Latest Articles
- Research ArticleModeling Growth Kinetics, Interspecies Cell Fusion, and Metabolism of a Clostridium acetobutylicum/Clostridium ljungdahlii Syntrophic Coculture
Widespread cell fusion and protein exchange between microbial organisms as observed in synthetic C. acetobutylicum/C. ljungdahlii culture is a novel observation that has not been explored in silico. The mechanisms responsible for the observed cell fusion events in this culture are still unknown.
- Perspective | Applied and Environmental ScienceMicrobiome Metadata Standards: Report of the National Microbiome Data Collaborative’s Workshop and Follow-On Activities
Microbiome samples are inherently defined by the environment in which they are found. Therefore, data that provide context and enable interpretation of measurements produced from biological samples, often referred to as metadata, are critical.
- Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyData Analysis Strategies for Microbiome Studies in Human Populations—a Systematic Review of Current Practice
The human microbiome has emerged as an important factor in the development of health and disease. Growing interest in this topic has led to an increasing number of studies investigating the human microbiome using high-throughput sequencing methods.
- Methods and Protocols | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceIdentifying Potentially Beneficial Genetic Mutations Associated with Monophyletic Selective Sweep and a Proof-of-Concept Study with Viral Genetic Data
In biology, research on evolution is important to understand the significance of genetic mutation. When there is a significantly beneficial mutation, a population of species with the mutation prospers and predominates, in a process called “selective sweep.” However, there are few methods that can find such a mutation causing selective sweep from genetic data.
- Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceCharacterization of Bicistronic Transcription in Budding Yeast
Operons, where a single mRNA transcript encodes multiple adjacent proteins, are a widespread feature of bacteria and archaea. In contrast, the genes of eukaryotes are generally considered monocistronic.
- Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyImpaired Intestinal Akkermansia muciniphila and Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Ligands Contribute to Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Mice
Our findings indicate that the gut-liver signaling axis contributes to saccharin/sucralose consumption-induced NAFLD. Supplementation with metformin or fructo-oligosaccharide is a potential therapeutic strategy for NAFLD treatment. In addition, we also developed a new nutritional strategy by using a natural sweetener (neohesperidin dihydrochalcone [NHDC]) as a substitute for NAS and free sugars.
- Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceGenomic and Chemical Diversity of Bacillus subtilis Secondary Metabolites against Plant Pathogenic Fungi
Secondary or specialized metabolites with antimicrobial activities define the biocontrol properties of microorganisms. Members of the Bacillus genus produce a plethora of secondary metabolites, of which nonribosomally produced lipopeptides in particular display strong antifungal activity.
- Research ArticleComparative Genomics and Integrated Network Approach Unveiled Undirected Phylogeny Patterns, Co-mutational Hot Spots, Functional Cross Talk, and Regulatory Interactions in SARS-CoV-2
In the current study, we presented a global view of mutational pattern observed in SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission. This provided a who-infect-whom geographical model since the early pandemic.
- Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyThe Azospirillum brasilense Core Chemotaxis Proteins CheA1 and CheA4 Link Chemotaxis Signaling with Nitrogen Metabolism
Bacterial chemotaxis is widespread in bacteria, increasing competitiveness in diverse environments and mediating associations with eukaryotic hosts ranging from commensal to beneficial and pathogenic. In most bacteria, chemotaxis signaling is tightly linked to energy metabolism, with this coupling occurring through the sensory input of several energy-sensing chemoreceptors.
- Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyMachine Learning Reveals Time-Varying Microbial Predictors with Complex Effects on Glucose Regulation
Recent studies have shown a clear link between gut microbiota and type 2 diabetes. However, current results are based on cross-sectional studies that aim to determine the microbial dysbiosis when the disease is already prevalent.