Today’s Digest is brief, but not without highlights. Brazilian and MIT scientists created artificial antimicrobial peptides using computer algorithms, ecologists model intransitive competition, and we urgently need to tackle flesh-eating bacteria. In addition, do check out several new issues’ table of contents now, if you have access.

General microbiology

** In silico optimization of a guava antimicrobial peptide enables combinatorial exploration for peptide design – William F. Porto et al. – Nature Communications

Press: Artificial antimicrobial peptides could help overcome drug-resistant bacteria – Anne Trafton – MIT News

Memories Are Made of This: Bacteria Remember Who Their Enemies Are with CRISPRs – Marcia Stone – BioScience

Human gut microbiome

Review: Drug‐induced enterocolitis: Prevention and management in primary care – Ignazio Grattagliano et al. – Journal of Digestive Diseases

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology – Issue Information – TOC

Animal experiments

Gnotobiotic and Conventional Mouse Systems to Support Microbiota Based Studies – Richard Lavin et al. – Current Protocols in Immunology

Food Microbiology

Journal of Food Science – Issue Information – TOC

Plant, root and soil microbiome

Commentary: Taking the step: from Evo‐Devo to plant–microbe interaction evolution with the liverwort Marchantia – Mélanie Rich and Pierre‐Marc Delaux – New Phytologist

** Intransitive competition is common across five major taxonomic groups and is driven by productivity, competitive rank and functional traits – Santiago Soliveres et al. – Journal of Ecology

Preprint: Phylogenomics reveals dynamic evolution of fungal nitric oxide reductases and their relationship to secondary metabolism – Steven A Higgins et al. – bioRxiv

Phages and viruses

Preprint: Biology and taxonomy of crAss-like bacteriophages, the most abundant virus in the human gut – Emma Guerin et al. – bioRxiv

Preprint: Modelling phage-bacteria interactions driving predation and horizontal gene transfer – Jorge Moura de Sousa et al. – bioRxiv

Microbes in the news

Could Microbiota Predict Response to Anti-TNF Agents in Spondyloarthritis? – Kelly Davio – The Center for Biosimilars

You cannot escape poop bacteria – Sara Chodosh – Popular Science

Scientists Want to Replace Pesticides With Bacteria – Elizabeth G Dunn – Bloomberg Businessweek

Spikes of graphene can kill bacteria on implants – Science Daily

** Flesh-eating bacteria cases on the rise and we need an urgent response – Daniel O’Brien – The Conversation

Bacteria and feces found in fake cosmetics similar to popular makeup brands – Miriam Hernandez – ABC13

BESSY II sheds light on how the internal compass is constructed in magnetotactic bacteria – Science Daily

Connection Between Gut Bacteria And Autoimmunity Strengthens – Julianna LeMieux – American Council on Science and Health

In pictures: The bacteria living on your hands right now – Gaya Chandramohan – Channel NewsAsia