latest research topics on microbiology

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Microbiology articles from across Nature Portfolio

Microbiology is the study of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi and protozoa. This discipline includes fundamental research on the biochemistry, physiology, cell biology, ecology, evolution and clinical aspects of microorganisms, including the host response to these agents.

Lessons from birth to decline of pig-adapted Salmonella

The intensification of livestock farming and related global trade are increasingly linked to the expansion of endemic bacterial pathogens, including zoonotic transfers to people. To preserve food security and public health, it is imperative to find measures that counter this trend.

• Lucy A. Weinert
• A. W. (Dan) Tucker

The dream of electronic newspapers becomes a reality — in 1974

Efforts to develop an electronic newspaper providing information at the touch of a button took a step forward 50 years ago, and airborne bacteria in the London Underground come under scrutiny, in the weekly dip into Nature ’s archive.

Dad’s gut microbes matter for pregnancy health and baby’s growth

Altering gut bacteria in male mice revealed that microorganisms are needed for normal sperm development and offspring health. Scientists discuss the implications in terms of understanding microbes, male fertility and pregnancy.

• Liisa Veerus
• Martin J. Blaser
• Eldin Jašarević

Related Subjects

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• Microbial communities
• CRISPR-Cas systems
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• Phage biology
• Policy and public health in microbiology

Latest Research and Reviews

Plasmid targeting and destruction by the ddmde bacterial defence system.

• Jack P. K. Bravo
• Delisa A. Ramos
• David W. Taylor

Genomic properties of a Bartonella quintana strain from Japanese macaque ( Macaca fuscata ) revealed by genome comparison with human and rhesus macaque strains

• Shingo Sato
• Emu Nishioka
• Soichi Maruyama

Microbial dark matter could add uncertainties to metagenomic trait estimations

• Ernest D. Osburn
• Steven G. McBride
• Michael S. Strickland

Evaluation of pretreatment methods for filamentous fungal detection

• Xiaoli Jiang
• Daiwen Xiao

Impact of socioeconomic factors on soil-borne animal pathogenic fungi in urban greenspaces

Pathogenic fungi, such as Candida , cause millions of human deaths each year. This study found that the soil in urban greenspaces is one source and that socioeconomic factors, such as wealth and medical infrastructure, can predict the diversity and composition of these pathogens in city park soil.

• Shuhong Luo
• Youzhi Feng

Reply to: Microbial dark matter could add uncertainties to metagenomic trait estimations

• Gabin Piton
• Steven D. Allison
• Adam C. Martiny

News and Comment

Gut bacteria switch A and B blood types to ‘universal’

Enzymes produced by Akkermansia muciniphila generated group O blood by degrading A and B antigens, which could help solve blood donor shortages in the future.

• Karen O’Leary

A mosquito symbiont controls flaviviruses

In this study, Zhang et al. report that a bacterial symbiont residing in the gut of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes protects them from flavivirus infection.

• Agustina Taglialegna

How ignorance and gender inequality thwart treatment of a widespread illness

Tens of millions of people have female genital schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease that few physicians have even heard of. Efforts are under way to move it out of obscurity and empower women and girls to access sexual and reproductive health care.

• Claire Ainsworth

Bird flu in US cows: where will it end?

Scientists worry that the H5N1 strain of avian influenza will become endemic in cattle, which would aid its spread in people.

• Sara Reardon

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A culture-independent approach, supervised machine learning, and the characterization of the microbial community composition of coastal areas across the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea

Coastal areas are subject to various anthropogenic and natural influences. In this study, we investigated and compared the characteristics of two coastal regions, Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Goa (GA), focusing on ...

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Interactions between host and gut microbiota in gestational diabetes mellitus and their impacts on offspring

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is characterized by insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation, and most studies have demonstrated gut dysbiosis in GDM pregnancies. Overall, they were manifested as a re...

The effect of fecal microbiota transplantation on antibiotic-associated diarrhea and its impact on gut microbiota

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) refers to symptoms of diarrhea that cannot be explained by other causes after the use of antibiotics. AAD is thought to be caused by a disruption of intestinal ecology due ...

Exploring the diversity and evolutionary strategies of prophages in Hyphomicrobiales, comparing animal-associated with non-animal-associated bacteria

The Hyphomicrobiales bacterial order (previously Rhizobiales) exhibits a wide range of lifestyle characteristics, including free-living, plant-association, nitrogen-fixing, and association with animals ( Bartonell...

Antibiotic-induced microbiome depletion promotes intestinal colonization by Campylobacter jejuni in mice

To establish a method to induce Campylobacter jejuni colonization in the intestines of C57BL/6 mice through antibiotic-induced microbiome depletion.

Response mechanisms of different Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains to succinic acid

The production of succinic acid (SA) from biomass has attracted worldwide interest. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is preferred for SA production due to its strong tolerance to low pH conditions, ease of genetic manipu...

Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of Clostridium perfringens strains isolated from mastitis and enteritis in Egyptian dairy farms

Clostridium perfringens , a common environmental bacterium, is responsible for a variety of serious illnesses including food poisoning, digestive disorders, and soft tissue infections. Mastitis in lactating cattle...

Genetic recombination-mediated evolutionary interactions between phages of potential industrial importance and prophages of their hosts within or across the domains of Escherichia, Listeria , Salmonella, Campylobacter , and Staphylococcus

The in-depth understanding of the role of lateral genetic transfer (LGT) in phage-prophage interactions is essential to rationalizing phage applications for human and animal therapy, as well as for food and en...

Antimicrobial and anti-biofilm properties of oleuropein against Escherichia coli and fluconazole-resistant isolates of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata

Side effects associated with antimicrobial drugs, as well as their high cost, have prompted a search for low-cost herbal medicinal substances with fewer side effects. These substances can be used as supplement...

Differences in archaeal diversity and potential ecological functions between saline and hypersaline lakes on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were driven by multiple environmental and non-environmental factors beyond the salinity

Saline lakes are home to various archaea that play special and crucial roles in the global biogeochemical cycle. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau hosts a large number of lakes with diverse salinity ranging from 0.1 t...

Prevalence and molecular characterization of colistin resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates: insights from a study in Ardabil hospitals

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common cause of nosocomial infections. However, the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains has complicated the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections. While polymyxins have been the m...

Metabolomics reveals high fructose-1,6-bisphosphate from fluoride-resistant Streptococcus mutans

Fluoride-resistant Streptococcus mutans ( S. mutans ) strains have developed due to the wide use of fluoride in dental caries prevention. However, the metabolomics of fluoride-resistant S. mutans remains unclear.

Human nasal microbiota shifts in healthy and chronic respiratory disease conditions

An increasing number of studies investigate various human microbiotas and their roles in the development of diseases, maintenance of health states, and balanced signaling towards the brain. Current data demons...

Seasonal meropenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii and influence of temperature-driven adaptation

Recognition of seasonal trends in bacterial infection and drug resistance rates may enhance diagnosis, direct therapeutic strategies, and inform preventive measures. Limited data exist on the seasonal variabil...

Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of urinary tract infections causing bacterial isolates and associated risk factors among HIV patients in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Urinary tract infections, a prevalent global infectious disease, are clinical issues not well studied in HIV-positive individuals. UTIs have become a global drug resistance issue, but the prevalence and antibi...

Connection of pre-competition anxiety with gut microbiota and metabolites in wrestlers with varying sports performances based on brain-gut axis theory

The purpose of this study is to investigate the connection of pre-competition anxiety with gut microbiota and metabolites in wrestlers with different sports performances.

High-resolution genomics identifies pneumococcal diversity and persistence of vaccine types in children with community-acquired pneumonia in the UK and Ireland

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a global cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and invasive disease in children. The CAP-IT trial (grant No. 13/88/11;

Epidemiological and Genomic analysis of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from imported travelers at the port of Shanghai, China (2017-2019)

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the predominant etiological agent of seafood-associated foodborne illnesses on a global scale. It is essential to elucidate the mechanisms by which this pathogen disseminates. Given the...

Detection of bla KPC gene among carbapenemase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from different clinical specimens at tertiary care hospital of Nepal

Klebsiella pneumoniae infections have become a major cause of hospital acquired infection worldwide with the increased rate of acquisition of resistance to antibiotics. Carbapenem resistance mainly among Gram ne...

Survival of highly related ESBL- and pAmpC- producing Escherichia coli in broiler farms identified before and after cleaning and disinfection using cgMLST

Broiler chickens are frequently colonized with Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase- (ESBL-) and plasmid mediated AmpC Beta-Lactamase- (pAmpC-) producing Enterobacterales, and we are confronted with the potential ...

Genomic characterization and probiotic potential assessment of an exopolysaccharide-producing strain Pediococcus pentosaceus LL-07 isolated from fermented meat

The genomic information available for Pediococcus pentosaceus is primarily derived from fermented fruits and vegetables, with less information available from fermented meat. P. pentosaceus LL-07, a strain isolate...

Gut bacterial and fungal dysbiosis in tuberculosis patients

Recent studies have more focused on gut microbial alteration in tuberculosis (TB) patients. However, no detailed study on gut fungi modification has been reported till now. So, current research explores the ch...

Production of kojic acid by Aspergillus flavus OL314748 using box-Behnken statistical design and its antibacterial and anticancer applications using molecular docking technique

Kojic acid is a wonderful fungal secondary metabolite that has several applications in the food, medical, and agriculture sectors. Many human diseases become resistant to normal antibiotics and normal treatmen...

Microbiome signatures associated with clinical stages of gastric Cancer: whole metagenome shotgun sequencing study

Gastric cancer is one of the global health concerns. A series of studies on the stomach have confirmed the role of the microbiome in shaping gastrointestinal diseases. Delineation of microbiome signatures to d...

The characteristics of microbiome in the upper respiratory tract of COVID-19 patients

Co-infection with other pathogens in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients exacerbates disease severity and impacts patient prognosis. Clarifying the exact pathogens co-infected with severe acute respir...

Occurrence, antibiotic resistance profiles and associated risk factors of Klebsiella pneumoniae in poultry farms in selected districts of Somalia Reginal State, Ethiopia

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic infection that causes production losses and death in the chicken industry. A cross-sectional study was conducted on exotic chicken breeds reared at the Jigjiga poultry fa...

High prevalence of multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales carrying extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and AmpC genes isolated from neonatal sepsis in Ahvaz, Iran

In the recent years, multidrug resistant (MDR) neonatal septicemia-causing Enterobacterales has been dramatically increased due to the extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and AmpC enzymes. This study aimed ...

Phenotypic and molecular characterization of β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella species among children discharged from hospital in Western Kenya

The emergence and spread of β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella spp. has been associated with a substantial healthcare burden resulting in therapeutic failures. We sought to describe the proportion of phenotypic res...

Exertional heat stroke-induced changes in gut microbiota cause cognitive impairment in mice

The incidence of exertional heat stroke (EHS) escalates during periods of elevated temperatures, potentially leading to persistent cognitive impairment postrecovery. Currently, effective prophylactic or therap...

Altered microbiome of serum exosomes in patients with acute and chronic cholecystitis

This study aimed to investigate the differences in the microbiota composition of serum exosomes from patients with acute and chronic cholecystitis.

Saliva‑microbiome‑derived signatures: expected to become a potential biomarker for pulmonary nodules (MCEPN-1)

Oral microbiota imbalance is associated with the progression of various lung diseases, including lung cancer. Pulmonary nodules (PNs) are often considered a critical stage for the early detection of lung cance...

The gut microbiota facilitate their host tolerance to extreme temperatures

Exposure to extreme cold or heat temperature is one leading cause of weather-associated mortality and morbidity in animals. Emerging studies demonstrate that the microbiota residing in guts act as an integral ...

Establishment of an in vitro model of monocyte-like THP-1 cells for trained immunity induced by bacillus Calmette-Guérin

Mycobacteria bloodstream infections are common in immunocompromised people and usually have disastrous consequences. As the primary phagocytes in the bloodstream, monocytes and neutrophils play critical roles ...

The distinct cell physiology of Bradyrhizobium at the population and cellular level

The α-Proteobacteria belonging to Bradyrhizobium genus are microorganisms of extreme slow growth. Despite their extended use as inoculants in soybean production, their physiology remains poorly characterized. In ...

Decoding the role of oxidative stress resistance and alternative carbon substrate assimilation in the mature biofilm growth mode of Candida glabrata

Biofilm formation is viewed as a vital mechanism in C. glabrata pathogenesis. Although, it plays a significant role in virulence but transcriptomic architecture and metabolic pathways governing the biofilm growth...

Occurrence, antimicrobial susceptibility, and resistance genes of Staphylococcus aureus in milk and milk products in the Arsi highlands of Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, milk production and handling practices often lack proper hygiene measures, leading to the potential contamination of milk and milk products with Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ), including methicill...

Based on molecular docking and real-time PCR technology, the two-component system Bae SR was investigated on the mechanism of drug resistance in CRAB

This study aimed to explore the role of the two-component system Bae SR in the mechanism of drug resistance in carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) using molecular docking and real-time polymerase chain react...

Genomic characterization and related functional genes of γ- poly glutamic acid producing Bacillus subtilis

γ- poly glutamic acid (γ-PGA), a high molecular weight polymer, is synthesized by microorganisms and secreted into the extracellular space. Due to its excellent performance, γ-PGA has been widely used in vario...

In silico analysis of intestinal microbial instability and symptomatic markers in mice during the acute phase of severe burns

Severe burns may alter the stability of the intestinal flora and affect the patient’s recovery process. Understanding the characteristics of the gut microbiota in the acute phase of burns and their association...

The effect of white grub ( Maladera Verticalis ) larvae feeding on rhizosphere microbial characterization of aerobic rice ( Oryza sativa L.) in Puer City, Yunnan Province, China

Rhizosphere microorganisms are vital in plants’ growth and development and these beneficial microbes are recruited to the root-zone soil when experiencing various environmental stresses. However, the effect of...

Characterization of genes related to the efflux pump and porin in multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli strains isolated from patients with COVID-19 after secondary infection

Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) is a multidrug resistant opportunistic pathogen that can cause secondary bacterial infections in patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial resistance profi...

Correction: Uncovering the complexity of childhood undernutrition through strain‑level analysis of the gut microbiome

The original article was published in BMC Microbiology 2024 24 :73

Optimization of fermentation conditions and medium components for chrysomycin a production by Streptomyces sp. 891-B6

Chrysomycin A (CA) is a promising antibiotic for treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections and cancers. In order to enhance CA yield, optimization of fermentation conditions and medium components was car...

Integrative metagenomic analysis reveals distinct gut microbial signatures related to obesity

Obesity is a metabolic disorder closely associated with profound alterations in gut microbial composition. However, the dynamics of species composition and functional changes in the gut microbiome in obesity r...

Ultraviolet C inactivation of Coxiella burnetii for production of a structurally preserved whole cell vaccine antigen

Q fever, a worldwide-occurring zoonotic disease, can cause economic losses for public and veterinary health systems. Vaccines are not yet available worldwide and currently under development. In this regard, it...

Neutrophil extracellular traps formation: effect of Leishmania major promastigotes and salivary gland homogenates of Phlebotomus papatasi in human neutrophil culture

Leishmaniasis as a neglected tropical disease (NTD) is caused by the inoculation of Leishmania parasites via the bite of phlebotomine sand flies. After an infected bite, a series of innate and adaptive immune res...

Assessment of bacterial profile, antimicrobial susceptibility status, and associated factors of isolates among hospitalized patients at Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia

Antimicrobial resistant bacteria among hospitalized patients are becoming a major public health threat worldwide, mainly in developing countries. Infections by these multidrug resistant pathogens cause high ra...

A review of emerging health threats from zoonotic New World mammarenaviruses

Despite repeated spillover transmission and their potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality in human hosts, the New World mammarenaviruses remain largely understudied. These viruses are endemic to...

Impact of Limosilactobacillus fermentum probiotic treatment on gut microbiota composition in sahiwal calves with rotavirus diarrhea: A 16S metagenomic analysis study”

Diarrhea poses a major threat to bovine calves leading to mortality and economic losses. Among the causes of calf diarrhea, bovine rotavirus is a major etiological agent and may result in dysbiosis of gut micr...

Genetic characterizations of Cryptosporidium spp. from children with or without diarrhea in Wenzhou, China: high probability of zoonotic transmission

Cryptosporidium is a highly pathogenic parasite responsible for diarrhea in children worldwide. Here, the epidemiological status and genetic characteristics of Cryptosporidium in children with or without diarrhea...

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Microbiology

See What Gives Sourdough Its Distinctive Taste and Smell

You can thank yeast and bacteria cultivated over generations for the distinctive taste and smell of the oldest leavened bread in history

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Subterranean ‘Microbial Dark Matter’ Reveals a Strange Dichotomy

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Study finds microbiome changes dynamically and favors important host-relevant functions

by Eva Sittig, Kiel University

All multicellular organisms—from the simplest animal and plant organisms to humans—live in close association with a multitude of microorganisms, the so-called microbiome, which colonize their tissues and live in symbiotic relationships with the host.

Many vital functions, such as nutrient uptake, regulation of the immune system, or neurological processes, result from the interactions between the host organism and microbial symbionts. The functional cooperation between host and microorganisms, which scientists refer to as a metaorganism, is being investigated in detail at Kiel University in the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1182 Origin and Function of Metaorganisms.

Scientists suspect that the microbiome can significantly contribute to the environmental adaptation and fitness of an organism as a whole. They see one reason for this in the rapid adaptability of microorganisms, which can react many times faster to changing environmental conditions than the usually slower-evolving host organisms.

How the colonization and composition of the microbiome are established during the individual development of the host organism is the subject of current research.

A team from the Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics research group led by Professor Hinrich Schulenburg at the Zoological Institute at Kiel University, together with other research groups from the CRC 1182 from different faculties and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, has now investigated the dynamics of microbiome colonization.

They found that the microbiome in the nematode's host organism does not have a random composition over a large period of its lifetime, which suggests that the microbial community is the result of directed selection processes. The study is published in mBio .

This assumption is supported by genome analysis of the microbial species in the worm microbiome. Numerous genes were found that are responsible for certain metabolic functions that are important for the host organism and are also relevant in other organisms.

With these results, the Kiel researchers once again show that the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans is particularly well suited as an informative model organism for researching the gut microbiome.

Dynamics of microbiome composition over the lifetime of the nematode

In order to study the development of microbiome composition in C. elegans over time, Dr. Agnes Piecyk, a former researcher in the Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics group, who planned and led the experiments, used a characteristic community of 43 different bacterial species that are typically found in the nematode in nature.

She introduced this microbial community into previously germ-free animals and colonized them on a culture medium in the direct vicinity of the worms and in separate Petri dishes without any contact with the animals. The researchers then analyzed how the composition of this experimental microbial community changed under various conditions over the course of around a week at six individual points in time—which corresponds to the average lifespan of the threadworms.

In the course of the experiment, it became apparent that time only played a prominent role in the host-associated microbial communities, i.e., the bacteria living in the worms. "Their composition changed in such a way that some specific bacterial species appeared more frequently," says Dr. Johannes Zimmermann, also a researcher in the Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics working group, who analyzed the data.

For example, Ochrobactrum and Enterobacter bacteria accumulate in the worm's gut. "These dynamics cannot be convincingly explained by stochastic, i.e., in principle random, processes. We therefore wanted to find out whether there might be directed processes involved in the dynamic change of the worm microbiome over time," explains Zimmermann.

Genome analysis indicates the selection of certain useful metabolic functions

In the next step, the research team analyzed the genomes of the microorganisms in the worm microbiome containing all the genetic information of the bacterial communities over the worms' lifespan. Interestingly, the researchers found some striking similarities between host-associated microbial communities with genes known from human microbiome research.

"We hypothesize that this is not due to chance but is driven by specific interactions between host and microbiome that affect the microbiome composition at certain points in the host's lifespan.

"A very plausible explanation for the accumulation of certain bacterial species in the worms compared to the control groups could therefore be that the host specifically selects certain bacteria and the functions associated with them, which in turn are advantageous for the host organism," emphasizes Zimmermann.

This hypothesis is further supported by the fact that the favorable microbial functions are universal and go beyond C. elegans, for example, the production of short-chain fatty acids, vitamin B12, or other vital substances.

Model organism for gut microbiome research

Overall, the researchers conclude that due to the dynamics of the microbiome composition over the worm's lifetime, the associated bacterial species evolved certain competitive strategies and that, in particular, those species are favored that provide certain useful functions to the host. In conclusion, the colonizing microorganisms, therefore, seem to be beneficial to the host organism overall and thus help it to adapt to its environment.

"With our new work, we provide important conceptual foundations that expand our understanding of the composition and function of the microbiome and how the host organism influences its composition," says Schulenburg.

"Our study based on the experimental microbial community also shows once again that C. elegans provides us with a valuable model system that is also relevant for understanding fundamental processes in the human gut microbiome and their consequences for health and disease," Schulenburg concludes.

Journal information: mBio

Provided by Kiel University

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Turning microbiome research into a force for health

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The microbiome comprises trillions of microorganisms living on and inside each of us. Historically, researchers have only guessed at its role in human health, but in the last decade or so, genetic sequencing techniques have illuminated this galaxy of microorganisms enough to study in detail.

As researchers unravel the complex interplay between our bodies and microbiomes, they are beginning to appreciate the full scope of the field’s potential for treating disease and promoting health.

For instance, the growing list of conditions that correspond with changes in the microbes of our gut includes type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and a variety of cancers.

“In almost every disease context that’s been investigated, we’ve found different types of microbial communities, divergent between healthy and sick patients,” says professor of biological engineering Eric Alm. “The promise [of these findings] is that some of those differences are going to be causal, and intervening to change the microbiome is going to help treat some of these diseases.”

Alm’s lab, in conjunction with collaborators at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, did some of the early work characterizing the gut microbiome and showing its relationship to human health. Since then, microbiome research has exploded, pulling in researchers from far-flung fields and setting new discoveries in motion. Startups are now working to develop microbiome-based therapies, and nonprofit organizations have also sprouted up to ensure these basic scientific advances turn into treatments that benefit the maximum number of people.

 “The first chapter in this field, and our history, has been validating this modality,” says Mark Smith PhD ’14, a co-founder of OpenBiome, which processes stool donations for hospitals to conduct stool transplants for patients battling gut infection. Smith is also currently CEO of the startup Finch Therapeutics, which is developing microbiome-based treatments. “Until now, it’s been about the promise of the microbiome. Now I feel like we’ve delivered on the first promise. The next step is figuring out how big this gets.”

An interdisciplinary foundation

MIT’s prominent role in microbiome research came, in part, through its leadership in a field that may at first seem unrelated. For decades, MIT has made important contributions to microbial ecology, led by work in the Parsons Laboratory in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and by scientists including Institute Professor Penny Chisholm.

Ecologists who use complex statistical techniques to study the relationships between organisms in different ecosystems are well-equipped to study the behavior of different bacterial strains in the microbiome.

Not that ecologists — or anyone else — initially had much to study involving the human microbiome, which was essentially a black box to researchers well into the 2000s. But the Human Genome Project led to faster, cheaper ways to sequence genes at scale, and a group of researchers including Alm and visiting professor Martin Polz began using those techniques to decode the genomes of environmental bacteria around 2008.

Those techniques were first pointed at the bacteria in the gut microbiome as part of the Human Microbiome Project, which began in 2007 and involved research groups from MIT and the Broad Institute.

Alm first got pulled into microbiome research by the late biological engineering professor David Schauer as part of a research project with Boston Children’s Hospital. It didn’t take much to get up to speed: Alm says the number of papers explicitly referencing the microbiome at the time could be read in an afternoon.

The collaboration, which included Ramnik Xavier, a core institute member of the Broad Institute, led to the first large-scale genome sequencing of the gut microbiome to diagnose inflammatory bowel disease. The research was funded, in part, by the Neil and Anna Rasmussen Family Foundation.

The study offered a glimpse into the microbiome’s diagnostic potential. It also underscored the need to bring together researchers from diverse fields to dig deeper.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach is important because, after next-generation sequencing techniques are applied to the microbiome, a large amount of computational biology and statistical methods are still needed to interpret the resulting data — the microbiome, after all, contains more genes than the human genome. One catalyst for early microbiome collaboration was the Microbiology Graduate PhD Program, which recruited microbiology students to MIT and introduced them to research groups across the Institute.

As microbiology collaborations increased among researchers from different department and labs, Neil Rasmussen, a longtime member of the MIT Corporation and a member of the visiting committees for a number of departments, realized there was still one more component needed to turn microbiome research into a force for human health.

“Neil had the idea to find all the clinical researchers in the [Boston] area studying diseases associated with the microbiome and pair them up with people like [biological engineers, mathematicians, and ecologists] at MIT who might not know anything about inflammatory bowel disease or microbiomes but had the expertise necessary to solve big problems in the field,” Alm says.

In 2014, that insight led the Rasmussen Foundation to support the creation of the Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics (CMIT), one of the first university-based microbiome research centers in the country. CMIT is based at the MIT Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES).

Tami Lieberman, the Hermann L. F. von Helmholtz Career Development Professor at MIT, whose background is in ecology, says CMIT was a big reason she joined MIT’s faculty in 2018. Lieberman has developed new genomic approaches to study how bacteria mutate in healthy and sick individuals, with a particular focus on the skin microbiome.

Laura Kiessling, a chemist who has been recognized for contributions to our understanding of cell surface interactions, was also quick to join CMIT. Kiessling, the Novartis Professor of Chemistry, has made discoveries relating to microbial mechanisms that influence immune function. Both Lieberman and Kiessling are also members of the Broad Institute.

Today, CMIT, co-directed by Alm and Xavier, facilitates collaborations between researchers and clinicians from hospitals around the country in addition to supporting research groups in the area. That work has led to hundreds of ongoing clinical trials that promise to further elucidate the microbiome’s connection to a broad range of diseases.

Fulfilling the promise of the microbiome

Researchers don’t yet know what specific strains of bacteria can improve the health of people with microbiome-associated diseases. But they do know that fecal matter transplants, which carry the full spectrum of gut bacteria from a healthy donor, can help patients suffering from certain diseases.

The nonprofit organization OpenBiome, founded by a group from MIT including Smith and Alm, launched in 2012 to help expand access to fecal matter transplants by screening donors for stool collection then processing, storing, and shipping samples to hospitals. Today OpenBiome works with more than 1,000 hospitals, and its success in the early days of the field shows that basic microbiome research, when paired with clinical trials like those happening at CMIT, can quickly lead to new treatments.

“You start with a disease, and if there’s a microbiome association, you can start a small trial to see if fecal transplants can help patients right away,” Alm explains. “If that becomes an effective treatment, while you’re rolling it out you can be doing the genomics to figure out how to make it better. So you can translate therapeutics into patients more quickly than when you’re developing small-molecule drugs.”

Another nonprofit project launched out of MIT, the Global Microbiome Conservancy, is collecting stool samples from people living nonindustrialized lifestyles around the world, whose guts have much different bacterial makeups and thus hold potential for advancing our understanding of host-microbiome interactions.

A number of private companies founded by MIT alumni are also trying to harness individual microbes to create new treatments, including, among others, Finch Therapeutics founded by Mark Smith; Concerto Biosciences, co-founded by Jared Kehe PhD ’20 and Bernardo Cervantes PhD ’20; BiomX, founded by Associate Professor Tim Lu; and Synlogic, founded by Lu and Jim Collins, the Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering and Science at MIT.

“There’s an opportunity to more precisely change a microbiome,” explains CMIT’s Lieberman. “But there’s a lot of basic science to do to figure out how to tweak the microbiome in a targeted way. Once we figure out how to do that, the therapeutic potential of the microbiome is quite limitless.”

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Marine bacteria team up to produce a vital vitamin

Researchers shed light on complex interplay in vitamin b12 synthesis.

A German-American research team led by microbiologist Dr Gerrit Wienhausen from the University of Oldenburg (Germany) has come an important step closer to a better understanding of highly complex interactions between marine microorganisms. The researchers conducted various experiments to analyse the interaction between two species of marine bacteria from the North Sea in the synthesis of vitamin B 12 , and have now published their findings in the scientific journal Nature .

Vitamin B 12 is a vital but scarce commodity in the sea (and elsewhere). It is essential not only for the metabolism of the two bacteria investigated in this study, but for many other marine organisms. "Half of all algal species cannot survive without this vitamin," Wienhausen explains. Yet like humans, algae cannot produce B 12 themselves. So the researchers from the University of Oldenburg and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego (USA) were eager to take a closer look at B 12 synthesis in marine bacteria.

While certain bacterial strains are known as vitamin B 12 producers, this research project focused on two strains of the Roseovarius and Colwellia genera that each produce just one of the two building blocks of vitamin B 12 , meaning that they can only synthesise the substance in cooperation with each other. "It's fascinating how complex the interactions between bacteria can be," emphasises Wienhausen with reference to the new study, which was conducted as part of the Roseobacter Collaborative Research Centre headed by Oldenburg microbiologist Prof. Dr Meinhard Simon, who also co-authored the current publication.

Complex interactions between two strains of bacteria

Using complex lab experiments and cutting-edge analytical tools, the researchers were able to explore the interactions between the two bacterial strains in detail. According to their findings, bacteria of the Colwellia strain M166 synthesise the smaller building block for vitamin B 12 and release it into the surrounding water. For their part, the bacteria of the Roseovarius strain M141 not only produce the larger building block -- which is the main component -- but are also able to synthesise the B 12 that both bacterial strains require from the combination of the two building blocks.

However, the Roseovarius strain doesn't release the vitamin on its own, but only once Colwellia activates a virus encoded in the bacterial genome of its co-producer and the virus multiplies. The resulting viral infection causes some of the affected Roseovarius bacteria to burst, and vitamin B 12 is released alongside the virus, thus becoming available to Colwellia (and possibly other marine organisms, too). "This fine-tuned cross-feeding of metabolic building blocks and products may not only be relevant in marine microbial communities but also in other ecosystems," the researchers from the Oldenburg Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography report in Nature .

"We were able to demonstrate for the first time that two bacteria only synthesise B 12 in cooperation with each other," says Wienhausen. "Such a complex form of interaction between bacteria was previously unknown."

More than 60 researchers from Oldenburg, Braunschweig, Göttingen and Bonn investigated the bacteria of the Roseobacter group over the past 13 years within the Transregional Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) Roseobacter, which is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). These bacteria are found in all marine habitats -- from the tropics to the polar seas and from the sea surface to the deep sea. Among other achievements, the researchers have discovered many new strains and described their distribution and functional biogeography in the world's oceans for the first time. More than 280 scientific articles based on research conducted within the context of the CRC have been published to date.

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• Microbiology
• Marine Biology
• Oceanography
• Geochemistry
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• Essential nutrient
• Marine biology

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Materials provided by University of Oldenburg . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Gerrit Wienhausen, Cristina Moraru, Stefan Bruns, Den Quoc Tran, Sabiha Sultana, Heinz Wilkes, Leon Dlugosch, Farooq Azam, Meinhard Simon. Ligand cross-feeding resolves bacterial vitamin B12 auxotrophies . Nature , 2024; DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07396-y

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Six Key Topics in Microbiology: 2019

Read an essential collection of papers showcasing high-quality content from across the five FEMS Journals, which together provide an overview of current research trends in microbiology. Follow the topic area links below for access to articles:

• Antimicrobial Resistance

Environmental Microbiology

Pathogenicity & virulence, biotechnology & synthetic biology, microbiomes, food microbiology, antimicrobial resistance.

Effects of sample preservation and DNA extraction on enumeration of antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater An-Dong Li, Jacob W Metch, Yulin Wang, Emily Garner, An Ni Zhang, Maria V Riquelme, Peter J Vikesland, Amy Pruden, Tong Zhang FEMS Microbilogy Ecology , DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fix189 First published online: 1 February 2018

Occurrence and abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in agricultural soil receiving dairy manure Chad W McKinney, Robert S Dungan, Amber Moore, April B Leytem FEMS Microbiology Ecology , DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy010; First published online: 1 March 2018

Environmental factors influencing the development and spread of antibiotic resistance Johan Bengtsson-Palme, Erik Kristiansson, D G Joakim Larsson FEMS Microbiology Reviews , DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fux053 First published online: 01 January 2018

Comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses unveil novel features of azole resistnce and adaptation to the human host in Candida glabrata Sara Barbosa Salazar, Can Wang, Martin Münsterkötter, Michiyo Okamoto, Azusa Takahashi-Nakaguchi, Hiroji Chibana, Maria Manuel Lopes, Ulrich Güldener, Geraldine Butler, Nuno Pereira Mira FEMS Yeast Research , DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/fox079 First published online: 01 February 2018

How proteases from Enterococcus faecalis contribute to its resistance to short a-helical antimicrobial peptides Ondrej Nešuta, Miloš Budešínský, Romana Hadravová, Lenka Monincová, Jana Humpolicková, Václav Cerovský FEMS Pathogens and Disease , DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftx091 First published online: 29 September 2017

Ice algal bloom development on the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet C J Williamson, A M Anesio, J Cook, A Tedstone, E Poniecka, A Holland, D Fagan, M Tranter, M L Yallop FEMS Microbiology Ecology DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy025 First published online: 01 March 2018

Investigation of viable taxa in the deep terrestrial biosphere suggests high rates of nutrient recycling Margarita Lopez-Fernandez, Elias Broman, Stephanie Turner, Xiaofen Wu, Stefan Bertilsson, Mark Dopson FEMS Microbiology Ecology , DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy121 First published online: 01 August 2018

Soil Protists: a fertile frontier in soil biology research Stefan Geisen, Edward A D Mitchell, Sina Adl, Michael Bonkowski, Micah Dunthorn, Flemming Ekelund, Leonardo D Fernández, Alexandre Jousset, Valentyna Krashevska, David Singer, Frederick W Spiegel, Julia Walochnik, Enrique Lara FEMS Microbiology Reviews , DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuy006 First published online: 01 May 2018

Vector-borne diseases and climate change: a European perspective Jan C Semenza, Jonathan E Suk FEMS Microbiology Letters , DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnx244 First published online: 01 January 2018

Beyond nitrogen metabolism: nitric oxide, cyclic-di- GMP and bacterial biofilms Serena Rinaldo, Giorgio Giardina, Federico Mantoni, Alessio Paone, Francesca Cutruzzolàr FEMS Microbiology Letters , DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny029 First published online: 01 March 2018

Bacterial-fungal interactions: ecology, mechanisms and challenges Aurélie Deveau, Gregory Bonito, Jessie Uehling, Mathieu Paoletti, Matthias Becker, Saskia Bindschedler, Stéphane Hacquard, Vincent Hervé, Jessy Labbé, Olga A Lastovetsky, Sophie Mieszkin, Larry J Millet, Balázs Vajna, Pilar Junier, Paola Bonfante, Bastiaan P Krom, Stefan Olsson, Jan Dirk van Elsas, Lukas Y Wick FEMS Microbiology Reviews , DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuy008 First published online: 01 May 2018

The human cytomegalovirus terminase complex as an antiviral target: a close-up view G Ligat, R Cazal, S Hantz, S Alain; FEMS Microbiology Reviews , DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuy004 First published online: 01 March 2018

Molecular variability and genetic structure of white spot syndrome virus strains from northwest Mexico based on the analysis of genomes Delia Patricia Parrilla-Taylor, Norberto Vibanco-Pérez, Maria de Jesús Durán-Avelar, Bruno Gomez- Gil, Raúl Llera-Herrera, Ricardo Vázquez-Juárez FEMS Microbiology Letters , DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny216 First published online: 01 October 2018

The first known virus isolates from Antarctic sea ice have complex infection patterns Anne-Mari Luhtanen, Eeva Eronen-Rasimus, Hanna M Oksanen, Jean-Louis Tison, Bruno Delille, Gerhard S Dieckmann, Janne-Markus Rintala, Dennis H Bamford FEMS Microbiology Ecology , DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy028 First published online: 1 April 2018

Host-pathogen redox dynamics modulate Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis Hayden T Pacl, Vineel P Reddy, Vikram Saini, Krishna C Chinta, Adrie J C Steyn FEMS Pathogens and Disease , DOI: 10.1093/femspd/fty036 First published online: 01 July 2018

The CRISPR-Cas system in Enterobacteriaceae Liliana Medina-Aparicio, Sonia Dávila, Javier E Rebollar-Flores, Edmundo Calva, Ismael Hernández- Lucas FEMS Pathogens and Disease , DOI: 10.1093/femspd/fty002 First published online: 01 February 2018

Mycobacterial biomaterials and resources for researchers Manzour Hernando Hazbón, Leen Rigouts, Marco Schito, Matthew Ezewudo, Takuji Kudo, Takashi Itoh, Moriya Ohkuma, Katalin Kiss, Linhuan Wu, Juncai Ma, Moriyuki Hamada, Michael Strong, Max Salfinger ,Charles L Daley, Jerry A Nick, Jung-Sook Lee, Nalin Rastogi, David Couvin, Raquel Hurtado-Ortiz, Chantal Bizet, Anita Suresh, Timothy Rodwell, Audrey Albertini, Karen A Lacourciere, Ana Deheer- Graham, Sarah Alexander, Julie E Russell, Rebecca Bradford, Marco A Riojas FEMS Pathogens and Disease , DOI: 10.1093/femspd/fty042 First published online: 01 June 2018

Yeast 2.0- connecting the dots in the construction of the world's first functional synthetic eukaryotic genome I S Pretorius, J D Boeke FEMS Yeast Research , DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foy032 First published online: 01 June 2018

Laboratory evolution for forced glucose-xylose co-consumption enables identification of mutations that improve mixed-sugar fermentation by xylose-fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ioannis Papapetridis, Maarten D Verhoeven, Sanne J Wiersma, Maaike Goudriaan, Antonius J A van Maris, Jack T Pronk FEMS Yeast Research , DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foy056 First published online:01 September 2018

State of the art in eukaryotic nitrogenase engineering Stefan Burén, Luis M Rubio FEMS Microbiology Letters , DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnx274 First published online: 01 January 2018

Whole-genome sequencing based characterization of antimicrobial resistance in Enterococcus Gregory H Tyson, Jonathan L Sabo, Crystal Rice-Trujillo, Jacqueline Hernandez, Patrick F McDermott FEMS Pathogens and Disease , DOI: 10.1093/femspd/fty018 First published online: 01 March 2018

Biofilm growth and control in cooling water industrial systems F Di Pippo, L Di Gregorio, R Congestri, V Tandoi, S Rossetti FEMS Microbiology Ecology , DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy044 First published online: 01 May 2018

Novel sequencing technologies to support industrial biotechnology Adalberto Costessi, Bartholomeus van den Bogert, Ali May, Emiel Ver Loren van Themaat, Johannes A Roubos, Marc A B Kolkman, Derek Butler, Walter Pirovano FEMS Microbiology Letters , DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny103 First published online: 01 August 2018

Influenza A virus subtype H9N2 infection disrupts the composition of intestinal microbiota of chickens Alexander Yitbarek, J Scott Weese, Tamiru Negash Alkie, John Parkinson, Shayan Sharif FEMS Microbiology Ecology , DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fix165 First published online: 01 January 2018

Pathogens, microbiome and the host: emergence of the ecological Koch's postulates Pascale Vonaesch, Mark Anderson, Philippe J Sansonetti FEMS Microbiology Reviews , DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuy003 First published online: 09 January 2018

Talk to your gut: the oral-gut microbiome axis and its immunomodulatory role in the etiology of rheumatoid arthritis Marines du Teil Espina, Giorgio Gabarrini, Hermie J M Harmsen, Johanna Westra, Arie Jan van Winkelhoff, Jan Maarten van Dijl FEMS Microbiology Reviews , DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuy035 First published online: 01 January 2019

Shift of hindgut microbiota and microbial short chain fatty acids profiles in dairy calves from birth to pre-weaning Yang Song, Nilusha Malmuthuge, Michael A Steele, Le Luo Guan FEMS Microbiology Ecology , DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fix179 First published online: 01 March 2018

The Smallest Intestine (TSI)- a low volume in vitro model of the small intenstine with increased throughput T Cieplak, M Wiese, S Nielsen, T Van de Wiele, F van den Berg, D S Nielsen FEMS Microbiology Letters , DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny231 First published online: 01 November 2018

Saccharomyces cerevisiae variety diastaticus friend or foe? - spoilage potential and brewing ability of different Saccharomyces cerevisiae variety diastaticus yeast isolates by genetic, phenotypic and physiological characterization Tim Meier-Dörnberg, Oliver Ingo Kory, Fritz Jacob, Maximilian Michel, Mathias Hutzler FEMS Yeast Research , DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foy023 First published online: 01 June 2018

Trans-regulation and localization of orthologous maltose transporters in the interspecies lager yeast hybrid Virve Vidgren, Brian Gibson FEMS Yeast Research , DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foy065 First published online: 01 September 2018

Fermentation performances and aroma production of non-conventional wine yeasts are influenced by nitrogen preferences Stéphanie Rollero, Audrey Bloem, Anne Ortiz-Julien, Carole Camarasa, Benoit Divol FEMS Yeast Research , DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foy055 First published online: 01 August 2018

Community-led comparative genomic and phenotypic analysis of the aquaculture pathogen Pseudomonas baetica a390T sequenced by Ion semiconductor and Nanopore technologies Ainsley Beaton, Cédric Lood, Edward Cunningham-Oakes, Alison MacFadyen, Alex J Mullins, Walid El Bestawy, João Botelho, Sylvie Chevalier, Shannon Coleman, Chloe Dalzell, Stephen K Dolan, Alberto Faccenda, Maarten G K Ghequire, Steven Higgins, Alexander Kutschera, Jordan Murray, Martha Redway, Talal Salih, Ana C da Silva, Brian A Smith, Nathan Smits, Ryan Thomson, Stuart Woodcock, Martin Welch, Pierre Cornelis, Rob Lavigne, Vera van Noort, Nicholas P Tucker FEMS Microbiology Letters , DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny069 First published online: 01 May 2018

Antibiotic resistance phenotypes and virulence-associated genes in Escherichia coli isolated from animals and animal food products in Tunisia Souhir Badi, Paola Cremonesi, Mohamed Salah Abbassi, Chourouk Ibrahim, Majdi Snoussi, Giulia Bignoli, Mario Luini, Bianca Castiglioni, Abdennaceur Hassen FEMS Microbiology Letters , DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny088 First published online: 01 May 2018

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News archives, faculty media experts, social media directory, publications, style guidelines, public relations team, requests for public relations services, physiology research symposium spotlights wide array of topics, the annual symposium provides students and fellows an opportunity to present their ongoing research.

The Physiology Research Symposium spotlighted the diverse range of important research underway by students, fellows, and research associates of the Department of Physiology on May 3. The presentations ranged from the non-invasive mapping of cortical microvasculature dilation and opioid-responsive orexin neuron ensembles to the impairment of placental development caused by maternal undernourishment and long-term disruption of cortical vascular networks by neuronal hyperexcitability during postnatal brain development.

Each research presentation was well received by those in attendance and provoked thoughtful questions from faculty. The half-day conference concluded with closing remarks by Christopher Leonard, Ph.D., interim chair and professor of the Department of Physiology.

“A critical component of scientific inquiry is the opportunity to engage with an informed community who will scrutinize our methods, reasoning, and evidence,” said Dr. Leonard. “Our annual research symposium provides this opportunity for our talented students and fellows who presented their ongoing research, in various stages of development, to the entire physiology community. This was a great opportunity for everyone to catch up with our neighbor’s work and to provide feedback to help advance their science. I want to thank all the participants whose contributions made this a vibrant and successful event, especially Marcello Rota, Ph.D., associate professor of physiology, and Jeanne Chamas for their outstanding efforts in organizing the symposium.”

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Microbiology - research topics.

The following Research Topics are led by experts in their field and contribute to the scientific understanding of microbiology. These Research topics are published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Microbiology , as open access articles .

Roles of RNA in Host-Microbiome Interactions and Impact on Human Diseases

Background: The range of microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses) that can comprise the microbiota in different living beings and ecosystems are being reported to affect the host’s physiology and health.

Forest Microbiome: Dynamics and Interactions in the Anthropocene Era

Background: Forests encompass around 40.6 million km2 of the Earth's surface, making them a vital component of our ecosystem. Not only do they contribute to reducing carbon footprints and influencing biogeochemical cycles, but...

Microbial Phytoremediation of Soil and Sediment Pollution: Mechanism, Application and Prospect

Background: Soil and sediment pollution caused by various contaminants, including heavy metals, organic pollutants, and other toxic substances, poses significant threats to environmental quality and human health.

Exploring the Depths: Marine-Derived Antimicrobials as New Frontiers in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) presents a critical challenge, surpassing deaths from HIV and malaria, with a forecast of 10 million annual deaths by 2050.

Omics Technologies and Bioinformatic Tools in Probiotic Research

Background: Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) that can exert beneficial health effects in the gut and extra-intestinal sites when consumed in sufficient quantity.

Microbial Biotechnologies for Efficient Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery

Background: Microorganisms play a pivotal role in both natural and engineered ecosystems. The Conventional Activated Sludge (CAS) process, an engineered ecosystem, has been an important component of modern sanitation systems used to treat domestic...

Microbial-Mediated Induced Resistance: Interactive Effects for Improving Crop Health

Background: The current population of the Earth, which is approximately 7.88 billion, is projected to reach 9.8 billion by the year 2050. In order to accommodate this growth, it is crucial that we prepare for the increased demand for food.

Reviews in Molecular Evolution of Infectious Agents and Diseases

The current research topic aims to publish high-quality scholarly review papers on key topics in molecular epidemiology and evolution of infectious pathogens.

Bacteriophages, Prophages, and Their Products: Regulating Bacterial Populations

Background: Bacteriophages represent the most abundant biological entities in the biosphere and play a crucial role in controlling the number and biodiversity of bacterial populations.

Extremophiles: Environmental Adaptation Mechanisms, Modification to Synthetic Biology, and Industrial Application

Background: Extremophiles are unique microorganisms adapted to survive in ecological niches characterized by high or low temperatures, extreme pH, high salt concentrations, and high pressure.

Microorganisms in Tea and Tea Beverages

Background: Tea is one of the most popular and widely consumed beverages in the world, and microorganisms are closely related to the tea industry.

Artificial Intelligence in Pathogenic Microorganism Research

Background: Infections caused by pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other eukaryotic microbes, seriously threaten human health.

Climate is Changing: Harnessing Plant-Microbe Interactions For Sustainable Agriculture in Arid Areas

This Research Topic aims to compile the latest information and innovations in the field of plant-microbe interaction research.