A short digest today, but not without interesting pieces. Largest study yet to demonstrate vertical transfer of bacteria from mother to infant, microbes could orchestrate plant ‘migration’, and many fascinating pieces of news on microbes. How may we make peace with microbes in and around us?
General microbiology
Using Resurrected Ancestral Proviral Proteins to Engineer Virus Resistance – Asunción Delgado et al. – Cell Reports
Press: Four-billion-year-old ‘fossil’ protein resurrected in bacteria protects them from viruses – Phys.org
Infant Gut Microbiome
Association Between Breast Milk Bacterial Communities and Establishment and Development of the Infant Gut Microbiome – Pia S. Pannaraj et al. – JAMA Pediatrics
Press: Breastfeeding plays important role in ‘seeding’ infant microbiome with beneficial bacteria – Leigh Hopper – UCLA
Plant, root and soil microbiome
Microbial communities and diazotrophic activity differ in the root-zone of Alamo and Dacotah switchgrass feedstocks – Richard R. Rodrigues et al. – Global Change Biology Bioenergy
Divergent plant–soil feedbacks could alter future elevation ranges and ecosystem dynamics – Michael E. Van Nuland et al. – Nature Ecology and Evolution
Press: Microscopic soil creatures could orchestrate massive tree ‘migrations’ – University of Tennessee at Knoxville – Science Daily
Microbes in the news
Global warming is altering the microbiota of lizards – Brooks Hays – UPI
TOO much exercise causes a leaky gut and increases health risks, research shows (and be especially careful if you work in the military) – Claudia Tanner – Daily Mail
Be wary of the title: Bacteria in Yogurt Cures Depression, Study Shows – Lorie Johnson – CBN News
Anecdotal evidence: Faecal transplants boost mind-gut link – Sarah Wiedersehn – Yahoo News
Bacteria appears to be behind mysterious outbreak in Liberia – Mike Stobbe – ABC News
Scientists Battle Bacteria with Silver and Mucus – Shawn Radcliffe – Healthline News
Verify: Will I contract flesh-eating bacteria at the beach in Texas? – Brandon Jones – KVUE
BACTERIA could mean the end of the pothole: Radical self repairing road can ‘grow’ into cracks – Cecile Borkhataria – Daily Mail
I Survived Flesh-Eating Bacteria—and It Changed My Life Forever – Aimee Copeland – Time
Microbes on the market
Oral enzyme prevents C. difficile infection, VRE colonization – Healio Gastroenterology
Microbiome Digest - Bik's Picks 