Applied and Environmental Science
Editor's Pick Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceGrowth on Chitin Impacts the Transcriptome and Metabolite Profiles of Antibiotic-Producing Vibrio coralliilyticus S2052 and Photobacterium galatheae S2753The bacterial family Vibrionaceae (vibrios) is considered a major player in the degradation of chitin, the most abundant polymer in the marine environment; however, the majority of studies on the topic have focused on a small number of Vibrio species. In this study, we analyzed the genomes of two vibrios to assess their genetic potential for the degradation of chitin. We then used transcriptomics and metabolomics to...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceIonic Liquids Impact the Bioenergy Feedstock-Degrading Microbiome and Transcription of Enzymes Relevant to Polysaccharide HydrolysisPretreatment using ionic liquids (IL) is a promising approach for the conversion of lignocellulose to biofuels. Because IL can be inhibitory to enzymes and microorganisms involved in downstream hydrolysis and fermentation steps, discovery of IL-tolerant organisms and enzymes is critical for advancing this technology. Employing metatranscriptomics in the analysis of IL-enriched cultures facilitated tracking of dynamic changes in a...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceImpact of Sample Type and DNA Isolation Procedure on Genomic Inference of Microbiome CompositionSequencing-based analyses of microbiomes may lead to a breakthrough in our understanding of the microbial worlds associated with humans, animals, and the environment. Such insight could further the development of innovative ecosystem management approaches for the protection of our natural resources and the design of more effective and sustainable solutions to prevent and control infectious diseases. Genome sequence information is an...
Editor's Pick Resource Report | Applied and Environmental Sciencemockrobiota: a Public Resource for Microbiome Bioinformatics BenchmarkingThe availability of standard and public mock community data will facilitate ongoing method optimizations, comparisons across studies that share source data, and greater transparency and access and eliminate redundancy. These are also valuable resources for bioinformatics teaching and training. This dynamic resource is intended to expand and evolve to meet the changing needs of the omics community.
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceMicrobial Succession and Flavor Production in the Fermented Dairy Beverage KefirTraditional fermented foods represent relatively low-complexity microbial environments that can be used as model microbial communities to understand how microbes interact in natural environments. Our results illustrate the dynamic nature of kefir fermentations and microbial succession patterns therein. In the process, the link between individual species, and associated pathways, with flavor compounds is revealed and several genes that...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceNovel Syntrophic Populations Dominate an Ammonia-Tolerant Methanogenic MicrobiomeThe microbial production of methane or “biogas” is an attractive renewable energy technology that can recycle organic waste into biofuel. Biogas reactors operating with protein-rich substrates such as household municipal or agricultural wastes have significant industrial and societal value; however, they are highly unstable and frequently collapse due to the accumulation of ammonia. We report the discovery of a novel uncultured...
Editor's Pick Minireview | Applied and Environmental ScienceWhat Have We Learned about the Microbiomes of Indoor Environments?The advent and application of high-throughput molecular techniques for analyzing microbial communities in the indoor environment have led to illuminating findings and are beginning to change the way we think about human health in relation to the built environment. Here I review recent studies on the microbiology of the built environment, organize their findings into 12 major thematic categories, and comment on how these studies have or...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceMultiplexed Metagenomic Deep Sequencing To Analyze the Composition of High-Priority Pathogen ReagentsBoth the integrity and reproducibility of experiments using select agents depend in large part on unbiased validation to ensure the correct identity and purity of the species in question. Metagenomic deep sequencing (MDS) provides the required level of validation by allowing for an unbiased and comprehensive assessment of all the microbes in a laboratory stock.
Editor's Pick Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceZonal Soil Type Determines Soil Microbial Responses to Maize Cropping and FertilizationMicrobial communities are essential drivers of soil functional processes such as nitrification and heterotrophic respiration. Although there is initial evidence revealing the importance of soil type in shaping microbial communities, there has been no in-depth, comprehensive survey to robustly establish it as a major determinant of microbial community composition, functional gene structure, or ecosystem functioning. We examined bacterial...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceUrban Transit System Microbial Communities Differ by Surface Type and Interaction with Humans and the EnvironmentMass transit environments, specifically, urban subways, are distinct microbial environments with high occupant densities, diversities, and turnovers, and they are thus especially relevant to public health. Despite this, only three culture-independent subway studies have been performed, all since 2013 and all with widely differing designs and conclusions. In this study, we profiled the Boston subway system, which provides 238 million...