microbiome
Plant MicrobiologyAgricultural Soil Management Practices Differentially Shape the Bacterial and Fungal Microbiomes of Sorghum bicolorWhile numerous studies show that farming practices can influence the soil microbiome, there are often conflicting results on how microbial diversity and activity respond to treatment. In addition, very little has been published on how the corresponding crop plant microbiome is impacted.
Genetics and Molecular BiologyA Viability Quantitative PCR Dilemma: Are Longer Amplicons Better?Viability quantitative PCR (v-qPCR) has evolved into a valuable, mainstream technique for determining the number of viable microorganisms in samples by qPCR. Amplicon length is known to be positively correlated with the ability to distinguish between live and dead bacteria but is negatively correlated with qPCR efficiency.
Microbial EcologyMucin as a Functional Niche Is a More Important Driver of In Vitro Gut Microbiota Composition and Functionality than Akkermansia muciniphila SupplementationResearch into the identification of biomarkers for gut health and ways to modulate the microbiota composition and activity to improve health has put Akkermansia muciniphila in the spotlight. As a mucin degrader, A. muciniphila colonizes the interesting but not fully described host-glycan degradation niche. Much of research concerning A. muciniphila...
Food MicrobiologyTaxonomic and Functional Shifts in the Sprout Spent Irrigation Water Microbiome in Response to Salmonella Contamination of Alfalfa SeedsInteractions of human enteric pathogens like Salmonella with plants and plant microbiomes remain to be elucidated. The rapid development of next-generation sequencing technologies provides powerful tools enabling investigation of such interactions from broader and deeper perspectives.
Invertebrate MicrobiologyMicrobiome Variability across the Native and Invasive Ranges of the Ascidian Clavelina oblongaNonnative species destabilize coastal ecosystems and microbial symbionts may facilitate their spread by enhancing host survival and fitness. However, we know little of the microorganisms that live inside invasive species and whether they change as the host spreads to new areas. In this study, we investigated the microbial communities of an introduced ascidian (Clavelina oblonga) and tracked symbiont changes across locations...
Invertebrate MicrobiologyGut Bacteria Mediate Nutrient Availability in Drosophila DietsBoth in the laboratory and in nature, D. melanogaster-associated microbes serve as nutritional effectors, either through the production of metabolites or as direct sources of protein biomass. The relationship between the microbiome and the resulting host nutritional physiology is significantly impacted by diet composition, yet studies involving...
MinireviewPotential Applications of Human Viral Metagenomics and Reference Materials: Considerations for Current and Future VirusesViruses are ubiquitous particles comprising genetic material that can infect bacteria, archaea, and fungi, as well as human and other animal cells. Given that determining virus composition and function in association with states of human health and disease is of increasing interest, we anticipate that the field of viral metagenomics will continue to expand and be applied in a variety of areas ranging from surveillance to discovery and...
Minireview | SpotlightImpact of the Human Microbiome in Forensic Sciences: a Systematic ReviewNumerous studies relate differences in microbial communities to human health and disease; however, little is known about microbial changes that occur postmortem or the possible applications of microbiome analysis in the field of forensic science. The aim of this review was to study the microbiome and its applications in forensic sciences and to determine the main lines of investigation that are emerging, as well as its possible...
BiotechnologyDietary Supplementation with Sodium Sulfate Improves Rumen Fermentation, Fiber Digestibility, and the Plasma Metabolome through Modulation of Rumen Bacterial Communities in SteersEssential elements like nitrogen and sulfur greatly affect rumen fermentation and metabolism in ruminants. However, little knowledge is available on the effects of sulfur on the rumen microbiota and plasma metabolome. The results of the present trial demonstrated that supplementing the steer ration with sodium sulfate markedly improved rumen fermentation, fiber digestibility, and metabolism of amino acids, purine derivatives, and...
Microbial EcologyFish Skin and Gut Microbiomes Show Contrasting Signatures of Host Species and HabitatWhether host-associated microbiomes are mostly shaped by species-specific or environmental factors is still unresolved. In particular, it is unknown to what extent microbial communities from two different host tissues from the same host respond to these factors. Our study is one of the first to focus on the microbiome of teleost fish to shed a light on this topic as we investigate how the phylogenetic structure of microbial communities...