Mostly Microbes and Infection

  Highlights • Volume electron microscopy unveils intensive membrane networks in insect symbiotic cells • These tubenets are formed by intracellular bacteria, the insect’s nutritional symbionts • In situ  high spatial resolution chemical analysis shows tubenets’ enrichment in sugar • Bacterial tubenets increase the interface of exchange, maximizing nutrient acquisition

  Highlights • The  Borrelia  restriction-modification system (RMS) differs by species group. • The RMS affects the transformation efficiency of  Borrelia. • Increase in transformation efficiency observed with an in vitro methylated vector. • Transformation efficiency increased in low-passage  Borrelia  strains. • In vitro methylation can be a facilitating tool for  Borrelia  genetic manipulation.

  Highlights • Low concentration and high protection without disrupting microbial balance • Dual Protective Mechanism: targeting bacterial virulence and host Immune regulation • Multi-targeted inhibition of bacterial virulence • Elongation factor thermo unstable protein (EF-Tu) is identified as a key target of 5-iodoindole for first time • Superior application prospects for vibrio diseases control in aquaculture

  Highlights • Novel cyanobacterial genus Calyptranema fuscum gen. sp. nov. proposed. • Polyphasic approach combining morphology, phylogeny and genomics used. • ANI, AAI and POCP values confirm taxonomic novelty. • Pangenome analysis reveals genomic diversity within  Oculatellaceae .

  Melioidosis, caused by   Burkholderia pseudomallei , remains one of the most overlooked tropical infections—deadly, yet curable. Despite its discovery more than a century ago, this disease continues to hide behind the masks of tuberculosis, pneumonia, or sepsis, killing silently in regions where it is least recognized. In 2016, modelling studies estimated that South Asia accounts for nearly 44% of the global burden of melioidosis. ( Limmathurotsakul et al., 2016 ) Yet only a handful of countries—India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh—routinely diagnose and report human cases. In contrast, neighbouring nations such as Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan have scarcely detected any cases, not because the disease is absent, but because it remains unseen — buried beneath diagnostic inexperience, limited laboratory capacity, and low clinical suspicion. The paradox is striking - while these countries share similar climatic, agricultural, and socioeconomic profiles, the ability to de...

  Highlights • Mercury (Hg) contamination restructured rice endophytic fungal communities, and higher Hg concentration decreased the richness and diversity of fungal endophytes, and the effect differed with tissues and development stages. • Grains endophytic fungal communities were distinct from roots/stalks/leaves, enriching rare taxa while lacking ubiquitous vegetative endophytes. • Two  Epicoccum nigrum  stains, DHJ7 and FZT214, reduced grains methylmercury by 44.67 % and 48.79 %, respectively. • 62.5 % of tested endophytes improved rice yield under Hg stress, and  Mucor  sp. DHJ19 and  Ceratorhiza  sp. CHJ27 improving yield 72.6–80.5 %.

  Highlights • Interconnected Antarctic brines show distinct bacterial and fungal communities • Fine-scale geochemistry and substrate context filter microbial assembly • B2 brine (hypersaline) shows halotolerant bacteria and many unclassified fungi • BCM brine shows permafrost/mineral imprint dominated by Patescibacteria and  Mrakia • BCR brine shows the highest diversity of soil- and glacier-derived microbial taxa

  Highlights • Teenagers (13–17 years) show the highest gut microbiota stability among healthy individuals aged 3–30 years. • Core genera  Faecalibacterium  and  Bifidobacterium  have ICC > 0.90, highlighting their value as stable biomarkers for FMT donor screening. • An ICC-based framework is proposed to enhance quantitative donor evaluation and standardize FMT practices.

  This issue of Biomedical Journal contains four review articles describing our current understanding of the development and biology of B lymphocytes.

  L'interdiction des antibiotiques favorisant la croissance (PCA) dans les régimes à base de produits laitiers en 2006 était principalement motivée par les inquiétudes des producteurs laitiers concernant la résistance aux antibiotiques, qui constitue une menace pour la santé humaine et animale. L’utilisation générale d’antibiotiques en agriculture conduit au développement de cultures bactériennes résistantes, réduisant leur efficacité dans le traitement des infections. Par ailleurs, la présence de résidus d’antibiotiques dans les produits d’origine animale suscite d’importantes préoccupations en termes de sécurité alimentaire et de santé des consommateurs. Ces déficits ont incité à rechercher des solutions alternatives qui peuvent maintenir et améliorer la santé et la productivité animales sans contribuer à ces problèmes.

  Wherever you happen to be reading this, if you look around, you will likely see many objects made of plastic. University of the Pacific is contributing to a global discussion about this ubiquitous material and its impact on the environment through its involvement with the Veolia Institute’s latest publication,   Reinventing Plastics , part of its   FACTS Reports   series.  The idea for this issue came from Dr. David Ojcius, department chair and professor in the Biomedical Sciences department at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Dr. Ojcius also served as the co-editor of the special issue.

  Inflammasomes   are   cytosolic   multiprotein   complexes of the   innate immune system   responsible for the activation of inflammatory responses and   cell death . [ 1 ] [ 2 ]   They are formed as a result of specific   cytosolic   pattern recognition receptors   (PRRs), which are molecular sensors of microbe-derived   pathogen-associated molecular patterns   (PAMPs),   damage-associated molecular patterns   (DAMPs) from the host cell, or homeostatic disruptions. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ]   Activation and assembly of the inflammasome promotes the activation of   caspase-1 , which then proteolytically cleaves pro-inflammatory cytokines,   interleukin 1β   (IL-1β) and   interleukin 18   (IL-18), as well as the pore-forming molecule gasdermin D ( GSDMD ). [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ]   The N-terminal GSDMD fragment resulting from this cleavage induces a pro-inflammatory form of programmed c...

  The   human microbiome   is the aggregate of all   microbiota   that reside on or within   human tissues   and   biofluids   along with the corresponding   anatomical sites   in which they reside, [ 1 ] [ 2 ]   including the   gastrointestinal tract ,   skin ,   mammary glands ,   seminal fluid ,   uterus ,   ovarian follicles ,   lung ,   saliva ,   oral mucosa ,   ocular surface , and the   biliary tract . Types of   human microbiota   include   bacteria ,   archaea ,   fungi ,   protists , and   viruses . Though   micro-animals   can also live on the human body, they are typically excluded from this definition. In the context of   genomics , the term   human microbiome   is sometimes used to refer to the collective   genomes   of resident microorganisms; [ 3 ]   however, the term   human me...

  Life extension   is the concept of extending the human   lifespan , either modestly through improvements in medicine or dramatically by increasing the   maximum lifespan   beyond its generally-settled biological limit of   around 125 years . [ 1 ]   Several researchers in the area, along with "life extensionists", " immortalists ", or " longevists " (those who wish to achieve longer lives themselves), postulate that future breakthroughs in tissue   rejuvenation ,   stem cells ,   regenerative medicine ,   molecular   repair,   gene therapy , pharmaceuticals, and   organ   replacement (such as with artificial organs or   xenotransplantations ) will eventually enable humans to have indefinite lifespans through complete rejuvenation to a healthy youthful condition (agerasia [ 2 ] ). The ethical ramifications, if life extension becomes a possibility, are debated by   bioethicists .