Environmental ecology review presents how microbial life strategy concepts are applied in complex microbial communities.   Two interesting model systems are described in the techniques section, plus potentially scalable workflow for the preparation of high potency Akkermansia muciniphila cells for therapeutic interventions.  The importance of understanding the role of the microbiome in preventing complications after organ transplant and surgeries are discussed in two reviews.   Another study shows that proton pump inhibitors used to prevent gastric ulcers were associated with distinct gut microbiota signatures.  For faster wound healing, try some saliva. A study shows the beneficial effects of saliva on wound healing in human epidermal keratinocytes and on the attenuation of intracellular Staph. aureus infection.

Pregnancy and early life

Assessment of the synbiotic properties of human milk oligosaccharides and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis in vitro and in humanised mice – S Musilova- Beneficial Microbes

Multi-site human microbiome

Review: Infection in Organ Transplantation – Jay A. Fishman – American Journal of Transplantation

Review: The gut microbiome and the mechanism of surgical infection – J.C. Alverdy – The British Journal of Surgery

Human Oral Microbiome

Salivary mucins promote the coexistence of competing oral bacterial species – Erica Shapiro Frenke- The ISME Journal

Human skin microbiome

Saliva induces expression of antimicrobial peptides and promotes intracellular killing of bacteria in keratinocytes by epidermal growth factor receptor transactivation – T. Mohanty – British Journal of Dermatology

Human gut microbiome

The influence of proton pump inhibitors and other commonly used medication on the gut microbiota – Floris Imhann – Gut Microbes

Animal experiments

Review: Understanding host-microbial interactions in rumen: searching the best opportunity for microbiota manipulation – Nilusha Malmuthuge  – Journal of Animal Science and Technology

Plant, root, and soil microbiome

Review: Revisiting life strategy concepts in environmental microbial ecology – Adrian Ho- FEMS Microbiology Ecology

Diclofop-methyl affects microbial rhizosphere community and induces systemic acquired resistance in rice – Si Chen – Journal of Environmental Sciences

Food microbiology

Review: Human pathogens in plant biofilms: Formation, physiology, and detection – Eduardo Ximenes – Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Genome-wide association of functional traits linked with Campylobacter jejuni survival from farm to fork -Koji Yahara – Environmental Microbiology

Digestive fate of dietary carrageenan: Evidence of interference with digestive proteolysis and disruption of gut epithelial function – Lulu Fahoum – Molecular Nutrition Food Research

Bioinformatics

It’s a big data problem: researchers from the University of California, San Diego and the J.C. Venter Institute used machine learning to teach a computer to learn to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy gut microbiomes. The new approach shows promise for predicting related health issues and providing guidance for therapy development. More from the press

Techniques

Preparation and preservation of viable Akkermansia muciniphila cells for therapeutic interventions – JP Ouwerkerk  -Beneficial Microbes

Evaluation of colonization resistance in stool of human donors using ex vivo, in vitro and in vivo assays – MF Galvão  – Beneficial Microbes

Improving metabolite production in microbial co-cultures using a spatially constrained hydrogel – Matthew J. Smith – Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Microbes in the news

CRISPR research institute expands into agriculture, microbiology

Dog obesity, a growing problem, may be managed through diet and exercise and- microbiology

Every surfer knows you should stay out of the water for 72 hours after it rains. Public health officials issued an advisory for all Los Angeles County beaches, cautioning swimmers and surfers to stay away from areas near storm drains, creeks and rivers. But when the waves show – some surfers just can’t help themselves.