Non-human microbiome, June 23

What happens with all that triclosan we flush down the drain? Also, baby squirrels, tse-tse flies, pot, and Chinese liquor.

Animal microbiome general 

Two very different papers from the same group, but both are finding that Blautia species are host specific.

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 10.57.57 PM

A single genus in the gut microbiome reflects host preference and specificity – A Murat Eren – The ISME Journal

“In our dataset of 57 M sequence reads of the V6 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene in samples collected from seven host species, we identified 200 high-resolution taxonomic units within Blautia using oligotyping.” (Humans, cows, swine, deer, chickens)

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.26.18 PMBlautia and Prevotella sequences distinguish human and animal fecal pollution in Brazil surface waters – Amber M. Koskey – Environmental Microbiology Reports

“We used oligotyping to identify Prevotella and Blautia sequences that can distinguish human fecal contamination. Thirty-five of 61 Blautia oligotypes and 13 of 108 Prevotella oligotypes in humans were specific to or highly abundant (i.e. host-preferred) compared to pig, dog, horse, and cow sources.”

Squirrel microbiome

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.35.26 PMTemporal Dynamics of the Cecal Gut Microbiota of Juvenile Arctic Ground Squirrels: a Strong Litter Effect across the First Active Season – Timothy J. Stevenson – Applied and Environmental Microbiology  (image courtesy of ego-alterego.com)

“We characterized trends in diversity (454 pyrosequencing), density (flow cytometry), viability (flow cytometry), and metabolism (short-chain fatty acid analysis) of the gut microbial community of juvenile arctic ground squirrels across their first active season at weaning and at 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks postweaning.”

Insect microbiome

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.20.33 PMAnalysis of Multiple Tsetse Fly Populations in Uganda Reveals Limited Diversity and Species-Specific Gut Microbiota – Emre Aksoy – Applied and Environmental Microbiology

“We used multiple approaches, including deep sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene, 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, and bacterium-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR), to investigate the levels and patterns of gut microbial diversity from a total of 151 individuals.”

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.22.49 PMMicrobial Population Dynamics in the Hemolymph of Manduca sexta Infected with Xenorhabdus nematophila and the Entomopathogenic Nematode Steinernema carpocapsae – Swati Singh – Applied and Environmental Microbiology

“We show that gut microbes translocate into the hemolymph when the nematode penetrates the insect intestine.”

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.23.22 PMPurine Biosynthesis, Biofilm Formation, and Persistence of an Insect-Microbe Gut Symbiosis – Jiyeun Kate Kim – Applied and Environmental Microbiology

“When we disrupted purN and purT in the Burkholderia symbiont, the ΔpurN and ΔpurT mutants grew normally, and only the ΔpurT mutant failed to form biofilms. “

Plant microbiome

Plant metabolomics for plant chemical responses to belowground community change by climate change – Sangkyu Park – Journal of Plant Biology

“In this review, we will first summarize recent progress in plant metabolomics methodology and subsequently review recent studies of interactions between plants and soil organisms in relation to climate change issues.”

Bioreactor and sewage microbiology

TriclosanThe Impacts of Triclosan on Anaerobic Community Structures, Function, and Antimicrobial Resistance – Patrick J McNamara – Environmental Science & Technology

“Triclosan amendment caused all of the Bacteria and Archaea communities to structurally diverge from that of the control cultures (based on ARISA).”

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.24.07 PMShifts in the Microbial Community, Nitrifiers and Denitrifiers in the Biofilm in a Full-scale Rotating Biological Contactor – Xingxing Peng – Environmental Science & Technology

“The objective of this study was to investigate the Microbial community shifts of bacteria, especially nitrifiers and denitrifiers, in the biofilm of two rotating biological contactor (RBC) trains with different running times along the plug flowpath”

Soil microbiology

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.32.29 PMIdentifying qualitative effects of different grazing types on below-ground communities and function in a long-term field experiment – Catriona A Macdonald – Environmental Microbiology

“All functional community measures (functions, biogeochemical cycling genes, network association between different taxa) were more strongly affected by invertebrate grazers than rabbits.”

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.25.34 PMExtensive sampling of basidiomycete genomes demonstrates inadequacy of the white-rot/brown-rot paradigm for wood decay fungi – Robert Riley – PNAS

“To test the adequacy of the white/brown-rot categories, we analyzed 33 fungal genomes. Some species lack PODs, and thus resemble brown-rot fungi, but possess the cellulose-degrading apparatus typical of white-rot fungi. “

Food and other consumables microbiology

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.33.28 PMIf the pot doesn’t worry you, the bacteria might: Food safety a new frontier for legal pot – Kristen Wyatt – The Republic

“In Washington state, where retail sales are expected to begin the week of July 7, regulations call for samples of all marijuana sold for consumption to clear a “microbiological screening,” whether it’s in edible, smokeable or concentrate form.”

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.34.50 PMStarter Culture Selection for Making Chinese Sesame-Flavored Liquor Based on Microbial Metabolic Activity in Mixed-Culture Fermentation – Qun Wu – Applied and Environmental Microbiology

“To obtain a suitable starter culture for making Chinese sesame-flavored liquor, the yeast and bacterium community structures were investigated during spontaneous and solid-state fermentations of this type of liquor.”

[hr]

Non-human microbiome, June 13

MRSA in cats and dogs, metabolomics on cow rumen, bacteria in soil, sewage and sea water, and how to get rid of invasive species.

Mammal microbiome

Screen Shot 2014-06-13 at 11.26.20 PMCarriage of methicillin-resistant staphylococci by healthy companion animals in the US – J.A. Davis – Letters in Applied Microbiology

“In this study, 276 healthy dogs and cats from veterinary clinics were tested for the presence of antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus spp. Isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility and the presence of select resistance genes, and typed using Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE).”

Screen Shot 2014-06-13 at 11.29.33 PMMetabolomics analysis reveals large effect of roughage types on rumen microbial metabolic profile in dairy cows – S. Zhao – Letters in Applied Microbiology

“ Rumen fluid was sampled from each cow through a ruminal cannula at 0630 and 1030 h, and the mixed ruminal fluid from 3 day in each cow was analysed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A multivariate analysis revealed a significant difference between the ruminal metabolome of the CS and MF groups at both time points. “

Soil microbes

Screen Shot 2014-06-13 at 11.30.13 PMDiversity and activity of sulphur-oxidizing bacteria and sulphate-reducing bacteria in landfill cover soils – F.F. Xia – Letters in Applied Microbiology

“In this study, two landfills with or without landfill gas collection and utilization system were investigated to characterize the role of biotic and abiotic factors affecting diversity and activity of SOB and SRB in the landfill cover soils.”

Water microbes

Screen Shot 2014-06-13 at 11.30.55 PMEvaluation of Bacteroides fragilis GB-124 bacteriophages as novel human-associated faecal indicators in the United States – B.R. McMinn – Letters in Applied Microbiology

“Animal faecal samples (>250) from 14 different species were tested for the presence of the three phage groups. GB-124 phages were consistently detected in sewage (10–102 PFU ml−1), but not in animal faeces.”

Letters in applied microbiologyArcobacter spp. isolated from untreated domestic effluent – J.Y. Merga – Letters in Applied Microbiology

“Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter cryaerophilus were isolated from samples of raw untreated domestic sewage influent from nine separate wastewater treatment facilities in Cheshire, UK. This is the first report of Arcobacter spp. from sewage in the UK and suggests that Arcobacter spp. may be present in the human community.”

Sunset beachMarine bacteria could help treat human diseases – Mohamed Hassan – The New Zealand Herald

“New Zealand will take part in the first simultaneous sampling of all the world’s oceans as part of “Micro B3 Ocean Sampling Day” on June 20. The project, at 150 sites worldwide, is spearheaded by Germany’s Jacobs University and the University of Oxford in the UK, and will include researchers from the universities of Auckland and Otago.”

zebra musselBacteria could help kill zebra mussels – Associated Press

“State agricultural officials are reviewing a request from the U.S. Geological Survey to experiment with a bacteria to kill zebra mussels in a northern Wisconsin lake.”

[hr]