Today’s Digest features a lot of soil and plant microbiome articles. Highlights include an opinion piece on hypothesis-driven microbiome research, a study on the spread of MCR-3 colistin resistance in China, and a consortium of bacteria to protect plants from pathogents.

General microbiology

** Are microbiome studies ready for hypothesis-driven research? – Anupriya Tripathi et al. – Current Opinion in Microbiology

Mitracarpus frigidus: A promising antifungal in the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis – Lara M. Campos et al. – Industrial Crops and Products

Isolation, growth, enzyme assay and identification via 16S rRNA full sequencing of cellulolytic microbes from Nepal for biofuel production – Binayak Raj Pandey et al. – Renewable Energy

Review (Uncorrected Proof): From hairballs to hypotheses – biological insights from microbial networks – Lisa Röttjers & Karoline Faust – FEMS Microbiology Reviews

Review: Barriers and opportunities in bio-based production of hydrocarbons – Yongjin J. Zhou, Eduard J. Kerkhoven & Jens Nielsen – Nature Energy

Antibiotic resistance

** Spread of MCR-3 Colistin Resistance in China: An Epidemiological, Genomic and Mechanistic Study – Yongchang Xu et al. – EBioMedicine

Long-term organic fertilization increased antibiotic resistome in phyllosphere of maize – Qing-Lin Chen et al. – Science of The Total Environment

Carbapenem resistance in bacteria isolated from soil and water environments in Algeria – Katia DJENADI et al. – Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance

Human respiratory microbiome

Prospective study of timing and pattern of bacteria and viruses in the nasopharyngeal microbiome in a birth cohort – J.L.Mathew et al. – International Journal of Infectious Diseases

Human gut microbiome

Population changes of colon lumen microbiota in patients with chronic hepatitis C – A. Sydorchuk et al. – International Journal of Infectious Diseases

Multi-site human microbiome

Metagenomics of pigmented and cholesterol gallstones: the putative role of bacteria – S. H. Kose et al. – Scientific Reports

Food microbiology

Amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing indicates that microbial ecosystems present in cheese brines reflect environmental inoculation during the cheese production process – Louise Vermote et al. – International Dairy Journal

Exploring core functional microbiota responsible for the production of volatile flavour during the traditional brewing of Wuyi Hong Qu glutinous rice wine – Zi-Rui Huang et al. – Food Microbiology

Review: Spoilage yeasts: What are the sources of contamination of foods and beverages? – A. Hernández et al. – International Journal of Food Microbiology

Animal experiments

Consumption of virgin coconut oil in Wistar rats increases saturated fatty acids in the liver and adipose tissue, as well as adipose tissue inflammation – Marianade Moura e Dias et al. – Journal of Functional Foods

Experimental microbial dysbiosis does not promote disease progression in SIV-infected macaques – Alexandra M. Ortiz et al. – Nature Medicine

Animal microbiome

Whole genome sequences to assess the link between antibiotic and metal resistance in three coastal marine bacteria isolated from the mummichog gastrointestinal tract – Nicole A. Lloyd, Sylvie Nazaret & TamarBarkay – Marine Pollution Bulletin

Inferences of gut bacterial diversity from next-generation sequencing of 16S rDNA in deep sea blind ray – Benthobatis moresbyi – Tina Kollannoor Johny et al. – Ecological Genetics and Genomics

Characterization of the fecal microbiota of healthy horses – Holly L. Stewart et al. – American Journal of Veterinary Research

Plant, root and soil microbiome

Comparative mangrove metagenome reveals global prevalence of heavy metals and antibiotic resistome across different ecosystems – Madangchanok Imchen et al. – Scientific Reports

Structural development and assembly patterns of the root-associated microbiomes during phytoremediation – Yanmei Chen et al. – Science of The Total Environment

A Method for Collecting Atmospheric Microbial Samples From Set Altitudes for Use With Next-Generation Sequencing Techniques to Characterize Communities – Allison M Spring et al. – Air, Soil and Water Research

Plant-microbe interactions drive denitrification rates, dissolved nitrogen removal, and the abundance of denitrification genes in stormwater control measures – Natalie R Morse et al. – Environmental Science & Technology

Short- and long-term warming alters soil microbial community and relates to soil traits – Hongying Yu et al. – Applied Soil Ecology

Environmental variables better explain changes in potential nitrification and denitrification activities than microbial properties in fertilized forest soils – Yuqian Tang et al. – Science of The Total Environment

Wheat rhizosphere harbors a less complex and more stable microbial co-occurrence pattern than bulk soil – Kunkun Fan et al. – Soil Biology and Biochemistry

Influence of biochars on the accessibility of organochlorine pesticides and microbial community in contaminated soils – Neelum Ali et al. – Science of The Total Environment

Structure and activity of soil microbial communities in three Mediterranean forests – Felicia Grosso et al. – Applied Soil Ecology

Species-associated differences in the below-ground microbiomes of wild and domesticated Setaria – Srinivasa R. Chaluvadi & Jeff Bennetzen – Frontiers in Plant Science

Review: Processes that determine the interplay of root exudation, methane emission and yield in rice agriculture – D. Maurer et al. – Plant Biology

** Nutrient-and Dose-Dependent Microbiome-Mediated Protection against a Plant Pathogen – Maureen Berg & Britt Koskella – Current Biology

Network Analyses Can Advance Above-Belowground Ecology – Kelly S.Ramirez et al. – Trends in Plant Science

Minireview: Microbial anaerobic Fe(II) oxidation – ecology, mechanisms and environmental implications – C Bryce et al. – Environmental Microbiology

Phages and viruses

No detectable effect of Wolbachia wMel on the prevalence and abundance of the RNA virome of Drosophila melanogaster – Mang Shi et al. – Proceedings B

Co-Infection Patterns in Individual Ixodes scapularis Ticks Reveal Associations between Viral, Eukaryotic and Bacterial Microorganisms – Shaun T. Cross et al. – Viruses

Investigation of recombination-intense viral groups and their genes in the Earth’s virome – Jan P. Meier-Kolthoff et al. – Scientific Reports

Microbes in the news

Endophytes: Study Shows GMO Corn Has No Impact On Good Bacteria – Science 2.0