Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lisa Derosa, Laurence Zitvogel
Summary: A randomized phase 1 study demonstrated that patients with kidney cancer who took probiotic supplements of Clostridium butyricum showed an improved response to immunotherapy.
Review
Biology
Tyler J. Carrier, Manuel Maldonado, Lara Schmittmann, Lucia Pita, Thomas C. G. Bosch, Ute Hentschel
Summary: This article integrates embryology and microbiology to review the transmission of symbiotic microorganisms in marine sponges. The study finds that vertical transmission is common but not universal, and that transmission occurs during specific developmental stages. Additionally, the microbial abundance in sponges influences the properties of the developmental microbiome.
Article
Microbiology
Melina Garcia Guizzo, Lucas Tirloni, Sergio A. Gonzalez, Marisa D. Farber, Gloria Braz, Luis Fernando Parizi, Lucas Andre Dedavid e Silva, Itabajara da Silva Vaz Jr, Pedro L. Oliveira
Summary: Metagenomic studies have shown that bacteria and arthropods, including ticks, have widespread interactions, including symbiotic interactions. In this study, the absence of the mutualist endosymbiont CERM in R. microplus larvae led to changes in gene expression, specifically in genes involved in blood feeding capacity and extracellular matrix remodeling. These changes may explain the developmental blockage at the metanymph stage and reveal new physiological aspects of the symbiont-tick-vertebrate host interaction.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ara Jo, Jina Won, Chan Hee Gil, Su Keun Kim, Kang-Mu Lee, Sang Sun Yoon, Hyun Jik Kim
Summary: Our recent study reveals the mechanism in which human nasal commensal Staphylococcus epidermidis enhances antiviral immune response in the nasal mucosa. The bacterium promotes a balance of protease-protease inhibitor, preventing influenza virus replication in the nasal mucosa and lungs. This manipulation of cellular environment through Serpine1 induction by S. epidermidis disturbs the spread of the virus to the lungs.
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Johannes B. Herpell, Ajtena Alickovic, Bocar Diallo, Florian Schindler, Wolfram Weckwerth
Summary: Plant growth promoting bacteria, such as Paraburkholderia dioscoreae Msb3, can colonize the phyllosphere of tomato plants and promote plant growth by degrading ACC, a precursor of the plant hormone ethylene. The application of ACC deaminase-containing bacteria to the phyllosphere may be a promising strategy for increasing plant stress resistance, pathogen control, and harvest yields.
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Vasiliy Ivanovich Reshetnyak, Alexandr Igorevich Burmistrov, Igor Veniaminovich Maev
Summary: This review summarizes the role of Helicobacter pylori in gastrointestinal diseases, exploring both potential benefits and risks to human health. There is significant controversy in the current literature regarding the impact of H. pylori on human health.
WORLD JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lorena Mazuecos, Pilar Alberdi, Angelica Hernandez-Jarguin, Marinela Contreras, Margarita Villar, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz, Ladislav Simo, Almudena Gonzalez-Garcia, Sandra Diaz-Sanchez, Girish Neelakanta, Sarah I. Bonnet, Erol Fikrig, Jose de la Fuente
Summary: Tick microbiota can be manipulated to control tick-borne diseases by using genetically modified bacteria to compete with and mimic tick-borne pathogens. In this study, a genetically modified bacteria, Franken Sphingomonas, producing a major surface protein of the pathogen was shown to reduce infection in ticks and potentially decrease disease transmission risk.
Article
Ecology
B. L. D. Uthpala Pushpakumara, Kshitij Tandon, Anusuya Willis, Heroen Verbruggen
Summary: This study focuses on the bacterial communities associated with cultured strains of 5 Ostreobium clades using 16S rRNA sequencing. The research reveals the preferential associations between Ostreobium and 34 bacterial taxa, which are also present in their natural environment. The study also shows a significant congruence between the Ostreobium phylogeny and the community composition of its tightly associated microbiome.
Review
Ecology
Cristina Diez-Vives, Vasiliki Koutsouveli, Maria Conejero, Ana Riesgo
Summary: Sponges have a close relationship with microbes, where microbes play a significant role in their reproduction and development. Microbes are passed on to offspring through vertical transmission using various methods. The formation of sponge microbial communities is primarily influenced by a combination of vertical and horizontal transmission processes.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Jacob A. F. Westaway, Roger Huerlimann, Yoga Kandasamy, Catherine M. Miller, Robert Norton, David Watson, Sandra Infante-Vilamil, Donna Rudd
Summary: This study investigated the effects of probiotic treatment on the gut microbiome of preterm infants. The findings suggest that probiotic-supplemented late preterm infants have greater alpha diversity and differing taxonomic abundances compared to non-supplemented infants at discharge.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Francesca De Martini, Nicole L. Coots, Daniel E. Jasso-Selles, Jordyn Shevat, Alison Ravenscraft, Petr Stiblik, Jan Sobotnik, David Sillam-Dusses, Rudolf H. Scheffrahn, Tiago F. Carrijo, Gillian H. Gile
Summary: The eukaryotic microbiome of lower termites is stable and specific to the host due to the mutual symbiosis and direct inheritance of protists. However, the diversity and distribution of protist species do not strongly correlate with geographical or host genetic distances, except for specific species such as Holomastigotoides Ht3 and Holomastigotoides Ht1. These results highlight mechanisms by which termite-associated protist species can evolve independently of each other and their hosts.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Mario Fidanza, Pinaki Panigrahi, Tobias R. Kollmann
Summary: Probiotics are increasingly recognized for positively modulating human health, with ideal probiotics possessing numerous attributes. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum demonstrates ecological and metabolic flexibility, enabling it to thrive in various environments. This review highlights the genetic and functional characteristics of Lp as an ideal probiotic, and summarizes current knowledge on its potential applications as a prophylactic or therapeutic intervention.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Isabella J. McLoughlin, Eva M. Wright, John R. Tagg, Rohit Jain, John D. F. Hale
Summary: The skin, as the largest organ in the human body, plays a crucial role in our survival by supporting various functions. Dysbiosis in the microbial populations on the skin can lead to skin diseases, prompting research in medical dermatology and cosmetic industries on modulating the skin microbiome for better skin health.
PROBIOTICS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEINS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Chuanjiang Zhao, Ryutaro Kuraji, Changchang Ye, Li Gao, Allan Radaic, Pachiyappan Kamarajan, Yoshimasa Taketani, Yvonne L. Kapila
Summary: This study found that nisin treatment can alleviate the effects of periodontitis on brain microbiome composition, diversity, and community structure, as well as reduce the levels of periodontal pathogen DNA in the brain. It also significantly decreases the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the brain and reduces the deposition of amyloid-beta and Tau proteins.
JOURNAL OF NEUROINFLAMMATION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marjorie T. Buss, Pradeep Ramesh, Max Atticus English, Audrey Lee-Gosselin, Mikhail G. Shapiro
Summary: The use of a composite biomagnetic material with microscale magnetic particles and probiotic bacteria, along with an externally applied magnetic field, allows for better localization and retention of probiotic bacteria in the GI tract of mice. This technology enhances the ability of GI-targeted probiotics to accumulate at specific locations and stably colonize without the need for antibiotic treatment, providing external physical control to an important class of microbial theranostics.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ines Vazquez-Iglesias, Sam McGreig, Hollie Pufal, Rebekah Robinson, Gerard R. G. Clover, Adrian Fox, Neil Boonham, Ian P. Adams
Summary: This study investigated rose viruses in the UK, specifically focusing on samples collected at Heathrow Airport. Through various molecular techniques, a novel virus named rosa ilarvirus-1 (RIV-1) was identified in 10 out of 35 samples, belonging to group 2 of the Ilarvirus genus. The study highlights the potential of low-cost sequencing methods as a front-line diagnostic tool.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Segundo Fuentes, Adrian J. Gibbs, Ian P. Adams, Mohammad Hajizadeh, Jan Kreuze, Adrian Fox, Arnaud G. Blouin, Roger A. C. Jones
Summary: Potato virus V (PVV) originated in the Andes region and only a few isolates spread to other regions. PVV evolved rapidly and shares similar ecological characteristics with Potato virus Y (PVY). Through phylogenetic reconstruction and dating calculations, PVV is estimated to have appeared around 29 BCE and diversified after the potato late blight pandemic in 1853 CE.
Article
Agronomy
Aimee Fowkes, Ian P. Adams, Roger A. C. Jones, Adrian Fox, Sam McGreig, Neil Boonham
Summary: The study conducted genome sequencing analysis of Tomato black ring virus and beet ringspot virus, revealing frequent recombination events among the isolates. Sequencing historical isolates provided valuable data for understanding the evolutionary history of these viruses.
Review
Ecology
M. Florencia Camus, Bridie Alexander-Lawrie, Joel Sharbrough, Gregory D. D. Hurst
Summary: In this article, the authors discuss the diversity and peculiarities of cytoplasmic inherited genomes, as well as the broad evolutionary consequences of non-Mendelian inheritance. The origins of vertical transmission and uniparental inheritance are explored, and the vast diversity of cytoplasmic inheritance systems in Eukaryota is described. The evolution of genomic organisation and its interactions with the nuclear genome and population genetics dynamics are also discussed. The authors highlight the importance of understanding hereditary symbiosis in order to understand the evolution of eukaryotes.
Article
Ecology
Maria Ordovas-Montanes, Gail M. Preston, Georgia C. Drew, Charlotte Rafaluk-Mohr, Kayla C. King
Summary: The study found that host organisms experience a temporary delay in reproduction when exposed to pathogens, but their lifetime fecundity recovers to normal levels. There is genetic variation between host isolates in terms of offspring production and fitness costs. Additionally, maternal pathogen exposure has an impact on offspring population growth.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Anja Pecman, Ian Adams, Ion Gutierrez-Aguirre, Adrian Fox, Neil Boonham, Maja Ravnikar, Denis Kutnjak
Summary: Nanopore sequencing, as a novel high-throughput sequencing technology, shows similar performance to Illumina sequencing in the detection of plant viruses and viroids, while offering the advantages of faster and more affordable diagnostics.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Pol Nadal-Jimenez, Stefanos Siozios, Nigel Halliday, Miguel Camara, Gregory D. D. Hurst
Summary: This study describes a culturable bacterial symbiont, Symbiopectobacterium purcellii, with a predicted metabolism more complete than other symbionts and the synthesis of bioactive small molecules. LC-MS/MS analysis reveals a profoundly divergent AHL profile compared to other bacterial species.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Adrian Fox, Adrian J. Gibbs, Aimee R. Fowkes, Hollie Pufal, Sam McGreig, Roger A. C. Jones, Neil Boonham, Ian P. Adams
Summary: The Apiaceae family is an important group of herbaceous plants that includes crops, herbs, and weeds. This study analyzed 10 preserved historical or recent virus samples from apiaceous plants collected in the UK and Australia. The researchers obtained new genomic sequences and found distinct lineages within the apiaceous potyviruses. They also discovered new records of viruses in coriander, carrots, and parsley. These findings provide insights into the evolution and diversity of apiaceous plant viruses.
Article
Microbiology
Pol Nadal-Jimenez, Steven R. Parratt, Stefanos Siozios, Gregory D. D. Hurst
Summary: Vertically transmitted heritable microbial symbionts are important invertebrate biology and ecology. Arsenophonus provides a clear example of symbiotic transmission patterns, with some strains being obligate vertically transmitted symbionts and others having mixed modes of transmission. This research expands the understanding of genetic mechanisms in bacterial-insect interactions and broadens the range of host species infected with nasoniae/apicola clade strains.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jordan E. Jones, Gregory D. D. Hurst
Summary: The presence of defensive microbial symbionts within insects can affect the outcome of natural enemy attacks. The thermal environment is known to influence symbiont-mediated traits in insects. This study examined the effect of temperature on Spiroplasma-mediated protection against Leptopilina boulardi in Drosophila melanogaster and found that the developmental temperature of the mothers plays a stronger role in determining the protective influence of Spiroplasma than the temperature during or after wasp attack.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Helen Rebecca Davison, Gregory D. D. Hurst, Stefanos Siozios
Summary: We explore the diversity of the genus 'Candidatus Megaira' using Sequence Read Archive and metagenomic assemblies. We identify four 'Ca. Megaira' genomes, including one complete scaffold, and an additional 14 draft genomes from uncategorized environmental metagenome-assembled genomes. Our findings reveal the underestimation of the diversity of 'Ca. Megaira' and suggest a potential for defensive symbiosis in this genus.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Helen R. Davison, Jessica Crozier, Stacy Pirro, Helge Kampen, Doreen Werner, Gregory D. D. Hurst
Summary: Symbiotic bacteria in Anopheles mosquitoes can alter host biology and the transmission of diseases. A study identified a symbiont called 'Ca. Tisiphia' in Anopheles plumbeus and investigated its genome and metabolic competence. This research provides valuable insights into the symbiotic relationships in Anopheles mosquitoes and their impact on host biology and disease transmission.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Pol Nadal-Jimenez, Crystal L. Frost, Ana Claudia Norte, Jorge Garrido-Bautista, Timothy E. Wilkes, Rowan Connell, Annabel Rice, Indrikis Krams, Tapio Eeva, Philippe Christe, Gregorio Moreno-Rueda, Gregory D. D. Hurst
Summary: This paper examines the distribution of a parasitic bacterium in the population of a wasp host in Europe. The study finds that this bacterium is widely present in bee populations in Germany, the UK, Finland, Switzerland, and Portugal, but with varying frequencies. A new screening method using ethanol-preserved fly pupae is effective in detecting both wasp and bacterium infection. Future research should investigate the causes of frequency variation.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Ma. Francesca M. Santiago, Kayla C. King, Georgia C. Drew
Summary: Agricultural crops infected with vector-borne pathogens can have varied fitness outcomes for vector hosts, but overall phytopathogens have a neutral effect on their host's fitness. Various transmission strategies and direct or indirect effects of phytopathogens do not result in divergent fitness outcomes for the vector. Our findings highlight the importance of pathosystem-specific approaches for vector control.
Article
Plant Sciences
Adrian Fox, Aimee Fowkes, Ines Vazquez-Iglesias, Christine Conyers, Ben Barrett, Sam McGreig, Ian P. Adams
Summary: This study identified and analyzed Hogweed virus 4 (HV4). High throughput sequencing revealed that HV4 belongs to the genus Chordovirus and has the closest resemblance to Carrot chordovirus 1. According to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, HV4 is a distinct species and the third chordovirus that infects plants of the Apiaceae.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2022)
