Non-human microbiome digest, October 2, 2014

Microbiomes of mares with colic, corals and ascidians, bacteria in plant seeds, ciprofloxacin in compost, and yeast in Turkish sausages.

Mammal microbiome

Diversity and Community Composition of Methanogenic Archaea in the Rumen of Scottish Upland Sheep Assessed by Different Methods – Timothy J. Snelling – PLOS ONE

“Sequences mapping to rumen 16S rRNA and mcrA gene references were extracted from Illumina metagenome data.“

* Temporal changes and the effect of subtherapeutic concentrations of antibiotics in the gut microbiota of swine – Devin B. Holman – FEMS Microbiology Ecology

“In this study, the effect of two antibiotics on the swine gut microbiota over a 19-week monitoring period was investigated using Illumina-based sequencing. “

Changes in the faecal microbiota of mares precede the development of postpartum colic
J. S. Weese – Equine Veterinary Journal

“Next generation sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was performed on samples from 13 mares that developed colic, 13 mares that did not display colic, and 5 non-pregnant controls.”

Bird microbiome

Correlations between changes in intestinal microbiota composition and performance parameters in broiler chickens – L. A. Rubio – Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition

“The composition of the intestinal microbiota was analysed by qPCR at different points of the intestinal tract, and a number of nutritional parameters were also determined.”

Insect microbiomes

Differential Genome Evolution Between Companion Symbionts in an Insect-Bacterial Symbiosis – Gordon M. Bennett – mBio

“To understand how symbiont genome degeneration proceeds, we compared the genomes of symbionts in two leafhopper species”

Metagenome-Wide Association of Microbial Determinants of Host Phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster – John M. Chaston – mBio

“.. we measured two microbiota-responsive host traits, development time and triglyceride (TAG) content, in Drosophila melanogaster flies monoassociated with each of 41 bacterial strains.”

Invertebrate microbiome

Quorum Sensing Signal Production and Microbial Interactions in a Polymicrobial Disease of Corals and the Coral Surface Mucopolysaccharide Layer – Beth L. Zimmer – PLOS ONE

“These findings demonstrate for the first time that AHLs are present in an active coral disease.”

The secret to a successful relationship: lasting chemistry between ascidians and their symbiotic bacteria – Eric W. Schmidt – Invertebrate Biology

Plant microbiome

Plants prepackage beneficial microbes in their seeds – Phys.org

“The researchers, from the University of Notre Dame, presented their findings today at the 5th ASM Conference on Beneficial Microbes.”

Cave microbiome

* Mycobiome of the Bat White Nose Syndrome Affected Caves and Mines Reveals Diversity of Fungi and Local Adaptation by the Fungal Pathogen Pseudogymnoascus (Geomyces) destructans – Tao Zhang – PLOS ONE

“This study was conducted in 2010–2011 in New York and Vermont using 90 samples from four mines and two caves situated within the epicenter of WNS. “

Soil and sediment microbiome

Differential distribution and abundance of diazotrophic bacterial communities across different soil niches using a gene-targeted clone library approach – Basit Yousuf – FEMS Microbiology Letters

“Differential occurrence of diazotrophs was studied by the nifH gene-targeted clone library approach.”

Spatiotemporal Analysis of Bacterial Diversity in Sediments of Sundarbans Using Parallel 16S rRNA Gene Tag Sequencing – Pijush Basak – Microbial Ecology

“The total sediment DNA was extracted and subjected to the 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing, which resulted in 117 Mbp of data from three experimental stations. “

Ciprofloxacin residues in municipal biosolids compost do not selectively enrich populations of resistant bacteria – Caitlin P. Youngquist – Applied and Environmental Microbiology

“Regression analysis showed that growth of the susceptible strain of E. coli can be reduced given a sufficiently high concentration of ciprofloxacin (P<0.007), a result that is consistent with adsorption being the primary mechanism of sequestration. “

Biogeographic patterns in below-ground diversity in New York City’s Central Park are similar to those observed globally – Kelly S. Ramirez – Proceedings of the Royal Society B

“Here, we present an assessment of soil biodiversity and biogeographic patterns across Central Park in New York City that spanned all three domains of life, demonstrating that even an urban, managed system harbours large amounts of undescribed soil biodiversity.”

Water microbiome

Abundance and Dynamics of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Integrons in Lake Sediment Microcosms – Björn Berglund – PLOS ONE

“Resistance genes sulI and ermB were quantified in the microcosm sediments with mean abundances 5 and 15 gene copies/106 16S rRNA gene copies, respectively. “

Microbial composition of the activated sludge of Moscow wastewater treatment plants
A. Yu. Kallistova – Microbiology

“FISH investigation revealed that aerobic sludge were eubacterial communities; the metabolically active archaea contributed insignificantly.”

Phytoplankton, bacterioplankton and virioplankton structure and function across the southern Great Barrier Reef shelf – Daniel M. Alongi – Journal of Marine Systems

“Phytoplankton, bacteria and virus dynamics are driven by across-shelf changes in water chemistry and hydrography.”

Food microbiology

Pulque production from fermented agave sap as a dietary supplement in Prehispanic Mesoamerica – Marisol Correa-Ascencio – PNAS

“A novel bacterial lipid biomarker approach is reported, which provides a new means of documenting the consumption of bacterially fermented alcoholic beverages in antiquity worldwide.”

Biodiversity of Yeast Mycobiota in “Sucuk,” a Traditional Turkish Fermented Dry Sausage: Phenotypic and Genotypic Identification, Functional and Technological Properties – Ismet Ozturk, and Osman Sagdic – Journal of Food Science

“The yeast isolates were determined as genotypic using 2 different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods (rep-PCR and RAPD-PCR).”

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General microbiology and science, July 21

Pyrosequencing reproducibility, Microbes in the News, plague, tatoos, and Dr. Bik’s Picks.

Techniques

Reproducibility of pyrosequencing data for biodiversity assessment in complex communities – Aibin Zhan – Methods in Ecology and Evolution

“Here we evaluated reproducibility by analyzing 454 pyrosequenced biological replicates of two complex plankton communities collected from one freshwater port and one marine port. We also tested whether reproducibility potentially influences biodiversity estimates, notably α- and β-diversity.”

Microbial Ecology / Bioinformatics

Synthetic microbial consortia: from systematic analysis to construction and applications
Hao Song – Chem Soc Rev

“Herein, we first reviewed binary interaction modes of microorganisms in microbial consortia and their underlying molecular mechanisms, which lay the foundation of programming cell–cell interactions in synthetic microbial consortia. “

Microbes in the News

Be nice to your germs, they keep you alive – Nicky Phillips – Sydney Morning Herald

“Without a well-balanced community of these microscopic critters we would not survive, says Holmes. ‘‘We shouldn’t view them as a separate thing, we should view them as a part of us,’’ he says.”

Desert Rat Relies on Microbes To Detoxify Its Deadly Meals – Ed Yong – National Geographic

“When Kevin Kohl learned about the woodrat, he wondered if bacteria in the rodent’s gut might help it to tolerate its otherwise lethal diet… The idea made sense. Kohl just needed to test it.”

Four Cases of Life-Threatening Plague Found in Colorado –  Sonali Basak and Jennifer Oldham – Bloomberg.com

“Three more plague cases were found in Colorado, a week after the first infection of the deadliest form of the disease was reported in the state in a decade.”

Tattoo Inks, Needles Recalled Due To Bacterial Contamination
Kristen McConnaughey – SiouxLandMatters.com

“”Extreme risks. I mean we’re talking death. There’s things out there that can kill you,” says Scott Alphawolf Davis, a tattoo artist.”

Science and career

Happy Thoughts May Help Postdocs Handle Stress – Rachel Bernstein – Science Careers

“It could be something as simple as watching a funny TV show or going out for a walk or jog. These little things really add up.”

Women in Science

Why is STEM Still a 4-Letter Word for Women? 7 Leaders Weigh In – Ravishly

“Women receive fewer invitations to professional meetings, and research paper acceptance, pay scales and promotion to tenure favor males over females.“

Dr. Bik’s Picks

Sixth-Grader’s Science Fair Finding Shocks Ecologists – NPR All Things Considered

“When 12-year-old Lauren Arrington heard about her sixth-grade science project, she knew she wanted to study lionfish. Growing up in Jupiter, Fla., she saw them in the ocean while snorkeling and fishing with her dad.”

Editorial: Science speaking up – Pensacola News Journal

“The letter read: “We note you have been asked several times about how, as Governor, you will handle the issue of climate change. You responded that you are ‘not a scientist.’ We are scientists and we would like the opportunity to explain what is at stake for our state.””

Book Review: Raising a Glass to Chemistry: ‘Proof’ Drinks in the Science of Alcohol – Alessandra Montalto – The New York Times

“How important is yeast? In 1996, it became the first living organism to have its DNA sequenced. As one modern alehouse puts it in a dubious ad: “Yeast — not just for infections anymore.””

New Allele Hopeful of Making The Big Time – The Allium – Science News You Won’t Read Nowhere Else

“Right now, I am at a low frequency and nobody really knows about me. Tomorrow I could be gone. It is that tough!”

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