Tag Archives: antibiotic resistance

June 09, 2020

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Good morning everyone!

Today’s digest presents several antibiotic resistance papers, as well as hospital ICU microbiome study, a microbial nomenculture paper, bunch of human microbiome papers (both gut and vaginal), as well as two computational platforms for analyzing microbial data.

In a more personal note– recently, my PhD research (at ARO and The Hebrew U, Israel) resulted in two manuscripts dealing with the exciting world of bacterial secondary metabolites. The first one is a review paper where we present state-of-the-art tools and methodologies to study and identify novel secondary metabolites gene clusters within the widely diverse soil and root bacterial communities. We present a conceptual pipeline for an efficient use of these culture-based and culture-independent platforms to identify novel antimicrobials-producing gene clusters in-vivo.

The second one (a bioRxiv pre-print) utilized some of these techniques to explore differences in secondary metabolites gene clusters between soil and roots bacterial communities, in terms of diversity, composition and taxonomy. We then took advantage of this data and deeply focused on root-enriched and abundant sequences (those that were associated with NRPS and PKS, mega-enzymes that produces two very important families of secondary metabolites- nonribosomal peptides and polyketides). Then, we used a unique culture-independent platform (eSNaPD, from Sean Brady lab @ Rockefeller U, NY) and were able to actually recover 5 clones (~40Kb in length) that harbored five novel gene clusters. At least one of these probably encode for an antifungal metabolites (derived from Actinobacteria). This piepline/platform is applicable for other uses of course, depending on your research question and the functions you’re intrested in. I’ll be happy for any feedback regarding the bioRxiv MS (either directly there or via my tweeter).

General microbiology

Roadmap for naming uncultivated Archaea and Bacteria, Alison E. Murray, Nature Microbiology

Human microbiome

Re-evaluating the relationship between missing heritability and the microbiome, Gavin Douglas , Microbiome

Microbes and mental health: Can the microbiome help explain clinical heterogeneity in psychiatry?, Christina L. Hayes, Front. Neuroendocrinology

Analysis of 1321 Eubacterium rectale genomes from metagenomes uncovers complex phylogeographic population structure and subspecies functional adaptations, Nicolai Karcher, Genome Biology

Exploring potential of vaginal Lactobacillus isolates from South African women for enhancing treatment for bacterial vaginosis, Anna Ursula Happel , PLOS Pathogens

Hospital microbiome

Temporal variations in bacterial community diversity and composition throughout intensive care unit renovations, Jessica Chopik , Microbiome

Antibiotic Resistance

The household resistome – frequency of beta-lactamases, class 1 integron and antibiotic resistant bacteria in the domestic environment, Laura S. Schages , bioRxiv

Environmental conditions dictate differential evolution of vancomycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, Henrique Machado, bioRxiv

Coexistence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Virulence Factors Deciphered by Large-Scale Complete Genome Analysis, Yu Pan, mSystems

Bioinformatics

A Framework for Effective Application of Machine Learning to Microbiome-Based Classification Problems, Begum D. Topcuoglu, mBio

PVAmpliconFinder: a workflow for the identification of human papillomaviruses from high-throughput amplicon sequencing, Alexis Robitaille, BMC Bioinformatics

February 5, 2020

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Good afternoon/morning wherever you are!

Surprisingly, today’s digest has ZERO papers relating to human microbiome. Instead, you’ll find great papers dealing with soil and plant microbiome, the marine environment and antibiotic resistance in glaciers.

Personally, a request and note for all of us in the community- Please invest time in making proper and accurate metadata for your publicly availuable datasets. As someone who’s been struggeling with public shotgun metagenomic datasets for the past 12 months of my PhD,it is so frustrating to be able to find potentially suitable dataset- with crappy metadata. Yes, probably you remembered to uploade your 4 GB of data an hour before the paper submission, and you really wanted to be done with that. But please bear in mind there is a solid reason for journals’ request to upload the data- so other people will be able to review it, conduct their own experiments and reprouce yours. Decent metadata is just another item in the practicing of good science, just like making controls and avoid contaminations. Remember- you ARE your metadata!

Soil and Plant microbiome

**Review Paper: Modulation of the Root Microbiome by Plant Molecules: The Basis for Targeted Disease Suppression and Plant Growth Promotion, Alberto Pascale , Front. Plant Sci.

Seasonal variation of epiphytic bacteria in the phyllosphere of Gingko biloba, Pinus bungeana and Sabina chinensis, Lijun Bao, FEMS Micro. Eco.

Influence of Plant Fraction, Soil, and Plant Species on Microbiota: a Multikingdom Comparison, Andrzej Tkacz , mBio

A plant pathogen utilizes effector proteins for microbiome manipulation, Nick C. Snelders , bioRxiv

Analysis of the Soil Microbiome of a Los Angeles Urban Farm, Savanah St. Clair, AEM

Biotic and abiotic drivers of soil microbial functions across tree diversity experiments, Simone Cesarz, bioRxiv

Marine microbiome

Revealing changes in the microbiome of Symbiodiniaceae under thermal stress, Emma F. Camp, Environmental Microbiology

Characterization of a sponge microbiome using an integrative genome-centric approach, J. Pamela Engelberts , ISME

Antibiotioc Resistance

Occurrence of integrons and antibiotic resistance genes in cryoconite and ice of Svalbard, Greenland, and the Caucasus glaciers, Nicoletta Makowska, Science of the Total Environment

**If you live around Brussles (Belgium), check out this cool workshop around science communication to the public (deadline for application is by this Friday!)

Microbiome in the news

Vaginal Microbiome and Premature Birth

Researchers highlight link between microbiome and melanoma

Fecal sample collection for clinical microbiome research

October 11, 2019

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Good morning everyone!

Today’s digest is full of great reviews paper, among else- from the gut microbiome to bacterial metabolic modelling. Also featured is a lovely paper regarding vaginal microbiome transplantation (with interesting translational meaning!) and a food-for-thought paper about microbiology past, present and furture (1st in the list down).

Have a great weekend and happy Jewish New year!

Food for Thought

Shift in the paradigm towards next-generation microbiology, Blaz Sterz & Luka Kronegger, FEMS Microbiology Letters

Human microbiome

** Re‐assessing microbiomes in the low‐biomass reproductive niche, Jessica L. O’Callaghan, BJOG

** Incorporating functional trade-offs into studies of the gut microbiota, Aspen T Reese, Curr. Opi. Microbiology

** Gut microbial metabolites in depression: understanding the biochemical mechanisms, Giorigia Caspani, microbial cell

** Vaginal microbiome transplantation in women with intractable bacterial vaginosis, Ahinoam Lev-Sagie, Nature Medicine

Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans, Robert P. Smith, PLOS One

Microbial Interactions in Oral Communities Mediate Emergent Biofilm Properties, P.I. Diaz, J. Dental Research

Animal microbiome

A wild microbiome improves mouse modeling of the human immune response, Sara E. Hamiltion, Lab Animal

Gut Microbiota of Migrating Wild Rabbit Fish (Siganus guttatus) Larvae Have Low Spatial and Temporal Variability, Duy Le, Microbial Ecology

Environmental microbiome

** Implications of indoor microbial ecology and evolution on antibiotic resistance, Sarah Ben Maamar, J. Exp. science & Env. Epid.

A microcosm approach highlights the response of soil mineral weathering bacterial communities to an increase of K and Mg availability, O. Nicolitch, Scientific Reports

Preceding crop and tillage system affect winter survival of wheat and the fungal communities on young wheat roots and in soil, Hanna Friberg, FEMS Microbiology Letters

Viral microbiome

A review on viral metagenomics in extreme environments, Sonia Davila-Ramos, Frontiers in Microbiology

Methods in microbiology

Multi-faceted approaches to discovering and predicting microbial nutritional interactions, Sebastian Gude, Curr. Opi. Biotechnology

Artificial neural network-assisted Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for differentiation of Salmonella serogroups and its application on epidemiological tracing of Salmonella Bovismorbificans outbreak isolates from fresh sprouts, Helene Obereuter, FEMS Microbioogy Letters

April 25, 2019

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Good morning everyone! (and apologies for the delay, a technical issue regarding the system time difference between Israel and US Pacific time :)).

Due to yesterday extremely rich digest, today’s post will be short- but diverse! Spreading from gut microbiome in infants and beetles, to the effect of microbial communities on sweet wine quality. As a bonus for the upcoming weekend, at the end of the post you’ll find a link to an article listing 10 recommended biotech podcasts.

Happy holidays for all!

General Science and Microbiology

Failure to vaccinate and vaccine failure– Editorial- Nature Microbiology

The problem with unadjusted multiple and sequential statistical testing– Casper Albers- Nature Communications

Human microbiome

**Review – What did we learn from multiple omics studies in asthma?– Olga Ivanova- Allergy

Fecal microbiota transplant for Crohn disease: A study evaluating safety, efficacy, and microbiome profile– Liat Gutin- ueg

Specific class of intrapartum antibiotics relates to maturation of the infant gut microbiota: a prospective cohort study– Modupe O. Coker- BJOG

The Gut Microbiome on a Periodized Low-Protein Diet Is Associated With Improved Metabolic Health– Zhencheng Li- Frontiers in Microbiology

Plant microbiome

Characterization of Rhodopseudomonas palustris population dynamics on tobacco phyllosphere and induction of plant resistance to Tobacco mosaic virus infection– Pin Su- bioRxiv

The plant host induces antibiotic production to select the most beneficial colonizers– Ariel Ogran- AEM

Microbial network and soil properties are changed in bacterial wilt susceptible soil– Gaufo Qi- AEM

Water Microbiomes

Fates of antibiotic resistance genes in a distributed swine wastewater treatment plant– Qing-Bin Yuan- Water Environment Research

** Metabolic potential of uncultured bacteria and archaea associated with petroleum seepage in deep-sea sediments– Xiyang Dong- Nature Communications

Animal microbiome

Gut anatomical properties and microbial functional assembly promote lignocellulose deconstruction and colony subsistence of a wood-feeding beetle– Ceja Navarro- Nature Microbiology

Gut microbiome-derived phenyl sulfate contributes to albuminuria in diabetic kidney disease– Koichi kikuchi- Nature Communications

Honeybee-specific lactic acid bacterial supplements have no effect on American foulbrood infected honeybee colonies– Jorg G. Stephan- AEM

Food microbiome

Influence of microbial communities on the chemical and sensory features of Falanghina sweet passito wines– F De Fillips- Europe PMC

Microbiome in the News

The Asia Pacific human microbiome market is expected to reach US$ 207.81 Mn in 2025 -Cision

**UPDATED- Critical Reading required– Antibiotics: beneficial side effects are starting to come to light– Claire Bourke- The Conversation. I’m bringing about this post in order to encourage a discussion regarding the issues and claims that were written in this non-scientific article. You’re welcome to share your thoughts about it at the comments section below.

Podcasts

Top 10 Biotech Podcasts to Listen to this Spring– Clara Rodriguez Fernandez- Labiotech.eu

**Personal recommendation- This Week in Microbiolgy (TwiM)