Microbiology

High-risk clonal expansion of IMP-producing Enterobacter cloacae complex in regional Japanese healthcare settings

This study found that two types of highly drug-resistant bacteria (ST78 and ST133) are widespread in Japanese healthcare settings, including many small hospitals, suggesting a silent and ongoing clonal dissemination. The research used whole-genome sequencing of isolates collected across 58 hospitals, identifying ST133 as a particularly common and underreported lineage in Japan, emphasizing the need for broader molecular surveillance.

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Microbiology Oct 23, 12:10 PM

Arabidopsis root defense barriers support beneficial interactions with rhizobacterium Pseudomonas simiae WCS417

This study used Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with altered root defense barriers to investigate how these barriers impact interactions with the beneficial rhizobacterium Pseudomonas simiae WCS417. The findings show that root defense barriers affect bacterial colonization, plant growth responses, and root exudate profiles, suggesting a role in balancing growth and defense during this mutualistic interaction.

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Microbiology Sep 10, 03:38 PM

Copy Number Change of the NDM-1 Sequence in a Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Clinical Isolate

This study found that a multidrug-resistant *Klebsiella pneumoniae* bacterium, KPX, isolated from a patient, carries multiple copies of the NDM-1 gene, responsible for antibiotic resistance. The copy number of this gene dynamically increases under antibiotic selection and decreases when antibiotics are removed, revealing a unique adaptation mechanism in the bacteria.

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Microbiology Aug 09, 12:18 PM

Nighttime Pistachio Consumption Alters Stool Microbiota Diversity and Taxa Abundance Compared with Education to Consume 1–2 Carbohydrate Exchanges (15–30 grams) over 12 Weeks in Adults with Prediabetes: A Secondary Analysis from a Randomized Crossover Trial

In this randomized crossover trial of adults with prediabetes, nightly pistachio consumption caused small changes in the diversity and composition of gut bacteria compared to a higher-carbohydrate snack. However, the study did not control for other dietary factors, making it difficult to isolate the impact of pistachios alone. There were also no changes in blood sugar or other metabolic markers.

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Microbiology Aug 09, 12:18 PM

Co-occurrence networks reveal more complexity than community composition in resistance and resilience of microbial communities

Fungal communities showed greater resistance but less resilience to drought than bacterial communities, though fungi were unexpectedly resilient in the first week of rewetting. Drought increased positive correlations among microbial taxa and networks based on positive correlations, but decreased overall network complexity suggesting a potential role for microbial communities in plant drought response.

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Microbiology Jul 14, 05:21 PM

Nutrient supply controls the linkage between species abundance and ecological interactions in marine bacterial communities

Nutrient availability drives a shift in the ribosomal RNA gene operon copy number in marine bacteria, with nutrient-rich environments favoring high copy numbers and vice versa. Ecological interactions shift from cooperative to competitive as nutrient levels increase, suggesting a "hunger games" scenario where microbes adapt their strategies based on resource availability.

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Microbiology Jul 14, 05:21 PM

Specialized metabolic functions of keystone taxa sustain soil microbiome stability

Soil bacterial communities with greater phylogenetic diversity tend to be more stable under varying pH conditions. Keystone functions, particularly "nitrogen metabolism" and "phosphonate and phosphinate metabolism," are performed by specialized bacterial taxa like *Nitrospira* and *Gemmatimonas*, and appear essential for maintaining stability.

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Microbiology Jul 14, 05:21 PM

Bioengineered bacteria-derived outer membrane vesicles as a versatile antigen display platform for tumor vaccination via Plug-and-Display technology

This study presents a new tumor vaccine platform using bioengineered bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). By displaying tumor antigens on the OMV surface via a "Plug-and-Display" system, the platform elicited robust anti-tumor immune responses in mice, suggesting its potential for personalized cancer vaccines.

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Microbiology Jul 14, 11:11 AM

Genome-resolved metagenomics suggests a mutualistic relationship between Mycoplasma and salmonid hosts

The study found a dominance of Mycoplasma in the gut microbiomes of three salmonid species, suggesting two novel candidate species. Genomic analyses suggests this Mycoplasma has adapted to the intestinal environment of salmonids and may provide benefits to the host including B vitamin biosynthesis and ammonia detoxification.

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Microbiology Jul 14, 11:11 AM

Phylogenomics of expanding uncultured environmental Tenericutes provides insights into their pathogenicity and evolutionary relationship with Bacilli

The study discovered several novel Tenericutes lineages in various environments, including the human gut. Phylogenomic analysis placed these lineages close to other Bacilli groups, blurring the lines between Tenericutes and Bacilli. The two main human gut lineages, RF39 and RFN20, were predicted to be hydrogen producers and may play a role in gut homeostasis.

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Microbiology Jul 14, 11:11 AM