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Dynamic Metabolic Regulation and Vitamin C-Mediated Inhibition of Vibrio splendidus Persisters by Single-Cell Raman Spectroscopy

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Highlights • Single-cell Raman spectroscopy coupled with D 2 O labeling was first applied to Vibrio splendidus persisters. • V. splendidus persisters are metabolically active rather than fully dormant. • Persisters show remodeled cellular components with decreased nucleic acids and increased lipids and polysaccharides. • Vitamin C inhibits persisters by suppressing the stringent response, providing a green anti-persister approach. Abstract Persister cells, a multidrug-tolerant bacterial subpopulation, pose challenges to disease control, with research hindered by technical limitations. In this study, single-cell Raman spectroscopy (SCRS) combined with heavy water (D 2 O) labeling was employed to explore the metabolic activity and compositional changes of Vibrio splendidus persisters. Raman analysis revealed distinct biochemical profiles between persisters and normal cells: persisters reduced nucleic acid-related band intensity but increased lipid and polysaccharide-related bands. Usi...
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Sublethal oxytetracycline and copper exposure alters rRNA gene copy number, expression, and intragenomic polymorphism in ciliates

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Highlights • Sublethal oxytetracycline and CuCl 2 elevated per-cell 18S rDNA/rRNA copy numbers, disrupting allometric scaling with cell volume in two ciliated protists. • Oxytetracycline selectively increased rRNA: rDNA ratios, revealing stressor-specific ribosomal regulation. • Both stressors induced persistent intragenomic polymorphisms of 18S rRNA gene. • Pollutant-induced ASV inflation may bias microbial diversity estimates.
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Oral colonization of probiotics: one size fits all?

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Highlights • Bedtime probiotic intake retains 100,000x more bacteria than daytime intake. • Oral-origin L. reuteri strain colonizes better than the non-oral isolate. • Probiotic persistence varies widely interindividually, some individuals retain strains 7+ days. • Supragingival plaque shows highest proportional probiotic abundance by site. • Higher probiotic levels correlate with greater pocket depth reduction in periodontitis.
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Changes in ppGpp levels impact gene expression and virulence features of Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli strain LF82

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Highlights • The global regulator ppGpp plays a central role in controlling AIEC virulence. • Loss of ppGpp impairs virulence across in vitro and in vivo infection models. • Two candidate biomarkers with discriminatory potential for AIEC identification were defined.
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Cohabitating people share about a quarter of their gut and oral microbiota

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People who live together share more oral and gut microbes with each other than with other people in their communities, according to a study published June 15, 2026, in the Cell Press journal Cell Press Blue . This was true regardless of the cohabitants’ relationships—siblings, parents, and offspring all shared similar numbers of microbial strains, and romantic partners shared even more oral (but not gut) microbes with each other, likely due to kissing. The research, covered in NPR, Gizmodo , and IFLScience , also found a link between more transmissible microbes and health, particularly type 2 diabetes. The findings could help design more targeted therapies for improving people’s microbiomes.   
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Ecological and Functional Succession of the Microbial Community during Pit Mud Maturation in Nongxiangxing Baijiu

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Abstract Pit mud (PM) microbiota play a vital role in Baijiu flavor formation, yet its ecological and functional succession during maturation remains incompletely elucidated. Here, physicochemical profiling, amplicon sequencing, and metagenomics were integrated to investigate 5-, 15-, and 30-year PM of Sichuan Tang Dynasty Laojiao cellars. Bacteria dominated the community (82.59%), followed by Archaea (16.99%), with Lactobacillus acetotolerans, Ruminococcaceae CPB6, and Methanobacterium paludis as major species. Discrepancies between sequencing methods were reflected in fungal taxa which had low-abundance. The 15-year PM exhibited distinct community and functional features, indicating a critical transitional stage. Functional analysis revealed that fermentation-relevant functions were mainly contributed by 7 key genera and 5 species. Physicochemical properties changed with pit age, characterized by increased moisture as well as decreased acidity and humic substance levels. Moisture,...
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Gut commensal Bacteroides-derived pantothenic acid alleviates metabolic syndrome

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Highlights • Microbial pantothenic acid (PA) supply is reduced in individuals with MetS • panC enables B. fragilis to supply PA to the colonic microenvironment • B. fragilis PA biosynthesis preserves the gut barrier and alleviates MetS • Microbial PA sustains KLF4 via the PANK2/3-CoA axis to support differentiation
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