UNDERSTANDING - Word Related Documents




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864700.9959Eco-evolutionary strategies for relieving carbon limitation under salt stress differ across microbial clades. With the continuous expansion of saline soils under climate change, understanding the eco-evolutionary tradeoff between the microbial mitigation of carbon limitation and the maintenance of functional traits in saline soils represents a significant knowledge gap in predicting future soil health and ecological function. Through shotgun metagenomic sequencing of coastal soils along a salinity gradient, we show contrasting eco-evolutionary directions of soil bacteria and archaea that manifest in changes to genome size and the functional potential of the soil microbiome. In salt environments with high carbon requirements, bacteria exhibit reduced genome sizes associated with a depletion of metabolic genes, while archaea display larger genomes and enrichment of salt-resistance, metabolic, and carbon-acquisition genes. This suggests that bacteria conserve energy through genome streamlining when facing salt stress, while archaea invest in carbon-acquisition pathways to broaden their resource usage. These findings suggest divergent directions in eco-evolutionary adaptations to soil saline stress amongst microbial clades and serve as a foundation for understanding the response of soil microbiomes to escalating climate change.202439019914
917210.9958These Are the Genes You're Looking For: Finding Host Resistance Genes. Humanity's ongoing struggle with new, re-emerging and endemic infectious diseases serves as a frequent reminder of the need to understand host-pathogen interactions. Recent advances in genomics have dramatically advanced our understanding of how genetics contributes to host resistance or susceptibility to bacterial infection. Here we discuss current trends in defining host-bacterial interactions at the genome-wide level, including screens that harness CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, natural genetic variation, proteomics, and transcriptomics. We report on the merits, limitations, and findings of these innovative screens and discuss their complementary nature. Finally, we speculate on future innovation as we continue to progress through the postgenomic era and towards deeper mechanistic insight and clinical applications.202133004258
958320.9956Bacteriophages presence in nature and their role in the natural selection of bacterial populations. Phages are the obligate parasite of bacteria and have complex interactions with their hosts. Phages can live in, modify, and shape bacterial communities by bringing about changes in their abundance, diversity, physiology, and virulence. In addition, phages mediate lateral gene transfer, modify host metabolism and reallocate bacterially-derived biochemical compounds through cell lysis, thus playing an important role in ecosystem. Phages coexist and coevolve with bacteria and have developed several antidefense mechanisms in response to bacterial defense strategies against them. Phages owe their existence to their bacterial hosts, therefore they bring about alterations in their host genomes by transferring resistance genes and genes encoding toxins in order to improve the fitness of the hosts. Application of phages in biotechnology, environment, agriculture and medicines demands a deep insight into the myriad of phage-bacteria interactions. However, to understand their complex interactions, we need to know how unique phages are to their bacterial hosts and how they exert a selective pressure on the microbial communities in nature. Consequently, the present review focuses on phage biology with respect to natural selection of bacterial populations.202033170167
863530.9956Techniques for enhancing the tolerance of industrial microbes to abiotic stresses: A review. The diversity of stress responses and survival strategies evolved by microorganism enables them to survive and reproduce in a multitude of harsh environments, whereas the discovery of the underlying resistance genes or mechanisms laid the foundation for the directional enhancement of microbial tolerance to abiotic stresses encountered in industrial applications. Many biological techniques have been developed for improving the stress resistance of industrial microorganisms, which greatly benefited the bacteria on which industrial production is based. This review introduces the main techniques for enhancing the resistance of microorganisms to abiotic stresses, including evolutionary engineering, metabolic engineering, and process engineering, developed in recent years. In addition, we also discuss problems that are still present in this area and offer directions for future research.202031206805
865840.9956Microplastic exposure reshapes the virome and virus-bacteria networks with implications for immune regulation in Mytilus coruscus. Microplastic pollution has emerged as a critical environmental concern, yet its impacts on host-associated viral communities and immune balance in marine bivalves remain largely unexplored. In this study, Mytilus coruscus individuals were exposed to microplastics in situ for seven days. Virome sequencing and bioinformatic analyses revealed that microplastic exposure induced divergent responses in DNA and RNA viral communities. DNA viromes exhibited suppressed diversity and downregulation of core viral metabolic pathways, potentially reflecting reduced viral replication capacity under host immune stress. In contrast, RNA viromes displayed metabolic activation and functional shifts, including enriched glycan and nucleotide metabolism, possibly linked to enhanced viral activity or immune evasion. Phage-bacteria interaction networks were also restructured, showing increased associations with opportunistic pathogens such as Vibrio cholerae and Enterobacter, potentially affecting immune surveillance. Furthermore, the expression of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in viral genomes was differentially regulated, suggesting pollutant-induced microbial selection that may challenge host immune resilience. These findings suggest that microplastics not only reshape virome composition and metabolic functions but also influence virus-mediated immune interactions, with important implications for disease susceptibility and immune homeostasis in filter-feeding shellfish.202541056669
644950.9955Microbial regulation of natural antibiotic resistance: Understanding the protist-bacteria interactions for evolution of soil resistome. The emergence, evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment represent a global threat to human health. Our knowledge of antibiotic resistance in human-impacted ecosystems is rapidly growing with antibiotic use, organic fertilization and wastewater irrigation identified as key selection pressures. However, the importance of biological interactions, especially predation and competition, as a potential driver of antibiotic resistance in the natural environment with limited anthropogenic disturbance remains largely overlooked. Stress-affected bacteria develop resistance to maximize competition and survival, and similarly bacteria may develop resistance to fight stress under the predation pressure of protists, an essential component of the soil microbiome. In this article, we summarized the major findings for the prevalence of natural ARGs on our planet and discussed the potential selection pressures driving the evolution and development of antibiotic resistance in natural settings. This is the first article that reviewed the potential links between protists and the antibiotic resistance of bacteria, and highlighted the importance of predation by protists as a crucial selection pressure of antibiotic resistance in the absence of anthropogenic disturbance. We conclude that an improved ecological understanding of the protists-bacteria interactions and other biological relationships would greatly expand our ability to predict and mitigate the environmental antibiotic resistance under the context of global change.202031818598
863360.9955Bacterial interactions with arsenic: Metabolic pathways, resistance mechanisms, and bioremediation approaches. Arsenic contamination in natural waters is one of the biggest threats to human health, mainly due to its carcinogenic potential. Given its toxicity, nearly all organisms have evolved to develop an arsenic resistance mechanism. Conventional techniques of arsenic remediation suffer from various limitations of their applicability, cost and/or chemical intensive nature. In past few decades, bioremediation has emerged as a potential alternative to the conventional techniques. Microbial bioremediation, bacteria in particular, offers an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative, owing to its inherent metabolic capabilities to transform, immobilize or volatilize arsenic. Diverse biochemical pathways involving oxidation of As(III) to As(V), reduction of As(V) under anaerobic respiration or detoxification, methylation and demethylation, bioleaching and biomineralization into insoluble forms are essential mechanisms for arsenic remediation. These transformations, detoxification and resistance are regulated by specific genetic systems, including the ars operon, aio, arr and arsM, accessory genes such as arsR, arsB, acr3, arsC and arsP. The metabolic regulation of arsenic detoxification involves complex cofactor-dependent enzyme systems and environmental signal-responsive transcriptional control. Integrated approaches such as immobilization of bacteria on biochar or their encapsulation have also been known to enhance stability, reusability and stress tolerance. However, bioremediation is a very complex process due to the interrelationship of various influences such as, presence of specific microorganisms, nutrients and environmental factors. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand the bacterial interactions with arsenic for the development of bioremediation technologies. This review article tries to discuss the current status of arsenic bioremediation using bacteria, its field applications, challenges and future perspectives. It also includes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis to assess the merits and demerits of using bacteria for bioremediation of arsenic.202541043264
972770.9955Metal Toxicity and Resistance in Plants and Microorganisms in Terrestrial Ecosystems. Metals are major abiotic stressors of many organisms, but their toxicity in plants is not as studied as in microorganisms and animals. Likewise, research in plant responses to metal contamination is sketchy. Candidate genes associated with metal resistance in plants have been recently discovered and characterized. Some mechanisms of plant adaptation to metal stressors have been now decrypted. New knowledge on microbial reaction to metal contamination and the relationship between bacterial, archaeal, and fungal resistance to metals has broadened our understanding of metal homeostasis in living organisms. Recent reviews on metal toxicity and resistance mechanisms focused only on the role of transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and ionomics. This review is a critical analysis of key findings on physiological and genetic processes in plants and microorganisms in responses to soil metal contaminations.202030725190
921680.9955Mitigating Antibiotic Resistance: The Utilization of CRISPR Technology in Detection. Antibiotics, celebrated as some of the most significant pharmaceutical breakthroughs in medical history, are capable of eliminating or inhibiting bacterial growth, offering a primary defense against a wide array of bacterial infections. However, the rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), driven by the widespread use of antibiotics, has evolved into a widespread and ominous threat to global public health. Thus, the creation of efficient methods for detecting resistance genes and antibiotics is imperative for ensuring food safety and safeguarding human health. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) systems, initially recognized as an adaptive immune defense mechanism in bacteria and archaea, have unveiled their profound potential in sensor detection, transcending their notable gene-editing applications. CRISPR/Cas technology employs Cas enzymes and guides RNA to selectively target and cleave specific DNA or RNA sequences. This review offers an extensive examination of CRISPR/Cas systems, highlighting their unique attributes and applications in antibiotic detection. It outlines the current utilization and progress of the CRISPR/Cas toolkit for identifying both nucleic acid (resistance genes) and non-nucleic acid (antibiotic micromolecules) targets within the field of antibiotic detection. In addition, it examines the current challenges, such as sensitivity and specificity, and future opportunities, including the development of point-of-care diagnostics, providing strategic insights to facilitate the curbing and oversight of antibiotic-resistance proliferation.202439727898
841090.9955Unveiling the role of phages in shaping the periodontal microbial ecosystem. The oral microbiome comprises various species and plays a crucial role in maintaining the oral ecosystem and host health. Phages are an important component of the periodontal microbiome, yet our understanding of periodontal phages remains limited. Here, we investigated oral periodontal phages using various advanced bioinformatics tools based on genomes of key periodontitis pathogens. Prophages were found to encode various auxiliary genes that potentially enhance host survival and pathogenicity, including genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, antibiotic resistance, and immune modulation. We observed cross-species transmission among prophages with a complex network of phage-bacteria interactions. Our findings suggest that prophages play a crucial role in shaping the periodontal microbial ecosystem, influencing microbial community dynamics and the progression of periodontitis.IMPORTANCEIn the context of periodontitis, the ecological dynamics of the microbiome are largely driven by interactions between bacteria and their phages. While the impact of prophages on regulating oral pathogens has been increasingly recognized, their role in modulating periodontal disease remains underexplored. This study reveals that prophages within key periodontitis pathogens contribute significantly to virulence factor dissemination, antibiotic resistance, and host metabolism. By influencing the metabolic capabilities and survival strategies of their bacterial hosts, prophages may act as critical regulators of microbial communities in the oral cavity. Understanding these prophage-mediated interactions is essential not only for unraveling the mechanisms of periodontal disease progression but also for developing innovative therapeutic approaches that target the microbial ecosystem at the genetic level. These insights emphasize the need for more comprehensive studies on the ecological risks posed by prophages in shaping microbial pathogenicity and resistance.202540152610
9728100.9955Metagenomic analysis of metal(loid)s resistance genes and its environmental applications. Heavy metals are widely used to satiate the demands of growing industrialization and modern life. However, the presence of metal in large quantities in the ecosystem significantly impacts all life forms, particularly microorganisms. Many bacterial strains have developed metal resistance genes (MRG) to survive in extreme conditions through various mechanisms, such as active efflux, sequestration, permeability barriers, or co-resistance with antibiotic resistance genes. Metagenomic analysis is a powerful approach that enables the exploration of the functional repertoire and diversity of microorganisms, providing deeper insights into the mechanisms underlying the development of MRGs, and the active metabolites they produce to adapt to the polluted environments. With the advancement of these techniques, the knowledge can be further applied to environmental applications, such as bioremediation, biomonitoring, and synthetic biology. Bacteria with metal toxicity tolerance can be employed to enhance environmental sustainability and mitigate potential hazards.202540992856
8616110.9955Mechanisms of inhibition and recovery under multi-antibiotic stress in anammox: A critical review. With the escalating global concern for emerging pollutants, particularly antibiotics, microplastics, and nanomaterials, the potential disruption they pose to critical environmental processes like anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) has become a pressing issue. The anammox process, which plays a crucial role in nitrogen removal from wastewater, is particularly sensitive to external pollutants. This paper endeavors to address this knowledge gap by providing a comprehensive overview of the inhibition mechanisms of multi-antibiotic on anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, along with insights into their recovery processes. The paper dives deeply into the various ways antibiotics interact with anammox bacteria, focusing specifically on their interference with the bacteria's extracellular polymers (EPS) - crucial components that maintain the structural integrity and functionality of the cells. Additionally, it explores how anammox bacteria utilize quorum sensing (QS) mechanisms to regulate their community structure and respond to antibiotic stress. Moreover, the paper summarizes effective removal methods for these antibiotics from wastewater systems, which is crucial for mitigating their inhibitory effects on anammox bacteria. Finally, the paper offers valuable insights into how anammox communities can recuperate from multi-antibiotic stress. This includes strategies for reintroducing healthy bacteria, optimizing operational conditions, and using bioaugmentation techniques to enhance the resilience of anammox communities. In summary, this paper not only enriches our understanding of the complex interactions between antibiotics and anammox bacteria but also provides theoretical and practical guidance for the treatment of antibiotic pollution in sewage, ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of wastewater treatment processes.202439366232
9219120.9954Knowing and Naming: Phage Annotation and Nomenclature for Phage Therapy. Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect bacteria shaping microbial communities and ecosystems. They have gained attention as potential agents against antibiotic resistance. In phage therapy, lytic phages are preferred for their bacteria killing ability, while temperate phages, which can transfer antibiotic resistance or toxin genes, are avoided. Selection relies on plaque morphology and genome sequencing. This review outlines annotating genomes, identifying critical genomic features, and assigning functional labels to protein-coding sequences. These annotations prevent the transfer of unwanted genes, such as antimicrobial resistance or toxin genes, during phage therapy. Additionally, it covers International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV)-an established phage nomenclature system for simplified classification and communication. Accurate phage genome annotation and nomenclature provide insights into phage-host interactions, replication strategies, and evolution, accelerating our understanding of the diversity and evolution of phages and facilitating the development of phage-based therapies.202337932119
6447130.9954Climate warming fuels the global antibiotic resistome by altering soil bacterial traits. Understanding the implications of global warming on the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) within soil ecosystems is crucial for safeguarding human well-being and sustaining ecosystem health. However, there is currently a lack of large-scale, systematic underpinning data needed to examine this issue. Here, using an integrative approach that combines field experiments, extensive global metagenomic data and microbial culturing, we show that warming enriches bacteria with ARGs and VFGs, increases metabolic complexity and adaptability in bacteria, and accelerates genetic alterations related to ARG and VFGs development. Our validation experiments confirm that the warming effect is more pronounced in colder regions. Machine learning predictions further suggest that warming will increase the soil ARG abundance, especially in some areas that rely heavily on fossil fuels. These results suggest another major negative consequence of global warming, highlighting the importance of developing and implementing sustainability policies that simultaneously combat climate change and antibiotic resistance.202540468041
664140.9954Ferric Uptake Regulator Provides a New Strategy for Acidophile Adaptation to Acidic Ecosystems. Acidophiles play a dominant role in driving elemental cycling in natural acid mine drainage (AMD) habitats and exhibit important application value in bioleaching and bioremediation. Acidity is an inevitable environmental stress and a key factor that affects the survival of acidophiles in their acidified natural habitats; however, the regulatory strategies applied by acidophilic bacteria to withstand low pH are unclear. We identified the significance of the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) in acidophiles adapting to acidic environments and discovered that Fur is ubiquitous as well as highly conserved in acidophilic bacteria. Mutagenesis of the fur gene of Acidithiobacillus caldus, a prototypical acidophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacterium found in AMD, revealed that Fur is required for the acid resistance of this acidophilic bacterium. Phenotypic characterization, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq), mutagenesis, and biochemical assays indicated that the Acidithiobacillus caldus ferric uptake regulator (AcFur) is involved in extreme acid resistance by regulating the expression of several key genes of certain cellular activities, such as iron transport, biofilm formation, sulfur metabolism, chemotaxis, and flagellar biosynthesis. Finally, a Fur-dependent acid resistance regulatory strategy in A. caldus was proposed to illustrate the ecological behavior of acidophilic bacteria under low pH. This study provides new insights into the adaptation strategies of acidophiles to AMD ecosystems and will promote the design and development of engineered biological systems for the environmental adaptation of acidophiles.IMPORTANCE This study advances our understanding of the acid tolerance mechanism of A. caldus, identifies the key fur gene responsible for acid resistance, and elucidates the correlation between fur and acid resistance, thus contributing to an understanding of the ecological behavior of acidophilic bacteria. These findings provide new insights into the acid resistance process in Acidithiobacillus species, thereby promoting the study of the environmental adaptation of acidophilic bacteria and the design of engineered biological systems.202032245756
6508150.9953Synergizing Ecotoxicology and Microbiome Data Is Key for Developing Global Indicators of Environmental Antimicrobial Resistance. The One Health concept recognises the interconnectedness of humans, plants, animals and the environment. Recent research strongly supports the idea that the environment serves as a significant reservoir for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, the complexity of natural environments makes efforts at AMR public health risk assessment difficult. We lack sufficient data on key ecological parameters that influence AMR, as well as the primary proxies necessary for evaluating risks to human health. Developing environmental AMR 'early warning systems' requires models with well-defined parameters. This is necessary to support the implementation of clear and targeted interventions. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current tools used globally for environmental AMR human health risk assessment and the underlying knowledge gaps. We highlight the urgent need for standardised, cost-effective risk assessment frameworks that are adaptable across different environments and regions to enhance comparability and reliability. These frameworks must also account for previously understudied AMR sources, such as horticulture, and emerging threats like climate change. In addition, integrating traditional ecotoxicology with modern 'omics' approaches will be essential for developing more comprehensive risk models and informing targeted AMR mitigation strategies.202439611949
9720160.9953Molecular Evolution and Origins of Antibiotic Resistance Genes. Antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis with bacteria resisting both natural and synthetic antibiotics. While all antibiotic classes face similar mechanistic and evolutionary forces, their origins shape distinct resistance pathways. Produced over millions of years, natural antibiotics drove the early emergence and coevolution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), later spreading with clinical use. By contrast, synthetic antibiotics began without pre-existing ARGs, yet bacteria soon adapted novel approaches to overcome them. In this perspective, we examine recent findings on ARG evolution, including their distribution in environmental bacteria, host range, and underlying molecular mechanisms of ARGs for bacterial adaptation against these antibiotics. To address these questions, we emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive studies to uncover the full range, distribution, and evolution of ARGs. Understanding these processes not only aids in developing effective strategies to combat ARGs but also provides critical insights into protein chemistry and advances protein engineering approaches.202540457171
8259170.9953Secondary Metabolite Transcriptomic Pipeline (SeMa-Trap), an expression-based exploration tool for increased secondary metabolite production in bacteria. For decades, natural products have been used as a primary resource in drug discovery pipelines to find new antibiotics, which are mainly produced as secondary metabolites by bacteria. The biosynthesis of these compounds is encoded in co-localized genes termed biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). However, BGCs are often not expressed under laboratory conditions. Several genetic manipulation strategies have been developed in order to activate or overexpress silent BGCs. Significant increases in production levels of secondary metabolites were indeed achieved by modifying the expression of genes encoding regulators and transporters, as well as genes involved in resistance or precursor biosynthesis. However, the abundance of genes encoding such functions within bacterial genomes requires prioritization of the most promising ones for genetic manipulation strategies. Here, we introduce the 'Secondary Metabolite Transcriptomic Pipeline' (SeMa-Trap), a user-friendly web-server, available at https://sema-trap.ziemertlab.com. SeMa-Trap facilitates RNA-Seq based transcriptome analyses, finds co-expression patterns between certain genes and BGCs of interest, and helps optimize the design of comparative transcriptomic analyses. Finally, SeMa-Trap provides interactive result pages for each BGC, allowing the easy exploration and comparison of expression patterns. In summary, SeMa-Trap allows a straightforward prioritization of genes that could be targeted via genetic engineering approaches to (over)express BGCs of interest.202235580059
6450180.9953Protist predation promotes antimicrobial resistance spread through antagonistic microbiome interactions. Antibiotic resistance has grown into a major public health threat. In this study, we reveal predation by protists as an overlooked driver of antibiotic resistance dissemination in the soil microbiome. While previous studies have primarily focused on the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes, our work sheds light on the pivotal role of soil protists in shaping antibiotic resistance dynamics. Using a combination of metagenomics and controlled experiments in this study, we demonstrate that protists cause an increase in antibiotic resistance. We mechanistically link this increase to a fostering of antimicrobial activity in the microbiome. Protist predation gives a competitive edge to bacteria capable of producing antagonistic secondary metabolites, which secondary metabolites promote in turn antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This study provides insights into the complex interplay between protists and soil microbiomes in regulating antibiotic resistance dynamics. This study highlights the importance of top-down control on the spread of antibiotic resistance and directly connects it to cross-kingdom interactions within the microbiome. Managing protist communities may become an important tool to control outbreaks of antibiotic resistance in the environment.202439259188
6446190.9953Ecological consequences of antimicrobial residues and bioactive chemicals on antimicrobial resistance in agroecosystems. BACKGROUND: The widespread use of antimicrobials in agriculture, coupled with bioactive chemicals like pesticides and growth-promoting agents, has accelerated the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Agroecosystems provides a platform in the evolution and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which pose significant threats to both environmental and public health. AIM OF REVIEW: This review explores the ecological consequences of antimicrobial residues and bioactive chemicals in agroecosystems, with a focus on their role in shaping AMR. It delves into the mechanisms by which these substances enter agricultural environments, their interactions with soil microbiomes, and the subsequent impacts on microbial community structure. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW: Evidence indicates that the accumulation of antimicrobials promotes resistance gene transfer among microorganisms, potentially compromising ecosystem health and agricultural productivity. By synthesizing current research, we identify critical gaps in knowledge and propose strategies for mitigating the ecological risks associated with antimicrobial residues. Moreover, this review highlights the urgent need for integrated management approaches to preserve ecosystem health and combat the spread of AMR in agricultural settings.202539414225