Metagenomics of Necrotizing Enterocolitis, sinus irrigation, variation in mice in German facilities, and bacteria vs phage.

Pregnancy and birth

The maternal microbiota drives early postnatal innate immune development – Mercedes Gomez de Agüero – Science

Metagenomic Sequencing with Strain-Level Resolution Implicates Uropathogenic E. coli in Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Mortality in Preterm Infants – Doyle V. Ward – Cell Reports

Human respiratory microbiome

Evaluation of bacterial transmission to the paranasal sinuses through sinus irrigation – Leah J. Hauser – International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology

Human gut microbiome

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Children: A Brief Review – Suchitra K Hourigan – Pediatric Research

Forum: Oscillospira: a Central, Enigmatic Component of the Human Gut Microbiota – Tom Konikoff – Trends in Microbiology

Commentary: Recognizing that the microbiome is part of the human immune system will advance treatment of both cancer and infections – Richard L. Gallo – Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Review: Low calorie sweeteners and gut microbiota – Kristian Daly – Physiology & Behavior

Animal models

Analysis of factors contributing to variation in the C57BL/6J fecal microbiota across German animal facilities – Philipp Rausch – International Journal of Medical Microbiology

Plant, soil, and root microbiome

Plant versus microbial controls on soil aggregate stability in a seasonally dry ecosystem – Joseph C. Blankinship – Geoderma

Soil microbial communities following bush removal in a Namibian savanna – Jeffrey S. Buyer – Soil

Monitoring benthic microflora in river bed sediments: a case study in the Anllóns River (Spain) – Diego Martiñá Prieto – Journal of Soils and Sediments

Biodiversity gradients in obligate symbiotic organisms: exploring the diversity and traits of lichen propagules across the United States – Erin A. Tripp – Journal of Biogeography

Viruses and phages

Classic Spotlight: Bacteria versus Phage—the Battle Rages! – Tina M. Henkin – Journal of Bacteriology

Techniques

Review: Confocal Microscopy Imaging of the Biofilm Matrix – Sebastian Schlafer – Journal of Microbiological Methods

Metabolomics

Optimization of Metabolomics of defined in vitro gut microbial ecosystems – Dirk K. Wissenbach – International Journal of Medical Microbiology

Review: Challenges of metabolomics in human gut microbiota research – Kirill S. Smirnov – International Journal of Medical Microbiology

Microbes in the News

Subset of E. coli bacteria linked to deadly disease in pre-term infants – Medical Xpress

Our gut microbiome is always changing; it’s also remarkably stable – Science Codex

Meeting report: Microbes in the City: Mapping the Urban Genome – New York Academy of Sciences

Viral Infections May Affect Cystic Fibrosis Patients’ Respiratory Microbiome, Study Says – Daniela Semedo – Lung Disease News

Diverse diets enrich gut microbes – Catharine Paddock – Medical News Today

Mother’s Microbiome Shapes Offspring’s Immunity – The maternal gut microbiome guides neo- and postnatal immune system development, a mouse study shows – Anna Azvolinsky – The Scientist

How bacteria get their magnetic compass – Robert Sanders – Berkeley News

Science, publishing, and career

Blogging for beginners – Andrew David Thaler – Science

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