Latest Articles
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceluxR Homolog-Linked Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in ProteobacteriaBacteria biosynthesize specialized metabolites with a variety of ecological functions, including defense against other microbes. Genes that code for specialized metabolite biosynthetic enzymes are frequently clustered together. These BGCs are often regulated by a transcription factor encoded within the cluster itself. These pathway-specific regulators respond to a signal or indirectly through other means of environmental sensing. Many...
Research Article | Novel Systems Biology TechniquesDeveloping a Bacteroides System for Function-Based Screening of DNA from the Human Gut MicrobiomeHuman gut microbiome research has been supported by advances in DNA sequencing that make it possible to obtain gigabases of sequence data from metagenomes but is limited by a lack of knowledge of gene function that leads to incomplete annotation of these data sets. There is a need for the development of methods that can provide experimental data regarding microbial gene function. Functional metagenomics is one such method, but...
Special Issue Perspective | Host-Microbe BiologyCan Diet Influence Our Health by Altering Intestinal Microbiota-Derived Fecal Metabolites?The human gastrointestinal tract harbors a diverse, highly mutualistic microbial flora which could produce a myriad of specialized metabolites. These specialized metabolites are the chemical cellphones that gut microflora use to communicate with their human host and could potentially be used to cure diseases.
Special Issue Perspective | Applied and Environmental ScienceRevival of Archaeal Methane MicrobiologyThe methane concentration in the Earth’s atmosphere is rising, and, as methane is a potent greenhouse gas, it contributes considerably to climate change. It is produced by methanogenic archaea that thrive in anoxic habitats and can be oxidized by methane-oxidizing bacteria or archaea.
Special Issue Perspective | Host-Microbe BiologyRole of the Gut Microbiome in Vertebrate EvolutionDarwin referred to life as a struggle. Organisms compete for limited resources in nature, and their traits influence the outcome.
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.
Special Issue Perspective | Host-Microbe BiologyInsect Transmission of Plant Pathogens: a Systems Biology PerspectiveInsect-vectored pathogens pose one of the greatest threats to plant and animal, including human, health on a global scale. Few effective control strategies have been developed to thwart the transmission of any insect-transmitted pathogen.
Special Issue Perspective | Novel Systems Biology TechniquesToward Personalized Control of Human Gut Bacterial CommunitiesA key challenge in microbiology will be developing tools for manipulating human gut bacterial communities. Our ability to predict and control the dynamics of these communities is now in its infancy.
Special Issue Perspective | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceUnderstanding Microbiome Stability in a Changing WorldMicrobiomes underpin biogeochemical processes, sustain the bases of food webs, and recycle carbon and nutrients. Thus, microbes are frontline players in determining ecosystem responses to environmental change.
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyEvolution of Bacterial Global Modulators: Role of a Novel H-NS Paralogue in the Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Strain 042Global regulators such as H-NS play key relevant roles enabling bacterial cells to adapt to a changing environment. H-NS modulates both core and horizontally transferred (HGT) genes, but the mechanism by which H-NS can differentially regulate these genes remains to be elucidated. There are several instances of bacterial cells carrying genes that encode homologues of the global regulators. The question is what the roles of these proteins...