January 7, 2018

Today’s digest is brief but full of fun and exciting news about microbes, including self-portraits of microbes on your skin and how AI (artificial intellegence) is used to identify bacteria.

Gut Microbiome

REVIEW: Gut as a target for cadmium toxicity. Tinkov, AA. Environmental Pollution

Plant, Soil, and Water Microbiome

Effects of short-term fallow managements on soil microbial properties: A case study in China. Li, G. Applied Soil Ecology

Animal Experiments and Microbiome

Environmental concentrations of antibiotics impair zebrafish gut health. Zhou, L. Environmental Pollution

Polystyrene microplastics induce microbiota dysbiosis and inflammation in the gut of adult zebrafish. Jin, Y. Environmental Pollution

Food Microbiome

REVIEW: Seafood spoilage microbiota and associated volatile organic compounds at different storage temperatures and packaging. Odeyemi, OA. International Journal of Food Microbiology.

Microbes in the NEWS

The Swab Test: Amount Of Bacteria On Touchscreens May Surprise You

-CBS Philly

Artificial intelligence used to identify bacteria

-Digital Journal

Physicists Solve the Biodiversity Arms-Race Paradox: “Kill the Winner”

-Inverse

A Self-Portrait of the Microbes that Live on our Skin

-Labiotech.eu (blog)

Microbiology Jobs

Part-Time Lab Technician II, Biology/Microbiology

-Inside Higher Ed Careers

January 5, 2018

Today’s digest has an interesting commentary on the oral-gut connection and a brilliant piece on microbial diversity. Lastly, a look at how grapevines influence belowground diversity and networks

General Microbiome

A role for the endometrial microbiome in dysfunctional menstrual bleeding. Pelzer ES. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek.

Performance and microbial community variations of anaerobic digesters under increasing tetracycline concentrations. Xiong Y. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

In Nature, There Is Only Diversity. McLaren MR. MBio.

Gut Microbiome

Commentary: Oral-gut connection: one step closer to an integrated view of the gastrointestinal tract? Lira-Junior R. Mucosal Immunology

Bile acids at the cross-roads of gut microbiome-host cardiometabolic interactions. Ryan PM. Diabeticology and Metabolic Syndrome

REVIEW: Diet, Microbiota, and Metabolic Health: Trade-Off Between Saccharolytic and Proteolytic Fermentation. Korpela K. Annual of Food Science and Technology

Nasal and Lung Microbiome

REVIEW: Fungi in Bronchiectasis: A Concise Review. Máiz L. Internatioanal Journal of Molecular Sciences

Alterations in the mucosa-associated fungal microbiota in patients with ulcerative colitis. Qiu X. Oncotarget

The association between anterior nares and nasopharyngeal microbiota in infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis. Luna PN. Microbiome

Fecal Microbiome

Editorial Comment: Fecal microbiota transplantation as a possible treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Juncadella AC. Annals of Translational Medicine

Plant, Soil, and Water Microbiome

Co-variation between Distribution of Microbial Communities and Biological Metabolization of Organics in Urban Sewer Systems. Jin P. Environmental Science and Technology.

Do invasive plants structure microbial communities to accelerate decomposition in intermountain grasslands? McTee MR. Ecology and Evolution

Grapevine rootstocks shape underground bacterial microbiome and networking but not potential functionality. Marasco R. Microbiome

Biodiversity of the microbial mat of the Garga hot spring. Rozanov AS. BMC Evolutionary Biology

Animal Experiments and Microbiome

Microbiota Reconstitution Does Not Cause Bone Loss in Germ-Free Mice. Quach D. mSphere

Physiological Translocation of Lactic Acid Bacteria during Pregnancy Contributes to the Composition of the Milk Microbiota in Mice. de Andrés J. Nutrients

Extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet light in the fungal pathogen causing white-nose syndrome of bats. Palmer JM. Nature Communication

OCCURRENCE OF PASTEURELLACEAE BACTERIA IN THE ORAL CAVITY OF SELECTED MARSUPIAL SPECIES. Hansen MJ. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine

Marine Microbiome

Agelas Wasting Syndrome Alters Prokaryotic Symbiont Communities of the Caribbean Brown Tube Sponge, Agelas tubulata.Deignan LK. Microbial Ecology

Environmental drivers of heterogeneity in the trophic-functional structure of protozoan communities during an annual cycle in a coastal ecosystem. Xu G. Marine Pollution Bulletin

Antibiotic Resitance

Editorial: Empiric antibiotic use in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: should we avoid anaerobe coverage? Shono Y. Blood Advances

Characterization of genetic determinants involved in antibiotic resistance in Aeromonas spp. and fecal coliforms isolated from different aquatic environments. Carnelli A. Research in Microbiology

 

 

January 4, 2017

Implication of dysbiosis in arthritis in rats, studying soil crust biology and chemistry using metabolomics, a news article on exercise and the microbiome.

Human gut microbiome

Comprehensive analysis of polyamine transport and biosynthesis in the dominant human gut bacteria: Potential presence of novel polyamine metabolism and transport genes – Yuta Sugiyama – The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology

Animal experiments

Effects of HLA-B27 on Gut Microbiota in Experimental Spondyloarthritis Implicate an Ecological Model of Dysbiosis – Tejpal Gill – Arthritis & Rheumatology

Plant, root, and soil microbiome

Linking soil biology and chemistry in biological soil crust using isolate exometabolomics – Tami L Swenson – Nature Communications

Cooperative interactions between seed-borne bacterial and air-borne fungal pathogens on rice – Boknam Jung – Nature Communications

Synergistic action of rhizospheric fungi with Megathyrsus maximus root speeds up hydrocarbon degradation kinetics in oil polluted soil – Michael Dare Asemoloye – Chemosphere

Pre-print: Crop diversity increases disease suppressive capacity of soil microbiomes – Ariane L Peralta – bioRxiv

Microbes in the news

Exercise Alters Our Microbiome. Is That One Reason It’s So Good for Us? – Gretchen Reynolds – The New York Times

Bifidobacterium or fiber protect against deterioration of the inner colonic mucus layer – ScienceDaily

Scientists use sound to track tiny organisms in the body – Angela Chen – The Verge

Bacteria and Cancer: Another Connection – Derek Lowe – Science Translational Medicine

January 3, 2018

Today we have a nice event /training in social science techniques organized by NERC in Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh (UK), few microbiology jobs, an interesting review from Arun T. Nair in “Gut Microbiome”, quite a few papers about Synechococcus in “Water and extremophile microbiome”. Check as well “Microbes on market” where you can read about Google and Microsoft investing in medicine startup DNAnexus.

Events

Social science techniques for natural scientists training funded by NERC, UK

Jobs

Microbiologist – Kent, UK

Scientist/Sr.Scientist – Strain Development, CJM Talent Solutions, San Francisco, US

Associate/Assistant Professor : Miami, Florida, FL, US

General microbiome

Comparison of genomes and proteomes of four whole genome-sequenced Campylobacter jejuni from different phylogenetic backgrounds – Clifford G. Clark – PLOS

Phylogenetic inference of Coxiella burnetii by 16S rRNA gene sequencing – Heather P. McLaughlin -PLOS

The photosynthetic bacteria Rhodobacter capsulatus and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 as new hosts for cyclic plant triterpene biosynthesis – Anita Loeschcke -PLOS

Pregnancy and early life

Effect of innate antiviral glycoproteins in breast milk on seroconversion to rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix) in children in Lusaka, Zambia – Katayi Mwila-Kazimbaya – PLOS

Oral microbiome

Frequency and levels of candidate endodontic pathogens in acute apical abscesses as compared to asymptomatic apical periodontitis – Isabela N. Rôças – PLOS

Human vaginal microbiome

Combined oral and topical antimicrobial therapy for male partners of women with bacterial vaginosis: Acceptability, tolerability and impact on the genital microbiota of couples – A pilot study – Erica L. Plummer – PLOS

Candida albicans-derived mannoproteins activate NF-κB in reporter cells expressing TLR4, MD2 and CD14 – Traci Ness – PLOS

Replication-dependent size reduction precedes differentiation in Chlamydia trachomatis – Jennifer K. Lee – Nature Communications

Human gut microbiome

T6SS: The bacterial “fight club” in the host gut – Thibault G. Sana – PLOS Pathogens

Review: Gut Microbiota Dysfunction as Reliable Non-invasive Early Diagnostic Biomarkers in the Pathophysiology of Parkinson’s Disease: A Critical Review – Arun T Nair – Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility

Animal experiments

Effect of dietary xylooligosaccharides on intestinal characteristics, gut microbiota, cecal short-chain fatty acids, and plasma immune parameters of laying hens – X M Ding – Poultry Science

Influence of a diet enriched with virgin olive oil or butter on mouse gut microbiota and its correlation to physiological and biochemical parameters related to metabolic syndrome – Isabel Prieto – PLOS

Modulation of the diet and gastrointestinal microbiota normalizes systemic inflammation and β-cell chemokine expression associated with autoimmune diabetes susceptibility – Angela M. Henschel – PLOS

Dietary Lactobacillus acidophilus positively influences growth performance, gut morphology, and gut microbiology in rurally reared chickens  – C Forte – Poultry Science

Animal microbiome

Oral Disease and Microbiota in Free-Roaming Cats – Ana Whyte – Topics in Companion Animal Medicine

Review: Effect of Enterococcus Faecium Strain SF68 on Gastrointestinal Signs and Fecal Microbiome in Cats Administered Amoxicillin-Clavulanate – C. Torres-Henderson – Topics in Companion Animal Medicine

Water and extremophile microbiome

Clade and strain specific contributions of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus to carbon export in the Sargasso Sea – Francesca De Martini – Limnology and Oceanography

Microbial proteins for organic material degradation in the deep ocean – David L. Kirchman – PNAS

Photosynthetic functions of Synechococcus in the ocean microbiomes of diverse salinity and seasons – Yihwan Kim – PLOS

Potential impact of global climate change on benthic deep-sea microbes – Roberto Danovaro – FEMS Microbiology Letters

Variability in the production of organic ligands, by Synechococcus PCC 7002, under different iron scenarios – Guillermo Samperio-Ramos – Journal of Oceanography

Effect of light on N2 fixation and net nitrogen release of Trichodesmium in a field study – Yangyang Lu – Biogeosciences

Microbial diversity of saline environments: searching for cytotoxic activities – Carolina Díaz-Cárdenas – AMB Express

Aerobic proteobacterial methylotrophs in Movile Cave: genomic and metagenomic analyses – Deepak Kumaresan – BMC Microbiome

Probiotics / prebiotics

Bifidobacteria or Fiber Protects against Diet-Induced Microbiota-Mediated Colonic Mucus Deterioration – Bjoern O. Schroeder – Cell Host and Microbe

Modifying progression of aging and reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases by probiotics and synbiotics – Huey Shi Lye – Frontiers In Bioscience

Phages and viruses

Isolation and characterization of a N4-like lytic bacteriophage infecting Vibrio splendidus, a pathogen of fish and bivalves – Pantelis Katharios – PLOS

High human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence in South African adolescents and young women encourages expanded HPV vaccination campaigns – Zizipho Z. A. Mbulawa – PLOS

Zika virus infection modulates the bacterial diversity associated with Aedes aegypti as revealed by metagenomic analysis – Luis E. M. Villegas – PLOS

Localized Recombination Drives Diversification of Killing Spectra for Phage Derived Syringacins – David Baltrus – bioRxiv

Bioinformatics

Assessment of the cPAS-based BGISEQ-500 platform for metagenomic sequencing – Chao Fang – Giga Science

 

Techniques

Imaging bacteria inside their host by cryo-focused ion beam milling and electron cryotomography – João M Medeiros – Current Opinion in Microbiology

Microbes in the news

Tech company’s lights being used to kill germs in ambulances

Astronauts Identify Mystery Microbes in Space for the 1st Time

Microbes on the market

Seres Therapeutics Inc (MCRB) Holdings Increased by State Street Corp

Microsoft, Google invest in precision medicine startup DNAnexus

Tina’s non-microbiology picks

Synthetic Biology in the Driving Seat of the Bioeconomy – Yensi Flores Bueso – Trends in Biotechnology

Expect exoplanet atmospheres, organs with new functions and fewer traffic jams in 2018

January 2, 2018

Happy New Year from the Microbiome Digest team!

General microbiome

Pre-print: Understanding How Microbiomes Influence The Systems They Inhabit: moving from a correlative to a causal research framework – E K Hall – bioRxiv

Human vaginal microbiome

A retrospective pilot study to determine whether the reproductive tract microbiota differs between women with a history of infertility and fertile women – Bryan A Wee – Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Human gut microbiome

Rates of Gut Microbiome Divergence in Mammals – Alex H Nishida – Molecular Ecology

Animal microbiome

Processes shaping gut microbiota diversity in allopatric populations of the endemic lizard Podarcis lilfordi from Menorcan islets (Balearic Islands) – Laura Baldo – FEMS Microbiology Ecology

Individual- and Species-Specific Skin Microbiomes in Three Different Estrildid Finch Species Revealed by 16S Amplicon Sequencing – Kathrin Engel – Microbial Ecology

Plant, root, and soil microbiome

Vertical variation of a black soil’s properties in response to freeze-thaw cycles and its links to shift of microbial community structure – Ziming Han – Science of the Total Environment

Biomass, activity and structure of rhizosphere soil microbial community under different metallophytes in a mining site – Wenhao Yang – Plant and Soil

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation by rhizobia — the roots of a success story – Catherine Masson-Boivin – Current Opinion in Plant Biology

Water and extremophile microbiome

Microbial community structure and function in sediments from e-waste contaminated rivers at Guiyu area of China – Jun Liu – Environmental Pollution

Pre-print: Micro-scale ecology regulates particulate organic matter turnover in model marine microbial communities – Tim N Enke – bioRxiv

Food microbiology

Autochthonous facility-specific microbiota dominates washed-rind Austrian hard cheese surfaces and its production environment – Narciso M Quijada – International Journal of Food Microbiology

Bioinformatics

CoMet: a workflow using contig coverage and composition for binning a metagenomic sample with high precision – Damayanthi Herath – BMC Bioinformatics

Techniques

Serial Dilution-Based Growth Curves and Growth Curve Synchronization for High-Resolution Time Series of Bacterial Biofilm Growth – Fernando Govantes – Host-Pathogen Interactions

Microbes in the news

Fiber Is Good for You. Now Scientists May Know Why. – Carl Zimmer – The New York Times

Fast, Cheap Testing for Tuberculosis? Soon It May Be Possible – Donald G McNeil – The New York Times

How probiotics can help ward off health complications in premature babies – CTV News

Science, career, and publishing

Pre-print: Disequilibrium in Gender Ratios among Authors who Contributed Equally – Nichole A Broderick – bioRxiv

December 30, 2017

Enjoy your daily dose of (mostly human gut) microbiome literature!

General microbiome

Q&A: Friends (but sometimes foes) within: the complex evolutionary ecology of symbioses between host and microbes – Nicole Gerardo, BMC Biology

The Dark Side of IFN-γ: Its Role in Promoting Cancer Immunoevasion – Marija Mojic, International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Two-stage pretreatment of excess sludge for electricity generation in microbial fuel cell – Yi Zhang, Environmental Technology

Human respiratory microbiome

Azithromycin versus placebo for the treatment of HIV-associated chronic lung disease in children and adolescents (BREATHE trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial – Carmen Gonzalez-Martinez, BMC Biology

Human skin microbiome

Characterization of the facial microbiome in twins discordant for rosacea – Asifa K. Zaidi, Experimental Dermatology

Human oral microbiome

Oral health in geroscience: animal models and the aging oral cavity – Jonathan Y. An, GeroScience

Extracellular matrix Influence in Streptococcus mutans gene expression in a cariogenic biofilm – Elkin Jahir Florez Salamanca, Molecular Oral Microbiology

Human gut microbiome

The Microbiome–Gut–Behavior Axis: Crosstalk Between the Gut Microbiome and Oligodendrocytes Modulates Behavioral Responses – Achilles Ntranos, Neurotherapeutics

Antibiotics Associated Disorders and Postbiotics Induced Rescue in Gut Health – Debarati Paul, Current Pharmaceutical Design

We are not alone in our body: insights into the involvement of microbiota in the etiopathogenesis and pharmacology of mental illness –  Claudia Pisanu, Current Drug Metabolism

Global transcriptional landscape and promoter mapping of the gut commensal Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 – Francesca Bottacini, BMC Genomics

Microbiota dysbiosis in inflammatory bowel diseases: in silico investigation of the oxygen hypothesis – Michael A. Henson, BMC Systems Biology

Gut microbiota: Fibre restores healthy gut microbiota – Alan Morris, Nature Reviews Endocrinology

The human microbiome in evolution – Emily R. Davenport, BMC Biology

Clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of elderly onset ulcerative colitis – Eun Mi Song, Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Environmental contributions to gastrointestinal and liver cancer in the Asia–Pacific region – Kwang-Pil Ko, Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Effect of oral tobacco use and smoking on outcomes of Crohn’s disease in India – Umang Arora, Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Irritable bowel syndrome in Asia: Pathogenesis, natural history, epidemiology, and management – Kok-Ann Gwee, Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Rifaximin has minor effects on bacterial composition, inflammation, and bacterial translocation in cirrhosis: A randomized trial – Nina Kimer, Gastroenterology and Hepatology

The role of the microbiome and the use of probiotics in gastrointestinal disorders in adults in the Asia-Pacific region – background and recommendations of a regional consensus meeting – Uday C Ghoshal, Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Animal experiments

Inclusion of Bacillus amyloliquefaciensstrain TOA5001 in the diet of broilers suppresses the symptoms of coccidiosis by modulating intestinal microbiota – Takamitsu Tsukahara, Animal Science Journal

Characterization of the cervical bacterial community in dairy cows with metritis and during different physiological phases – Yu Wang, Theriogenology

Replacement of alfalfa hay (Medicago sativa L.) with subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) leaf meal in diets of Najdi goats: effect on digestion activity of rumen microorganisms – Tahereh Mohammadabadi, Tropical Animal Health and Production

Animal microbiome

Individual- and Species-Specific Skin Microbiomes in Three Different Estrildid Finch Species Revealed by 16S Amplicon Sequencing – Kathrin Engel, Microbial Ecology

Plant, root, and soil microbiome

Changes of microbial population and N-cycling function genes with depth in three Chinese paddy soils – Huanhuan Wang, PLOS One

Water and extremophile microbiome

Candidatus Nitrosocaldus cavascurensis, an ammonia oxidizing, extremely thermophilic archaeon with a highly mobile genome – Sophie S Abby, bioRxiv

Microbes in the news

Artificial intelligence identifies bacteria images quickly, accurately – Greg Slabodkin, Health Data Management

Microbes on the market

Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (ASMB) Reaches $45.08 After 7.00% Up Move; GEOX SPA (GXSBF) Shorts Raised By 18.36% – Stephen Andrade, Herald KS

December 26, 2017

Quite a few articles today especially in the plant/soil and water/extremophile sections. Plus: a new zebrafish model of the human gut microbiome, fiber and bifidos protect against north american diet-induced increased gut permeability in mice, prebiotics from the Morinda plant not only alter the gut microbiome but improve Alzheimers-like symptoms in a rat model, micro-eukaryotes may be an important factor in a deadly skin fungus infection in the Cascades Frog, and a new Leaf-FISH technique to visualize bacterial communities on plants. Happy Holidays!

Human oral microbiome

The oral microbiome—the relevant reservoir for acute pediatric appendicitis? – Carlotta Blod – International Journal of Colorectal Disease

Differences in carbon source usage by dental plaque in children with and without early childhood caries – Yan Zhao – International Journal of Oral Science

Review: Task Force on Design and Analysis in Oral Health Research: Host-Microbiome Interactions in Dysbiosis – T.E. Van Dyke – JDR Clinical & Translational Research

Human gut microbiome

Review: Probiotics and necrotizing enterocolitis – Ravi Mangal Patel – Seminars in Pediatric Surgery

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Animal experiments

Fusimonas intestini gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel intestinal bacterium of the family Lachnospiraceae associated with diabetes in mice – Hiroyuki Kusada – Scientific Reports

*Zebrafish Axenic Larvae Colonization with Human Intestinal Microbiota – Arias-Jayo Nerea – Zebrafish

*Bifidobacteria or Fiber Protects against Diet-Induced Microbiota-Mediated Colonic Mucus Deterioration – Bjoern O. Schroeder – Cell Host & Microbe

In Silico Analysis of the Small Molecule Content of Outer Membrane Vesicles Produced by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Indicates an Extensive Metabolic Link between Microbe and Host – William A. Bryant – Frontiers in Microbiology

*Prebiotic Effect of Fructooligosaccharides from Morinda officinalis on Alzheimer’s Disease in Rodent Models by Targeting the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis – Diling Chen – Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

Animal microbiome

Effect of Environmental Factors and an Emerging Parasitic Disease on Gut Microbiome of Wild Salmonid Fish – Anti Vasemägi – mSphere

*Composition of Micro-eukaryotes on the Skin of the Cascades Frog (Rana cascadae) and Patterns of Correlation between Skin Microbes and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis – Jordan G. Kueneman – Frontiers in Microbiology

Plant, root, and soil microbiome

Chemical investigation of metabolites produced by an endophytic fungi Phialemonium curvatum from the leaves of Passiflora edulis –  G. R. Nalin Rathnayake – Natural Product Research

Novel hydrocarbonoclastic metal-tolerant Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas strains from Aconcagua river oil-polluted soil – Valentina Méndez – Journal of soil science and plant nutrition

Spatial patterns of enzyme activities in the rhizosphere: Effects of root hairs and root radius – Xiaomin Ma – Soil Biology and Biochemistry

The rhizosphere microbial community response to a bio-organic fertilizer: finding the mechanisms behind the suppression of watermelon Fusarium wilt disease – Jia Zhao – Acta Physiologiae Plantarum

Efficiency of two inoculation methods of Pseudomonas putida on growth and yield of tomato plants – Luis G. Hernández-Montiel – Journal of soil science and plant nutrition

Rhizospere yeasts improve P uptake of a maize arbuscular mycorrhizal association – Marcela Sarabia – Applied Soil Ecology

Ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms: key players in the promotion of plant growth – Adenike Eunice Amoo – Journal of soil science and plant nutrition

Review: Potassium solubilizing bacteria (KSB): Mechanisms, promotion of plant growth, and future prospects ­ A review – H. Etesami – Journal of soil science and plant nutrition

Long-term phosphorus fertilization effects on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity in Uruguayan grasses – Silvina García – Journal of soil science and plant nutrition

Alcaligenes faecalisassociated with Mimosa calodendron rizhosphere assist plant survival in arsenic rich soils – Érica Barbosa Felestrino – Journal of soil science and plant nutrition

Functional land-use change effects on soil fungal communities in Chilean temperate rainforests – César Marín – Journal of soil science and plant nutrition

Probiotic strain Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila BJ1 degrades and reduces chlorothalonil toxicity to soil enzymes, microbial communities and plant roots – Qingming Zhang – AMB Express

Low light availability alters root exudation and reduces putative beneficial microorganisms in seagrass roots –  Belinda C. Martin – Frontiers in Microbiology

Effects of biochar on nutrients and the microbial community structure of tobacco-planting soils – Gao Lin – Journal of soil science and plant nutrition

Root-associated bacterial and fungal community profiles of Arabidopsis thaliana are robust across contrasting soil P levels – Chanz Robbins – Phytobiomes

Water and extremophile microbiome

Biogeographical patterns of bacterial and archaeal communities from distant hypersaline environments – M.R. Mora-Ruiz del – Systematic and Applied Microbiology

Cloning, Over-Expression, and Purification of Carbonic Anhydrase from an Extremophilic Bacterium: An Introduction to Advanced Molecular Biology – Vijayakumar Somalinga – The American Biology Teacher

Salinivibrio kushneri sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from salterns – Clara López-Hermoso – Systematic and Applied Microbiology

Genome sequencing and heterologous expression of antiporters reveal alkaline response mechanisms of Halomonas alkalicola – Lei Zhai – Extremophiles

Benthic phototrophic community from Kiran soda lake, south-eastern Siberia – Ekaterina I. Burganskaya – Extremophiles

Enhancing the adaptability of the deep-sea bacterium Shewanella piezotolerans WP3 to high pressure and low temperature by experimental evolution under H2O2 stress – Zhe Xie – Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Fungal community structure at pelagic and littoral sites in Lake Biwa determined with high-throughput sequencing – Peixue Song – Limnology

Spatiotemporal dynamics of marine bacterial and archaeal communities in surface waters off the northern Antarctic Peninsula – Camila N. Signori – Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography

Microbial Ecology

Dissertation: The Macroecology of Microorganisms: From Pattern to Process – David Clark – University of Essex

Review: Using metabolic networks to resolve ecological properties of microbiomes – Emilie E.L. Muller – Current Opinion in Systems Biology

Microbial stress mediated intercellular nanotubes in an anaerobic microbial consortium digesting cellulose – Martina John – Scientific Reports

Built environment

Distribution of Legionella and bacterial community composition among regionally diverse US cooling towers – Anna C. Llewellyn – PLOS one

Food microbiology

Identification of natural antimicrobial peptides from bacteria through metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analysis of high-throughput transcriptome data of Taiwanese oolong teas – Kai-Yao Huang – BMC Systems Biology

Strain-Level Metagenomic Analysis of the Fermented Dairy Beverage Nunu Highlights Potential Food Safety Risks – Aaron M. Walsh – Applied and Environmental Microbiology

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Probiotics / prebiotics

Review: Recent Development of Prebiotic Research—Statement from an Expert Workshop – Giorgio La Fata – Nutrients

Effects of fermented soymilk with Lactobacillus casei Shirota on skin condition and the gut microbiota: a randomised clinical pilot trial – T. Nagino – Beneficial Microbes

Phages and viruses

Novel ssDNA viruses detected in the virome of bleached, habitat-forming kelp Ecklonia radiata –  Douglas Beattie – Frontiers in Marine Science

Bioinformatics

Vipie: web pipeline for parallel characterization of viral populations from multiple NGS samples – Jake Lin – BMC Genomics

Techniques

*Leaf-FISH: Microscale imaging of bacterial taxa on phyllosphere –  Elena L. Peredo – Frontiers in Microbiology

A new suite of plasmid vectors for fluorescence-based imaging of root colonizing pseudomonads –  Rosemarie Wilton – Frontiers in Plant Science

Synthetic microbial consortia enable rapid assembly of pure translation machinery – Fernando Villarreal – Nature Chemical Biology

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Microbes in the news

Essential science: Link between gut microbes and despair – Tim Sandle – Digital Science

Enjoy the holidays, but don’t forget your fiber – Tim Sandle – Digital Science

 

December 23, 2017

Events and jobs
Assistant Professor of Environmental Microbiology (Tenure-Track) – George Mason University – Fairfax, Virginia, USA
The George Mason University, Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) is seeking an enthusiastic and energetic individual for a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor position in Molecular Environmental Microbiology to supplement existing departmental strengths in applied ecology, aquatic ecology, one health and conservation. This is a full-time, tenure-track position to begin August 2018.

Manager, QC Microbiology – Catalent Pharma Solutions, Inc. – Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Post-Doc – Microbiology & Immunology – Cornell University – Ithaca, NY, USA

Biological Sciences Full-Time Instructor (Microbiology Emphasis) – West Valley-Mission Community College District – Saratoga, CA, USA

General microbiome
Review: Building conventions for unconventional lymphocytes. – Lesley Pasman – Immunological Reviews (from September, but not posted before)

Pregnancy and early life
Gut microbiome in gestational diabetes: a cross-sectional study of mothers and offspring 5 years postpartum – Sayyid Hasan – AOGS

Multi-site human microbiome
Review: The role of microbial amyloid in neurodegeneration. – Robert P Friedland – Plos Pathogens

Human respiratory microbiome
Review: Airway microbiome research: a modern perspective on surveillance cultures? – Damien Roux – Annals Of Translational Medicine

Human skin microbiome
Review: Over a Decade of recA and tly Gene Sequence Typing of the Skin Bacterium Propionibacterium acnes: What Have We Learnt? – Andrew McDowell – Microorganisms

Human oral microbiome
Ecological Balance of Oral Microbiota is Required to Maintain Oral Mesenchymal Stem Cell Homeostasis. – Yingying Su – Stem Cells (Dayton, Ohio)

Shift in the Subgingival Microbiome following Scaling and Root Planing in Generalized Aggressive Periodontitis. – Guojing Liu – Journal Of Clinical Periodontology

Human gut microbiome
Quinones are growth factors for the human gut microbiota. – Kathrin Fenn – Microbiome

Opinion: Microbiome-Germline Interactions and Their Transgenerational Implications. – Michael Elgart – Bioessays : News And Reviews In Molecular, Cellular And Developmental Biology

Review: Modeling metabolism of the human gut microbiome – Stefanía Magnúsdóttir – Current Opinion in Biotechnology

Microbial ecology
Opinion: Engineering microbial communities using thermodynamic principles and electrical interfaces. – Christian Zerfaß – Current Opinion In Biotechnology

Animal experiments
Age-dependent alterations of glucose clearance and homeostasis are temporally separated and modulated by dietary fat. – Mads T F Damgaard – The Journal Of Nutritional Biochemistry

Shift of hindgut microbiota and microbial short chain fatty acids profiles in dairy calves from birth to pre-weaning. – Yang Song – FEMS Microbiology Ecology

Impact of genistein on the gut microbiome of humanized mice and its role in breast tumor inhibition. – Bidisha Paul – Plos One

Tomato Powder Inhibits Hepatic Steatosis and Inflammation Potentially Through Restoring SIRT1 Activity and Adiponectin Function Independent of Carotenoid Cleavage Enzymes in Mice. – Cheng-Chung Li – Molecular Nutrition & Food Research

Faecal microRNAs: indicators of imbalance at the host-microbe interface? – G M Moloney – Beneficial Microbes

Modulation of the fecal microbiota in Sprague-Dawley rats using genetically modified and isogenic corn lines. – Penggao Li – Journal Of Agricultural And Food Chemistry

Sex-dependent impact of Roundup on the rat gut microbiome – Veronica L. Lozano – Toxicology Reports

Effects of garlic-supplemented diet on growth performance and intestinal microbiota of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) – Miray Etyemez Büyükdeveci – Aquaculture

Animal microbiome
Identification and chemical characterization of N acyl-homoserine lactone quorum sensing signals across sponge species and time. – Maya Britstein – FEMS Microbiology Ecology

Reptile-associated Borrelia species in the goanna tick (Bothriocroton undatum) from Sydney, Australia. – Jessica L Panetta – Parasites & Vectors

Multi-Omic Biogeography of the Gastrointestinal Microbiota of a Pre-Weaned Lamb – Antonio Palomba – Proteomes

Identification, comparison and validation of robust rumen microbial biomarkers for methane emissions using diverse Bos Taurus breeds and basal diets – Marc D. Auffret – Frontiers in Microbiology

Plant, root, and soil microbiome
Structure and function of the microbial consortia of activated sludge in typical municipal wastewater treatment plants in winter. – Bo Zhang – Scientific Reports

Key microbial taxa in the rhizosphere of sorghum and sunflower grown in crop rotation. – Tanzelle Oberholster – The Science Of The Total Environment

Metagenomic analysis of soil and freshwater from zoo agricultural area with organic fertilization. – Aylan K Meneghine – Plos One

Field study reveals core plant microbiota and relative importance of their drivers. – Kelly Hamonts – Environmental Microbiology

Enhanced arsenic uptake and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-dissipation using Pteris vittata L. and a PAH-degrading bacterium. – Lu Sun – The Science Of The Total Environment

Division of labor during biofilm matrix production – Anna Dragos – bioRxiv

Succession of Fungal and Oomycete Communities in Glyphosate-Killed Wheat Roots – Daniel Schlatter – Phytopathology

Long-term and legacy effects of manure application on soil microbial community composition – Yuting Zhang – Biology and Fertility of Soils

Ammonium nitrogen content is a dominant predictor of bacterial community composition in an acidic forest soil with exogenous nitrogen enrichment – Yanxia Nie – Science of the Total Environment

Water and extremophile microbiome
Consequences of contamination on the interactions between phytoplankton and bacterioplankton. – Goni-Urriza Marisol – Chemosphere

Identification of active denitrifiers by DNA-Stable Isotope Probing and amplicon sequencing reveals Betaproteobacteria as responsible for attenuation of nitrate contamination in a low impacted aquifer. – M Inés Bellini – FEMS Microbiology Ecology

The importance of filamentous cyanobacteria in the development of oxygenic photogranules. – Kim Milferstedt – Scientific Reports

Temperate phages as self-replicating weapons in bacterial competition. – Xiang-Yi Li – Journal Of The Royal Society, Interface (In freshwater metazoan Hydra vulgaris)

The Biogeographical Distribution of Benthic Roseobacter Group Members along a Pacific Transect Is Structured by Nutrient Availability within the Sediments and Primary Production in Different Oceanic Provinces – Marion Pohlner – Frontiers in Microbiology

Organic matter processing by microbial communities throughout the Atlantic water column as revealed by metaproteomics – Kristin Bergauer – PNAS (From November 2017, not posted before)

Homoacetogenesis in Deep-Sea Chloroflexi, as Inferred by Single-Cell Genomics, Provides a Link to Reductive Dehalogenation in Terrestrial Dehalococcoidetes – Holly L. Sewell – mBio

Seasonal and depth-wise variations in bacterial and archaeal groups in the Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone – Mandar Bandekar – Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography

Review: Microalgae–bacteria biofilms: a sustainable synergistic approach in remediation of acid mine drainage – Sudharsanam Abinandan – Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Built environment
Changes in bacterial and archaeal communities during the concentration of brine at the graduation towers in Ciechocinek spa (Poland) – Agnieszka Kalwasińska – Extremophiles

The Coal Seam Microbiome (CSMB) Reference Set, a lingua franca for the microbial coal-to-methane community – Silas H.W. Vick – International Journal of Coal Geology

Food microbiology
Review: Impact of nanosilver on gut microbiota: a vulnerable link. – Dinesh Kumar Dahiya – Future Microbiology

Probiotics / prebiotics
Effects of fermented soymilk with Lactobacillus casei Shirota on skin condition and the gut microbiota: a randomised clinical pilot trial. – T Nagino – Beneficial Microbes

Effect of tablets containing probiotic candidate strains on gingival inflammation and composition of the salivary microbiome: a randomised controlled trial. – M K Keller – Beneficial Microbes

Phages and viruses
Review: Inflammatory Bowel Disease’s Specific Changes of Enteric Mycobiota and Virome. – Yi Chu – Journal Of Digestive Diseases

Review: Phages of life – the path to pharma. – Amanda Forde – British Journal Of Pharmacology

Bioinformatics
Hybrid-denovo: A de novo OTU-picking pipeline integrating single-end and paired-end 16S sequence tags. – Xianfeng Chen – Gigascience

** 3D molecular cartography using LC-MS facilitated by Optimus and ‘ili software. – Ivan Protsyuk – Nature Protocols **

Non-biological synthetic spike-in controls and the AMPtk software pipeline improve fungal high throughput amplicon sequencing data – Jonathan M Palmer – bioRxiv

Multi-omics integration—a comparison of unsupervised clustering methodologies – Giulia Tini – Briefings in Bioinformatics

Review: Genome-scale metabolic networks in time and space – Ove Øyås – Current Opinion in Systems Biology

Techniques
Flow cytometric fingerprinting for microbial strain discrimination and physiological characterization. – Benjamin Buysschaert – Cytometry. Part A : The Journal Of The International Society For Analytical Cytology

Off-axis electron holography of bacterial cells and magnetic nanoparticles in liquid – Tanya Prozorov – Journal of the Royal Society

Microbes in the news
Higher Numbers of 2 Bacteria Species Found in Sarcoidosis Patients, Study Finds – Janet Stewart – Sarcoidosis News

The Surprising Way Your Brain and Gut Are Connected – Julia Malacoff – Shape

Gut Bacteria May Influence Infant Intelligence – Batya Swift Yasgur – MedScape

What Humans Can Learn About Gut Health From Monkey ‘Huddling’ – Francesca Friday – Observer

How to keep your gut healthy over the holidays – Yella Hewings-Martin – Medical News Today

Studies Link Oral Microbiome to Cancers – Pam Harrison – MedPage

Bacteria Found Alive in Earth’s Most Extreme Environments for the First Time Hold Clues to Life on Other Planet – Sydney Pereira – Newsweek

Antibiotic resistance: ‘Sleeping’ bacteria that can survive drug treatment identified – Phys.Org

Bacteria-Basted Supertrees Are Sucking Pollution From Our Waste Sites – James Poulos – Good

Everything you know about toxic shock syndrome is probably wrong – Sara Chodosh – Popular Science

Microbes on the market
Direct-to-consumer DNA and microbiome test launched in Europe – PharmaPhorum

BiomX acquires RondinX to expand microbiome targets for IBD, liver disease – Jonathan Solomon – HealIO

DSM Acquires BioCare Copenhagen to Expand Gut Health Ingredients Portfolio with Probiotics – CISION

Sarcoidosis Industry Overview with Total Market Share and Distribution of Sarcoidosis for 7 MM for 2025 – Miltech

Global Human Microbiome Market Analysis, Share, Production, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 to 2022 – Arun P. – GeoPolMonitor

Global Microbiome Therapeutic Market Outlook – Johnson and Johnson, AB-Biotics, Vedanta Biosciences, AbbVie Inc – Kevin Harper – The News Columnist

Bacteria Hysteria
‘This is how the X-Men started’: Internet shocked by astronaut discovery of ‘alien bacteria’ on International Space Station – Sarah K. Burris – RawStory

Science, publishing, and career
Graduate Biomedical Science Education Needs a New Philosophy – Gundula Bosch – mBio

December 22, 2017

As the end of this year approaches, we have a post filled with plant/soil microbiome papers, as well as a few interesting food microbiology papers — enjoy!

General microbiome

A population genomics approach shows widespread geographical distribution of cryptic genomic forms of the symbiotic fungus Rhizophagus irregularis – Romain Savary, ISME

Pregnancy and early life

Gut microbiome in gestational diabetes: a cross-sectional study of mothers and offspring 5 years postpartum – Sayyid Hasan, Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica

Liver microbiome

Environmental peer pressure: CD4+ T cell help in tolerance and transplantation – Dana Tedesco, Liver Transplantation

Skin microbiome

Food allergy and atopic dermatitis: Prediction, progression, and prevention – Carla Mastrorilli, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology

Respiratory microbiome

The Lung Microbiome in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Promising Approach for Targeted Therapies – Fastrès Aline, International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Allergy – European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Plant, root, and soil microbiome

Microbial and organic matter patterns in a prescribed burned and thinned managed forest ecosystem – Dessy A. Owiti, Ecosphere

Microbial Interactions and Perspectives for Bioremediation of Pesticides in the Soils – Ratna Prabha, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Fungi: An Effective Tool for Bioremediation – Sachin Gupta, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improve Tolerance of Agricultural Plants to Cope Abiotic Stress Conditions – Pablo Cornejo, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Assessment of bacterial communities of black soybean grown in fields – Akifumi Sugiyama, Communicative & Integrative Biology

Plant-plant competition outcomes are modulated by plant effects on the soil bacterial community – S. Hortal, Scientific Reports

Trichoderma and Its Potential Applications – Monika Jangir, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Bacterial Rhizoremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons (PHC) – Jai Godheja, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Potential of Beneficial Bacteria as Eco-friendly Options for Chemical-Free Alternative Agriculture – Ch. Srinivasarao, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Potential Microbiological Approaches for the Remediation of Heavy Metal-Contaminated Soils – R. Krishnamoorthy, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Commercial Microbial Products: Exploiting Beneficial Plant-Microbe Interaction – Pallavi, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Interaction Between Beneficial Bacteria and Sugarcane – Guilherme Grodzki Oliveira Figueiredo, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Potential for Developing Low-Input Sustainable Agriculture in the Tropical Andes by Making Use of Native Microbial Resources – Luis Andrés Yarzábal, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Plant-Microbe Interactions in the Rhizosphere: Mechanisms and Their Ecological Benefits – Kulandaivelu Velmourougane, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Plant Interaction with Methylotrophic Communities – Manish Kumar, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Toward an Integrated Resource Management: Harnessing Trichoderma for Sustainable Intensification in Agriculture – Sumita Pal, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives,

Harnessing the Plant Microbiome: A Key Towards Sustainable Agriculture – Sanjana Kaul, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Rhizoremediation of Environmental Contaminants Using Microbial Communities – Ashish A. Prabhu, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Role of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria for Improving Crop Productivity in Sustainable Agriculture – Abhijeet S. Kashyap, Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Molecular evidence strongly supports deadwood-inhabiting fungi exhibiting unexpected tree species preferences in temperate forests – Witoon Purahong, ISME

Animal microbiome

Rare symbionts may contribute to the resilience of coral–algal assemblages – Maren Ziegler, ISME

Excess labile carbon promotes the expression of virulence factors in coral reef bacterioplankton – Anny Cárdenas, ISME

Evidence for a primate origin of zoonotic Helicobacter suis colonizing domesticated pigs – Bram Flahou, ISME

Water and extremophile microbiome

Single cell genomics of uncultured marine alveolates shows paraphyly of basal dinoflagellates – Jürgen F H Strassert, ISME

Aquatic urban ecology at the scale of a capital: community structure and interactions in street gutters – Vincent Hervé, ISME

Ecological and genomic profiling of anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea in a deep granitic environment – Kohei Ino, ISME

Food microbiome

Evaluation of the use of malic acid decarboxylase-deficient starter culture in NaCl-free cucumber fermentations to reduce bloater incidence – Y. Zhai, Journal of Applied Microbiology

Effect of phenolic compounds on the growth of selected probiotic and pathogenic bacteria – R. Pacheco-Ordaz, Letters in Applied Microbiology

Recent advances in the microencapsulation of omega-3 oil and probiotic bacteria through complex coacervation: A review – Divya Eratte, Trends in Food Science & Technology

Q fever and prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in milk – Andreana Pexara, Trends in Food Science & Technology

Microbes and art

Bioessays Cover Art

 

December 21, 2017

Today’s digest features an original research article showing administration of Bifidobacterium may ameliorate toxicity of a a checkpoint blockade antibody in mice and a review on the concept of enterotypes in the human gut microbiome.

Events and jobs

Explorations in Data Analyses for Metagenomic Advances in Microbial Ecology (EDAMAME) workshop at Kellogg Biological Station 24-30 June 2018.

Human respiratory microbiome

Disordered oropharyngeal microbial communities in H7N9 patients with or without secondary bacterial lung infection – Emerging microbes & infections – Hai-feng Lu

Human gut microbiome

Review: Gut microbiota in 2017: Contribution of gut microbiota–host cooperation to drug efficacy – Nathalie M. Delzenne – Nature reviews gastroenterology & hepatology

Editorial : Are diets the answers to colon ills? Food, irritable bowel syndrome and the microbiome – Quigley Eamonn M.M.

Exposure to environmental microbiota explains persistent abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome after a major flood – NurFadhilah Yusof – Gut Pathogens

*Perspective : Enterotypes in the landscape of gut microbial community composition – Paul I. Costea – Nature Microbiology

Animal experiments

Evaluation of Probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum CCM 7421 Administration with Alginite in Dogs – Viola Strompfová – Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins

Bifidobacterium can mitigate intestinal immunopathology in the context of CTLA-4 blockade – Feng Wang – PNAS

Plant, root, and soil microbiome

Biogeography and ecological diversity patterns of rare and abundant bacteria in oil-contaminated soils – Shuo Jiao – Molecular ecology

Water and extremophile microbiome 

Bacterial Diversity and Biogeochemistry of Two Marine Shallow-Water Hydrothermal Systems off Dominica (Lesser Antilles) – Petra Pop Ristova – Frontiers in Microbiology

Temporal Dynamics of the Microbial Community Composition with a Focus on Toxic Cyanobacteria and Toxin Presence during Harmful Algal Blooms in Two South German Lakes – Pia I. Scherer – Frontiers in Microbiology

Probiotics / prebiotics

Galactooligosaccharide supplementation provides protection against Citrobacter rodentium-induced colitis without limiting pathogen burden – Hatem Kittana – Microbiology

Bifidobacteria and Their Molecular Communication with the Immune System – Lorena Ruiz – Frontiers in Microbiology

Phages and viruses

Toward Understanding Phage:Host Interactions in the Rumen; Complete Genome Sequences of Lytic Phages Infecting Rumen Bacteria – Rosalind A. Gilbert – Frontiers in Microbiology

Resolution of habitat-associated ecogenomic signatures in bacteriophage genomes and application to microbial source tracking – Lesley A. Ogilvie – The ISME Journal

Pre-print: Temperate phages as self-replicating weapons in bacterial competition – Xiang-Yi Li – bioRxiv

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Microbes in the news

Researchers Create Bacteria-Killing Steel Nanospikes

Are phages our best bet against antibiotic-resistant bacteria?

Bacteria Art

Science and Art Join Forces to Challenge our Anthropocentric Worldviews

Loyola Biology Professor Will Display Art At ARC Gallery

Anitha’s non-microbiology picks

Scientists discover entirely new material that cannot be explained by classical physics

Smothered jet may explain weird light from neutron star crash

Study of beetle flagellum offers possible way to improve medical devices