanda Ng, Olga Nikolayeva, Tatyana Nikolayeva, Eileen Png, Krista A. Ryon, Jorge L. Sanchez, Heba Shaaban, Maria A. Sierra, Dominique Thomas, Ben Young, Omar O. Abudayyeh, Josue Alicea, Malay Bhattacharyya, Ran Blekhman, Eduardo Castro-Nallar, Ana M. Canas, Aspassia D. Chatziefthimiou, Robert W. Crawford, Francesca De Filippis, Youping Deng, Christelle Desnues, Emmanuel Dias-Neto, Marius Dybwad, Eran Elhaik, Danilo Ercolini, Alina Frolova, Dennis Gankin, Jonathan S. Gootenberg, Alexandra B. Graf, David C. Green, Iman Hajirasouliha, Jaden J. A. Hastings, Mark Hernandez, Gregorio Iraola, Soojin Jang, Andre Kahles, Frank J. Kelly, Kaymisha Knights, Nikos C. Kyrpides, Pawel P. Labaj, Patrick K. H. Lee, Marcus H. Y. Leung, Per O. Ljungdahl, Gabriella Mason-Buck, Ken McGrath, Cem Meydan, Emmanuel F. Mongodin, Milton Ozorio Moraes, Niranjan Nagarajan, Marina Nieto-Caballero, Houtan Noushmehr, Manuela Oliveira, Stephan Ossowski, Olayinka O. Osuolale, Orhan Ozcan, David Paez-Espino, Nicolas Rascovan, Hugues Richard, Gunnar Ratsch, Lynn M. Schriml, Torsten Semmler, Osman U. Sezerman, Leming Shi, Tieliu Shi, Rania Siam, Le Huu Song, Haruo Suzuki, Denise Syndercombe Court, Scott W. Tighe, Xinzhao Tong, Klas Udekwu, Juan A. Ugalde, Brandon Valentine, Dimitar Vassilev, Elena M. Vayndorf, Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan, Jun Wu, Maria M. Zambrano, Jifeng Zhu, Sibo Zhu, Christopher E. Mason
Summary: This study establishes a global metagenomic atlas of urban microbial ecosystems, revealing a vast number of unknown microbial species and genetic elements, highlighting the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in cities, and indicating the influence of geographical and climatic characteristics on urban microbial composition.
Article
Immunology
Rodman Turpin, Susan Tuddenham, Xin He, Mark A. Klebanoff, Khalil G. Ghanem, Rebecca M. Brotman
Summary: The study found associations between bacterial vaginosis (BV), behaviors like vaginal douching, and incident pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in a large cohort of cisgender women. Further larger studies are needed to understand how BV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), behaviors, and host responses interactively affect PID risk.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joanna-Lynn C. Borgogna, Michael Anastario, Paula Firemoon, Elizabeth Rink, Adriann Ricker, Jacques Ravel, Rebecca M. Brotman, Carl J. Yeoman
Summary: The research found that a high proportion of American Indian women suffer from molecular-bacterial vaginosis, and psychosocial stressors such as historical loss and lifetime trauma are associated with the disease.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Sarah Elizabeth Brown, Xin He, Michelle D. Shardell, Jacques Ravel, Khalil G. Ghanem, Jonathan M. Zenilman, Rebecca M. Brotman
Summary: In this pilot study, cessation of douching was not found to have significant effects on the composition and structure of the vaginal microbiota. Additional interventions may be necessary to restore optimal vaginal microbiota among women who practice douching.
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Bing Ma, Sripriya Sundararajan, Gita Nadimpalli, Michael France, Elias McComb, Lindsay Rutt, Jose M. Lemme-Dumit, Elise Janofsky, Lisa S. Roskes, Pawel Gajer, Li Fu, Hongqiu Yang, Mike Humphrys, Luke J. Tallon, Lisa Sadzewicz, Marcela F. Pasetti, Jacques Ravel, Rose M. Viscardi
Summary: Despite advancements in neonatal intensive care, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Leaky gut, characterized by immature intestinal barrier and increased permeability, is the main cause of susceptibility to NEC. Early detection and intervention to prevent leaky gut in preterm neonates is crucial for reducing the risk of life-threatening complications. This study investigated the role of breastmilk feeding and intestinal microbiota in the maturation of the intestinal barrier. The results provide insights into potential preventive and therapeutic strategies for NEC and other adverse health conditions in preterm infants.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael T. France, Sarah E. Brown, Anne M. Rompalo, Rebecca M. Brotman, Jacques Ravel
Summary: While some mother-daughter pairs had similar vaginal microbiota, the degree of similarity did not exceed chance expectations. However, shared bacterial strains were found more often between individuals from different families, suggesting biogeographic patterns in vaginal bacteria. Further studies are needed to demonstrate vertical transmission of the vaginal microbiota.
Article
Microbiology
Esther Ndungo, Johanna B. Holm, Syze Gama, Andrea G. Buchwald, Sharon M. Tennant, Miriam K. Laufer, Marcela F. Pasetti, David A. Rasko
Summary: Shigella continues to be a major contributor to diarrheal illness and dysentery in children under 5 in low- and middle-income countries. This study explored the impact of Shigella infection on the developing gastrointestinal microbiome in infants and found temporal changes in the microbiota associated with the infection. These findings highlight the need for further research on the microbial communities associated with disease susceptibility and resolution.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Susan Tuddenham, Pawel Gajer, Anne E. Burke, Catherine Murphy, Sabra L. Klein, Christina A. Stennett, Barbara Wilgus, Jacques Ravel, Khalil G. Ghanem, Rebecca M. Brotman
Summary: This study compared the vaginal microbiota of women using combined oral contraceptives (COCs) with those not using contraceptives. The findings showed that COC users had more stable and Lactobacillus-dominated microbiota. The results have clinical implications for the timing and effectiveness of COC use.
Article
Immunology
Sarah E. Brown, Susan Tuddenham, Michelle D. Shardell, Mark A. Klebanoff, Khalil G. Ghanem, Rebecca M. Brotman
Summary: This study found an association between bacterial vaginosis (BV) and the duration of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infection, with BV patients having longer durations and lower rates of spontaneous clearance.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Joanna-Lynn C. Borgogna, Savannah G. Grace, Johanna B. Holm, Tadeo Aviles Zuniga, Herlin Kadriu, Xin He, Sarah R. McCoski, Jacques Ravel, Rebecca M. Brotman, Carl J. Yeoman
Summary: This study investigates the associations between condomless vaginal intercourse and lubricant use on the vaginal metabolome. The results show that both practices lead to higher concentrations of metabolites indicative of epithelial damage and antioxidants. Lubricant use is also associated with an increase in lipids related to cellular damage, antimicrobials, and a cooling agent.
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Johanna B. Holm, Kayla A. Carter, Jacques Ravel, Rebecca M. Brotman
Summary: This review summarizes the role of Lactobacillus iners in the vaginal microbiome, emphasizes the importance of considering strain-level characteristics, and explains how whole metagenome sequencing can aid in understanding this species in genital health. Recent findings suggest that L. iners exists in the vagina as a unique combination of strains, and further research is needed to explore its functional roles and impact on susceptibility to infections.
CURRENT INFECTIOUS DISEASE REPORTS
(2023)
Letter
Urology & Nephrology
Sarah E. Brown, Rebecca M. Brotman
JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE
(2023)