genomics
Research Article | Novel Systems Biology TechniquesQuantifying and Understanding Well-to-Well Contamination in Microbiome ResearchMicrobiome research has uncovered magnificent biological and chemical stories across nearly all areas of life science, at times creating controversy when findings reveal fantastic descriptions of microbes living and even thriving in what were once thought to be sterile environments. Scientists have refuted many of these claims because of contamination, which has led to robust requirements, including the use of controls, for validating...
Special Issue Perspective | Applied and Environmental SciencePrecision Food Safety: a Paradigm Shift in Detection and Control of Foodborne PathogensThe implementation of whole-genome sequencing in food safety has revolutionized foodborne pathogen tracking and outbreak investigations. The vast amounts of genomic data that are being produced through ongoing surveillance efforts continue advancing our understanding of pathogen diversity and genome biology.
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyGenomic Characterization and Virulence Potential of Two Fusarium oxysporum Isolates Cultured from the International Space StationThis is the first study to isolate and characterize F. oxysporum isolates from a built environment, as well as one that has been exposed to space. The characterization and analysis of these two genomes may have important implications for the medical, agricultural, and food industries as well as for the health of the crew who coinhabit the ISS with these strains.
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Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyMinor Isozymes Tailor Yeast Metabolism to Carbon AvailabilityGene duplication is one of the main evolutionary paths to new protein function. Typically, duplicated genes either accumulate mutations and degrade into pseudogenes or are retained and diverge in function. Some duplicated genes, however, show long-term persistence without apparently acquiring new function. An important class of isozymes consists of those that catalyze the same reaction in the same compartment, where knockout of one...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologySpecies Designations Belie Phenotypic and Genotypic Heterogeneity in Oral StreptococciRepresentative type strains are commonly used to characterize bacterial species, yet species are phenotypically and genotypically heterogeneous. Conclusions about strain physiology and activity based on a single strain therefore may be inappropriate and misleading. When selecting strains for probiotic use, the assumption that all strains within a species share the same desired probiotic characteristics may result in selection of a...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceUsing Core Genome Alignments To Assign Bacterial SpeciesWith the increasing availability of genome sequences, we sought to develop and apply a robust, portable, and high-resolution method for the assignment of genera and species designations that can recapitulate classically defined taxonomic designations. Using cutoffs derived from the lengths and sequence identities of core genome alignments along with phylogenetic analyses, we sought to evaluate or reevaluate genus- and species-level...
Special Issue Perspective | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceSeven Billion Microcosms: Evolution within Human MicrobiomesRational microbiome-based therapies may one day treat a wide range of diseases and promote wellness. Yet, we are still limited in our abilities to employ such therapies and to predict which bacterial strains have the potential to stably colonize a person.
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceSignatures of Selection at Drug Resistance Loci in Mycobacterium tuberculosisMycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), is a significant burden on global health. Antibiotic treatment imposes strong selective pressure on M. tuberculosis populations. Identifying the mutations that cause drug resistance in...
Research Article | Novel Systems Biology TechniquesMagic Pools: Parallel Assessment of Transposon Delivery Vectors in BacteriaMolecular genetics is indispensable for interrogating the physiology of bacteria. However, the development of a functional genetic system for any given bacterium can be time-consuming. Here, we present a streamlined approach for identifying an effective transposon mutagenesis system for a new bacterium. Our strategy first involves the construction of hundreds of different transposon vector variants, which we term a “magic pool.” The...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceParallel Evolution of Group B Streptococcus Hypervirulent Clonal Complex 17 Unveils New Pathoadaptive MutationsThe incidence of group B Streptococcus (GBS) neonatal disease continues to be a significant cause of concern worldwide. Strains belonging to clonal complex 17 (CC17) are the most frequently responsible for GBS infections in neonates, especially among late-onset disease cases. Therefore, we undertook the largest genomic study of GBS CC17 strains to date to decipher the genetic bases of their remarkable colonization and infection...