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Microbial drivers of soil health: Integrating physical, chemical and biological properties for food security under climate change

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Highlights • Climate stressors restructure soil microhabitats, reassembling microbial guilds that regulate C–N–P cycling and resilience. • Cross-domain feedbacks link pore architecture and soil chemistry to microbiome functions and emergent soil health outcomes. • Rhizosphere mechanisms (exudates, siderophores, ACC deaminase, ISR, AMF/N-fixing symbioses) provide actionable leverage points under stress. • Integrative indicators connect physical, chemical, and biological metrics to soil multifunctionality for monitoring under climate extremes. • Emerging tools (meta-omics, 3D imaging, spectroscopy, isotopic tracing, in situ sensors) enable mechanistic diagnosis and decision support.
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CBASS limits bacteriophage production while maintaining cell viability in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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Highlights • CBASS antagonizes phage replication while preserving cell viability in P. aeruginosa • 3′,3′-cGAMP-activated CapV targets diverse phages and overcomes CBASS inhibitors • CBASS-sensitive phages transcribe and replicate their genome • CBASS activity limits packaged phage DNA, reducing virion production
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Pathogenesis and Genome Characterization of Translucent Post-larvae Disease-Causing Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Litopenaeus vannamei

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Highlights • Isolated TPD-causing V. parahaemolyticus strain P40.49 from infected shrimp. • Experimental infection confirmed the pathogenicity of the TPD-causing strain P40.49. • Whole genome sequencing confirmed the presence of ∼69 kbp TPD-associated plasmid. • The shrimp stomach and intestine tissues are ideal for early TPD detection (6 hpi). • Four unique TPD-associated genes may serve as additional markers for TPD detection.
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Functional insights into nucleoside diphosphate kinases encoded by two ndk paralogs in Waddlia chondrophila

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Highlights • W. chondrophila encodes two Ndk paralogs, unlike most Chlamydiota. • ndk genes are early expressed and protein levels peak during bacterial replication. • WcNdk1 is inclusion-bound, while WcNdk2 localizes to host cell compartments. • AZT inhibits bacterial growth and protects host cells from infection-induced death. • AZT sensitivity is linked to ndk2 presence, implicating WcNdk2 as functional target.
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Adjunctive fecal microbiota transplantation for major depressive disorder: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

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Highlights • Adjunctive oral FMT accelerates antidepressant response as early as week 2 • Superior efficacy persists through 8 weeks with no additional side effects • FMT reshapes gut microbes, with donor strains coexisting in recipients • Benefits are mediated by elevated bile acids and reduced systemic inflammation
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YprA-family helicases provide the missing link between diverse prokaryotic immune systems

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Highlights • YprA-family helicases are a central hub in the prokaryotic defense system network • YprA phylogeny analysis identifies a distinct class of defense systems called ARMADA • ARMADA protects bacteria against diverse phages and synergizes with Druantia III • ARMADA, Druantia III, and Zorya II co-occur in phage-like integrated elements
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Call for Papers: Omics and Metabolic Networks in Microbial Xenobiotic Degradation and Detoxification

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This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research and reviews that integrate omics data, metabolic network analysis, and ecological perspectives to elucidate microbial mechanisms involved in xenobiotic degradation and detoxification. Contributions will highlight novel enzymes and pathways, microbial community dynamics, metabolic engineering strategies, and real-world applications in environmental remediation and industrial biotechnology.
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