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Identification and characterization of a novel type of ketohexokinase from the haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-04-08 Marius Ortjohann, Peter Schönheit
Ketohexokinase (KHK) catalyzes the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of fructose, forming fructose-1-phosphate and ADP. The enzyme is well studied in Eukarya, in particular in human and other vertebrates, but homologs have not been identified in Bacteria and Archaea. Here we report the identification of a novel type of KHK from the haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii (HvKHK). The encoding gene khk was identified
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Diagnostic accuracy of the IFN-γ release assay using RD1 immunodominant T-cell antigens for diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-27 Setareh Mamishi, Babak Pourakbari, Reihaneh Hosseinpour Sadeghi, Majid Marjani, Shima Mahmoudi
The diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) poses a significant challenge, with controversies surrounding the accuracy of IFN-γ release assays (IGRAs). This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of RD1 immunodominant T-cell antigens, including ESAT-6, CFP-10, PE35, and PPE68 proteins, for immunodiagnosis of EPTB. Twenty-nine patients with EPTB were enrolled, and recombinant PE35, PPE68
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Bacterial diversity in a continuum from supraglacial habitats to a proglacial lake on the Tibetan Plateau FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-22 Tingting Xing, Keshao Liu, Mukan Ji, Yuying Chen, Yongqin Liu
Mountain glaciers are frequently assessed for their hydrological connectivity from glaciers to proglacial lakes. Ecological process on glacier surfaces and downstream ecosystems have often been investigated separately, but few studies have focused on the connectivity between the different glacial habitats. Therefore, it remains a limited understanding of bacterial community assembly across different
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An extensive ion-pair/hydrogen-bond network contributes to the thermostability of the MutL ATPase domain from Aquifex aeolicus FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-22 Ayaka Shibuya, Maki Yokote, Atsushi Suzuki, Kenji Fukui, Takato Yano
Proteins from hyperthermophiles often contain a large number of ionic interactions. Close examination of the previously determined crystal structure of the ATPase domain of MutL from a hyperthermophile, Aquifex aeolicus, revealed that the domain contains a continuous ion-pair/hydrogen-bond network consisting of 11 charged amino acid residues on a β-sheet. Mutations were introduced to disrupt the network
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Lactococcus cell envelope proteases enable lactococcal growth in minimal growth media supplemented with high molecular weight proteins of plant and animal origin FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Lise Friis Christensen, Ida Nynne Laforce, Judith C M Wolkers-Rooijackers, Martin Steen Mortensen, Eddy J Smid, Egon Bech Hansen
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have evolved into fastidious microorganisms that require amino acids from environmental sources. Some LAB have cell envelope proteases (CEPs) that drive the proteolysis of high molecular weight proteins like casein in milk. CEP activity is typically studied using casein as the predominant substrate, even though CEPs can hydrolyze other protein sources. Plant protein hydrolysis
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Application and development of a TaqMan-based real-time PCR assay for rapid detection of snakehead vesiculovirus FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-08 Cuiping Gong, Panpan Zhu, Jiaxin Ye, Jianfeng Lou, Liwen Zhang, Xiaodan Liu, Weiguang Kong
Snakehead vesiculovirus (SHVV) is one of the primary pathogens responsible for viral diseases in the snakehead fish. A TaqMan-based real-time PCR assay was established for the rapid detection and quantification of SHVV in this study. Specific primers and fluorescent probes were designed for phosphoprotein (P) gene, and after optimizing the reaction conditions, the results indicated that the detection
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An experience of multidisciplinary tutorials sessions about antibiotics in the third year of pharmacy studies in Angers, France: Learning assessment and evaluation of students’ feelings by a mixed approach FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-07 Audrey Taisne, Samuel Legeay, Isabelle Baglin, Olivier Duval, Matthieu Eveillard
For undergraduate pharmacy students, the first step of antimicrobial stewardship learning objectives is to integrate antimicrobial knowledge from the foundational sciences. We hypothesised that using a multidisciplinary approach including two sessions of tutorials could be relevant in term of students’ interest, satisfaction and learning retention time. The evaluation of students’ feelings was based
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Unlocking the plant growth promoting potential of yeast spp.: Exploring species from the Moroccan extremophilic environment for enhanced plant growth and sustainable farming FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-29 Anas Raklami, Olubukola Oluranti Babalola, Martin Jemo, Ahmed Nafis
In this study, we successfully isolated two distinct yeasts from Moroccan extreme environments. These yeasts were subjected to molecular characterization by analyzing their ITS regions. Our research thoroughly characterizes plant growth-promoting (PGP) abilities and their drought and salt stress tolerance. In a greenhouse assay, we examined the impact of selected yeasts on Medicago sativa’s growth
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A comprehensive diversity analysis on the gut microbiomes of ASD patients: from alpha, beta to gamma diversities FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-29 Hongju (Daisy) Chen, Lianwei Li, Fubing Yu, Zhanshan (Sam) Ma
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is estimated to influence as many as 1% children worldwide, but its etiology is still unclear. It has been suggested that gut microbiomes play an important role in regulating abnormal behaviors associated with ASD. A de facto standard analysis on the microbiome-associated diseases has been diversity analysis, and nevertheless, existing studies on ASD-microbiome relationship
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Variation in growth rates between cultures hinders the cultivation of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-24 Rino Isshiki, Hirotsugu Fujitani, Satoshi Tsuneda
Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, key players in the nitrogen cycle, have been the focus of extensive research. Numerous novel species have been isolated and their growth dynamics were studied. Despite these efforts, controlling their growth to obtain diverse physiological findings remains a challenge. These bacteria often fail to grow, even under optimal conditions. This unpredictable growth pattern could
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Enhancement of yellow pigments production via high CaCl2 stress fermentation of Monascus purpureus FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-19 Yuqing Bai, Wei Zhang, Ruonan Guo, Jiyuan Yu, Yurong Wang
Monascus pigments (MPs) are a kind of natural ingredient fermented by Monascus spp., which contains three types of pigments: red, orange and yellow ones. Monascus yellow pigments have a restricted yield and cannot meet industrial application. The method and mechanism of CaCl2 improving yellow pigments production by liquid fermentation of M. purpureus M8 were studied in order to overcome the low yield
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Methylocystis dominates methane oxidation in glacier foreland soil at elevated temperature FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-17 Xinshu Zhu, Yongcui Deng, Yongqin Liu
Methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) play an important role in mitigating methane emissions in various ecological environments, including cold regions. However, the response of methanotrophs in these cold environments to extreme temperatures above the in-situ temperature has not been thoroughly explored. Therefore, this study collected soil samples from Longxiazailongba (LXZ) and Qiangyong (QY)
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New Genomic techniques applied to food cultures: a powerful contribution to innovative, safe and sustainable food products FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Fabio Dal Bello, Laetitia Bocquet, Audrey Bru, Svend Laulund, Ronnie Machielsen, Matteo Raneri, Vincent Sewalt, Noël van Peij, Patrice Ville, Federica Volonté, Yolanda White, Jakub Rusek
Non-transgenic New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) have emerged as a promising tool for food industries, allowing food cultures to contribute to an innovative, safe and more sustainable food system. NGTs have the potential to be applied to microorganisms, delivering on challenging performance traits like texture, flavour and an increase of nutritional value. This paper brings insights on how non-transgenic
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Microbes and us: microbiology literacy in Greece FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-02 Hera Karayanni, Eleni Motsiou, Vasiliki Sapountzi, Lydia Meggou, Maria Pagkoutsou, Aikaterini Triantafyllidi, Alexandra-Kyparisia Markouti, Sevasti Zervou, Stelios Anastasopoulos, George Efthimiou
Microbes are ubiquitous and provide numerous services to humans and our planet. However, a query arises as to whether these microbial services are valued by the general public especially after unprecedented conditions like the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context a survey was conducted to investigate the concept of microbe in Greece. Thematic analysis of 672 anonymous responses (age range 4–75yo) received
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The MAT1 locus is required for microconidia-mediated sexual fertility in the rice blast fungus FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-02 Kohtetsu Kita, Momotaka Uchida, Tsutomu Arie, Tohru Teraoka, Hisatoshi Kaku, Yasukazu Kanda, Masaki Mori, Takayuki Arazoe, Takashi Kamakura
Rice blast fungus (Pyricularia oryzae) is a heterothallic ascomycete that causes the most destructive disease in cultivated rice worldwide. This fungus reproduces sexually and asexually, and its mating type is determined by the MAT1 locus, MAT1-1 or MAT1-2. Interestingly, most rice-infecting field isolates show a loss of female fertility, but the MAT1 locus is highly conserved in female-sterile isolates
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Merging and concatenation of sequencing reads: a bioinformatics workflow for the comprehensive profiling of microbiome from amplicon data FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-02 Meganathan P Ramakodi
A comprehensive profiling of microbial diversity is essential to understand the ecosystem functions. Universal primer sets such as the 515Y/926R could amplify a part of 16S and 18S rRNA and infer the diversity of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. However, the analyses of mixed sequencing data pose a bioinformatics challenge; the 16S and 18S rRNA sequences need to be separated first and analysed individually/
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Knockout of adenylosuccinate synthase purA increases susceptibility to colistin in Escherichia coli FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-02 Tomonori Kano, Kazuya Ishikawa, Kazuyuki Furuta, Chikara Kaito
Colistin is a cationic cyclic antimicrobial peptide used as a last resort against multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria. To understand the factors involved in colistin susceptibility, we screened colistin-sensitive mutants from an E. coli gene-knockout library (Keio collection). The knockout of purA, whose product catalyzes the synthesis of adenylosuccinate from IMP in the de novo purine synthesis
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Interleukin-22 (IL-22) Enhanced the Mucosal Barrier and Inhibited the Invasion of Salmonella enterica in Human induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Small Intestinal Epithelial Cells FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-25 Fuka Yamazaki, Kyosuke Kobayashi, Junko Mochizuki, Toshihiro Sashihara
Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived small intestinal epithelial cell (hiPSC-SIEC) monolayers are useful in vitro models for evaluating the gut mucosal barrier; however, their reactivity to cytokines, which are closely related to the regulation of mucosal barrier function, remains unclear. Interleukin (IL)-22 is a cytokine that contributes to regulate the mucosal barrier in the intestinal epithelia
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Analysis of CRISPR-Cas loci distribution in Xanthomonas citri and its possible control by the quorum sensing system FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-20 Paula Maria Moreira Martins, Laís Moreira Granato, Túlio Morgan, Julia Lopes Nalin, Marco Aurélio Takita, Poliane Alfenas-Zerbini, Alessandra Alves de Souza
Xanthomonas is an important genus of plant-associated bacteria that causes significant yield losses of economically important crops worldwide. Different approaches have assessed genetic diversity and evolutionary interrelationships among the Xanthomonas species. However, information from clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) has yet to be explored. In this work, we analyzed
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Bacteria Involved in the Sulfur Cycle in Tarballs Collected from the Alabama Gulf Coast FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-17 Joo-Han Gwak, Sung-Keun Rhee, Joong-Wook Park
Tarballs are formed from released or discharged crude oil containing sulfur compounds. A considerable amount and variety of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) were identified in tarballs collected from the intertidal and supratidal zones of Alabama's Gulf beaches. Amplicon sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene showed that SRB were more abundantly distributed in
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Light irradiation changes the regulation pattern of BtCrgA on carotenogenesis in Blakeslea trispora FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-11 Jiamin Yang, Mingxi Zeng, Hui Wu, Zhenlin Han, Zhiyan (Rock) Du, Xiaobin Yu, Wei Luo
CrgA has been shown to be a negative regulator of carotenogenesis in some filamentous fungi, while light irradiation is an inducible environmental factor for carotenoid biosynthesis. To clarify the relationship between CrgA and light-inducible carotenogenesis in Blakeslea trispora, the cis-acting elements of the btcrgA promoter region were investigated, followed by the analyses of correlation between
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Theoretical hypothesis in a direct electron transfer between non-interacting Fe-S proteins within an artificial fusion FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-10 Jae Kyu Lim
Reduction of CO2 to formate utilizing formate dehydrogenases has been attempted biologically and electrochemically. However, the conversion efficiency is very low due to the low energy potential of electron donors and/or electron competition with other electron acceptors. To overcome such a low conversion efficiency, I focused on a direct electron transfer between two unrelated redox enzymes for the
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Assessing the metabolism, phylogenomic, and taxonomic classification of the halophilic genus Halarchaeum FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-09 Shuang Wang, Manik Prabhu Narsing Rao, Syed Raziuddin Quadri
In this study, a genomic approach was employed to evaluate the metabolic potentials and taxonomic classification of the halophilic genus Halarchaeum. Genomic analysis revealed that Halarchaeum members exhibit a predilection for amino acids as their primary energy source in high-salinity environments over carbohydrates. Genome analysis unveiled the presence of crucial genes associated with metabolic
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Phylogenetic analysis of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) based on two novel molecular markers, implicated in the nitrogenase biosynthesis FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Christos Giannakopoulos, Manthos Panou, Spyros Gkelis
The characterization of cyanobacteria communities remains challenging, as taxonomy of several cyanobacterial genera is still unresolved, especially within Nostocales taxa. Nostocales cyanobacteria are capable of nitrogen fixation; nitrogenase genes are grouped into operons and are located in the same genetic locus. Structural nitrogenase genes (nifH, nifK and nifD) as well as 16 s rRNA have been shown
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Gold nanoparticles activate hydrogenase synthesis and improve heterotrophic growth of Ralstonia eutropha H16 FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Tatev Manutsyan, Syuzanna Blbulyan, Anait Vassilian, Tatiana Semashko, Gayane Kirakosyan, Lilit Gabrielyan, Karen Trchounian, Anna Poladyan
Ralstonia eutropha is a facultative chemolithoautotrophic aerobic bacterium that grows using organic substrates or H2 and CO2. Hydrogenases (Hyds) are synthesized under lithoautotrophic, or energy-limited heterotrophic conditions and are used in enzyme fuel cells (EFC) as anodic catalysts. The effects of chemically synthesized gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) on R. eutropha H16 growth, oxidation-reduction
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Gut diazotrophs in lagomorphs are associated with season but not altitude and host phylogeny FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-19 Sijie Wang, Ming Su, Xueqian Hu, Xiaocheng Wang, Qian Han, Qiaoling Yu, Petr Heděnec, Huan Li
Invertebrates such as termites feeding on nutrient-poor substrate receive essential nitrogen by biological nitrogen fixation of gut diazotrophs. However, the diversity and composition of gut diazotrophs of vertebrates such as Plateau pikas living in nutrient-poor Qinghai-Tibet Plateau remain unknown. To fill this knowledge gap, we studied gut diazotrophs of Plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) and its
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Prevalence, virulence characteristics, and antimicrobial resistance of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from raw seafood in a province in Northern Thailand FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-19 Achiraya Siriphap, Watsawan Prapasawat, Jednipit Borthong, Wimonrat Tanomsridachchai, Chonchanok Muangnapoh, Orasa Suthienkul, Kaknokrat Chonsin
Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) is commonly found in seawater and seafood products, but evidence is limited of its presence in seafood marketed in locations very distant from coastal sources. This study determined the prevalence and characterization of V. parahaemolyticus in seafood from markets in landlocked Phayao province, Northern Thailand. Among 120 samples, 26 (21.7%) were positive
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Metagenomic sequencing revealed the regulative effect of danshen and honghua herb pair on the gut microbiota in rats with myocardial ischemia injury FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-13 Shao-Bing Du, Hui-Hui Zhou, Zhi-Peng Xue, Su Gao, Jing Li, Yi Meng, Yi-Jun Zhao, Peng-Fei Wang, Na Li, Jia-Xin Bai, Ji-Qing Bai, Xiao-Ping Wang
In recent years, more and more evidence has shown that the disorder of gut microbiota (GM) is closely correlated with myocardial ischemia (MI). Even though Danshen and Honghua herb pair (DHHP) is widely used in treating cardiovascular disease in China and exhibits obvious clinical efficacy on MI, the anti-MI mechanism of DHHP remains and needs to be explored in depth. Thus, in this study, we investigated
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Coordinated upregulation of two CDP-diacylglycerol synthases, YnbB and CdsA, is essential for cell growth and membrane protein export in the cold FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-10 Yuki Kamemoto, Runa Hikage, Youjung Han, Yusei Sekiya, Katsuhiro Sawasato, Ken-ichi Nishiyama
YnbB is a paralogue of CdsA, a CDP-diacylglycerol synthase. While the cdsA gene is essential, the ynbB gene is dispensable. So far, no phenotype of ynbB knockout has been observed. We found that a ynbB knockout strain acquired cold-sensitivity on growth under CdsA-limited conditions. We found that MPIase, a glycolipid involved in protein export, is cold-upregulated to facilitate protein export in the
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Investigation of gut microbiota changes and allergic inflammation of mice with milk protein-induced allergic enteritis FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-09 Zhongmin Wang, Qiao Wu, Minchang Guan, Ze Li, Wei Pan, Weihong Tang
This study aimed to investigate the changes of gut microbiota and allergic inflammation in mice with allergic enteritis caused by milk protein. In this study, female BALB\C mice in the whey protein (WP-sensitized) group were gavaged with WP and normal saline, the sham-sensitized group was given normal saline once a week for 5 weeks. One week later, the WP-sensitized mice were administered 60 mg β-lactoglobulin
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Pathogenic characteristics of the Vibrio parahaemolyticus which caused a gastroenteritis outbreak event in Huzhou FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-08 Xiaofang Wu, Yongying Zhu, Wei Yan, Peng Zhang, Liping Chen
Background The pathogenic characteristics of V. parahaemolyticus isolated from a gastroenteritis outbreak event in Deqing County of Huzhou City in 2022 were analyzed. Methods Pathogen detection was performed on 30 anal swabs (26 patients, 1 chef and 3 waiters). The isolates of V. parahaemolyticus were analyzed by serum typing, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) molecular typing, multiplex fluorescent
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Tracking fungal species-level responses in soil environments exposed to long-term warming and associated drying FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-07 A L Romero-Olivares, Serita D Frey, Kathleen K Treseder
Climate change is affecting fungal communities and their function in terrestrial ecosystems. Despite making progress in the understanding of how the fungal community responds to global change drivers in natural ecosystems, little is known on how fungi respond at the species level. Understanding how fungal species respond to global change drivers, such as warming, is critical, as it could reveal adaptation
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Microbial Pathogens at the Movies FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-07 Manuel Sánchez-Angulo
Usually, show business depicts viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms as one of the worse menaces to mankind. Entertainment movies influence the way audiences understand and perceive these topics. Few films accurately portray the science of microbiology and its social implications. Movies and TV series often feature outbreaks of deadly diseases and the efforts of scientists and medical professionals
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I.obliquus sclerotia epidermis were different from internal tissues in compound composition, antioxidant activity and associated fungi FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-29 Yijia Zhang, Qiao Liu, Yong Sun, Jihong Jiang
Inonotus obliquus is a medicinal fungus with potential for use in various health applications. To better utilize this fungus, this study focused on epidermis and internal tissues of five sclerotia from different regions in Jilin, Inner Mongolia, and Heilongjiang, examining their polyphenols, polysaccharides, flavonoids, and total triterpenes contents. And evaluated the extracts from sclerotia for their
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Multi-omics analyses from a single sample: prior metabolite extraction does not alter the 16S rRNA-based characterization of prokaryotic community in a diversity of sample types FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-22 Sébastien Duperron, Pierre Foucault, Charlotte Duval, Midoli Goto, Alison Gallet, Simon Colas, Benjamin Marie
Massive sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene has become a standard first step to describe and compare microbial communities from various samples. Parallel analysis of high numbers of samples makes it relevant to the statistical testing of the influence of natural or experimental factors and variables. However, these descriptions fail to document changes in community or ecosystem functioning. Non-targeted
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Diversity of Methylobacterium species associated with New Zealand native plants FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-21 Rowshan Jahan, Ian R McDonald
Methylobacterium species are abundant colonizers of the phyllosphere due to the availability of methanol, a waste product of pectin metabolism during plant cell division. The phyllosphere is an extreme environment, with a landscape that is heterogeneous and continuously changing as the plant grows, and is exposed to high levels of ultra violet irradiation. Geographically, New Zealand (NZ) has been
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Co-factor independent oxidases ncnN and actVA-3 are involved in the dimerization of benzoisochromanequinone antibiotics in naphthocyclinone and actinorhodin biosynthesis FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-20 Bikash Baral, Soheila Matroodi, Vilja Siitonen, Keshav Thapa, Amir Akhgari, Keith Yamada, Aleksi Nuutila, Mikko Metsä-Ketelä
Streptomyces produce complex bioactive secondary metabolites with remarkable chemical diversity. Benzoisochromanequinone polyketides actinorhodin and naphthocyclinone are formed through dimerization of half-molecules via single or double carbon-carbon bonds, respectively. Here we sequenced the genome of S. arenae DSM40737 to identify the naphthocyclinone gene cluster and established heterologous production
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Direct contact of fermented rice bran beds promotes food-to-hand transmission of lactic acid bacteria FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Ryo Niwa, Dominique Chen, Young ah Seong, Kazuhiro Jo, Kohei Ito
The skin microbiome, which varies widely between individuals, plays a crucial role in human health. It also interacts with the environment in various ways, including during the preparation of fermented food. Nukadoko is a pickle and traditional fermented food in Japan that utilizes lactic acid bacteria to ferment vegetables. When preparing or maintaining Nukadoko, it is mixed with bare hands. Despite
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International Microorganism Day: Facilitating Global Outreach Events Using a Decentralized Model FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Eleni Koursari, Joseph Shuttleworth
On 17 September 1683, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch merchant who lacked formal education and fortune, wrote a letter to the Royal Society of London describing for the first time a single-celled organism. As a tribute to this revolutionary discovery, the Portuguese Society of Microbiology with the support of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies in 2017, designated this day as International
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Therapeutic effects of fenticonazole on bacterial vaginosis in mice FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Jinfen Yu, Peiran Peng, Jun Zhu, Chao Yao, Hongbo Dai, Ru Mei
Background Bacterial vaginitis (BV) is a syndrome of increased vaginal discharge, fishy smelling leucorrhea, and itching and burning vulva caused by the micro-ecological imbalance in the vagina induced by mixture of Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) and some anaerobic bacteria. Fenticonazole, an imidazole derivative and antimicrobial compound, has been demonstrated to exert effective therapeutic effects in
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Enterococcus faecium R-026 combined with Bacillus subtilis R-179 alleviate hypercholesterolemia and modulate the gut microbiota in C57BL/6 mice FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Jinli Huang, Yafang Xu, Minghao Wang, Shu Yu, Yixuan Li, Haoxin Tian, Caihua Zhang, Huajun Li
Probiotics have been demonstrated to lower total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in individuals with mild hypercholesterolemia. Our previous study found that intervention with Bacillus subtilis R-179 and Enterococcus faecium R-026, well-known probiotics, improved obesity-associated dyslipidemia through ameliorating the gut microbiota, but similar studies on hypercholesterolemia
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Diagnosis of gastrointestinal infections: comparison between traditional microbiology and a commercial syndromic molecular-based panel FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Jorge Ligero-López, Julio García-Rodríguez, Guillermo Ruiz-Carrascoso
Traditional diagnosis of infectious gastroenteritis is based on culture, microscopy and antigen detection. The development of gastrointestinal syndromic panels based on molecular techniques have allowed rapid and simultaneous identification of multiple pathogens. The objective was to evaluate the implementation of Allplex™ Gastrointestinal Panel Assays (AGPA): Allplex™ GI-Virus, Allplex™ GI-Bacteria
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Isolation and identification of specific lytic bacteriophages as a biocontrol agent against Serratia odorifera PBA-IAUF-1 and kluyvera intermedia PBA-IAUF-6 causing bacterial canker in the grape and Siberian pear FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-06 Somayeh Parsafar, Keivan Beheshti Maal, Hamid Reza Akafi, Ladan Rahimzadeh Torabi
Bacterial canker, a prevalent disease among fruit trees, is a significant concern. The use of phage therapy is presently seen as a dependable biological strategy to control bacterial diseases in fruits. The objective of this research was to use various biochemical and molecular techniques to determine the types of bacteria responsible for causing cankers in various fruits. Additionally, their ability
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ABC superfamily transporter Rv1273c of Mycobacterium tuberculosis acts as a multidrug efflux pump FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-24 Anwesha Adhikary, Debasmita Chatterjee, Anindya Sundar Ghosh
Efflux pump-mediated drug resistance in bacteria is a common occurrence effective for the general survival of the organism. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome has an abundance of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) dependent cassette transporter genes but only a handful of them are documented for their contribution to drug resistance. In this study, we inspected the potential of an ABC transporter Rv1273c
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Characterization of a novel ArsR regulates divergent ars operon in Ensifer adhaerens strain ST2 FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-23 Jun Zhang, Yan-Ning Li, Jie Shen, Venkadesh Sarkarai Nadar, Jian Chen
Microbes evolved resistance determinates for coping with arsenic toxicity are commonly regulated by a variety of transcriptional repressors (ArsRs). Ensifer adhaerens strain ST2 was previously shown tolerance to environmental organoarsenical methylarsenite (MAs(III)), which has been proposed to be a primordial antibiotic. In E. adhaerens strain ST2 chromosomal ars operon, two MAs(III) resistance genes
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Dysbiosis of the oral microbiota composition is associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma and the impact of radiotherapy: A pilot study FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-23 Kanadan Anjali, Muhammed Manzoor, Mangesh Vasant Suryavanshi, Parthiban Rudrapathy, Punchappady Devasya Rekha, Ranajit Das, Asif Hameed, Ananthapadmanabha Bhagwath Arun
Radiotherapy can potentially influence the diversity and composition of the oral microbiome. We performed a study comparing the composition of oral microbiota in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) before radiotherapy (n = 6), at three months (n = 6), and six months (n = 6) post-radiotherapy, and controls (n = 6). We profiled the oral microbiome by 16S rRNA gene sequencing using Illumina
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Insights into accumulation of active ingredients and rhizosphere microorganisms between Salvia miltiorrhiza and S. castanea FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-21 Zishu Xu, Hui Liu, Najeeb Ullah, Shahbaz Atta Tung, Basharat Ali, Xin Li, Shubin Chen, Ling Xu
Salvia miltiorrhiza is an important traditional herbal medicine, and its extracts could be used for treating cardiovascular disease. Although these medicinal compounds are functionally similar, its wild relative, S. castanea, produces significantly different concentrations of these compounds. The reason for their differences is still unknown. In a series of soil and plant-based analyses, we explored
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Striving for Equity in Academia: Embracing the Power of No in Decision-Making FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-19 Talia H Swartz, Jacinda C Abdul-Mutakabbir
In academia, saying “yes” to opportunities and “no” to distractions is crucial for effective decision-making. Here we emphasize the importance of carefully considering commitments and courageously declining those that may lead to overextension. We highlight that discernment is vital, particularly for junior faculty/scientists and those with marginalized identities, as overcommitment can hinder career
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Delivery of E. coli Nissle to the mouse gut by mucoadhesive microcontainers does not improve its competitive ability against strains linked to ulcerative colitis FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-19 Pi Westi Bondegaard, Anders Meyer Torp, Priscila Guerra, Katja Ann Kristensen, Juliane Fjelrad Christfort, Karen Angeliki Krogfelt, Line Hagner Nielsen, Kinga Zor, Anja Boisen, Martin Steen Mortensen, Martin Iain Bahl, Tine Rask Licht
For patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), administration of the probiotic E. coli Nissle (EcN) holds promise for alleviation of disease symptoms. The mechanisms are unclear, but it has been hypothesised that a capacity of the probiotic to outcompete potentially detrimental UC-associated E. coli strains plays an important role. However, this could previously not be confirmed in a mouse model of competition
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New insights into the Undecaprenol monophosphate recycling pathway of Streptococcus pneumoniae FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-18 Linus Wilhelm, Adrien Ducret, Christophe Grangeasse
Recycling of undecaprenol pyrophosphate is critical to regenerate the pool of undecaprenol monophosphate required for cell wall biosynthesis. Undecaprenol pyrophosphate is dephosphorylated by membrane-associated undecaprenyl pyrophosphate phosphatases such as UppP or type 2 Phosphatidic Acid Phosphatases (PAP2) and then transferred across the cytoplasmic membrane by Und-P flippases such as PopT (DUF368-containing
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Photoprotective and Antigenotoxic Properties of Cutibacterium acnes Ecotypes Native to Terrestrial Subsurface Habitats FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-11 Carlos Adolfo Pedraza Barrera, Jorge Luis Fuentes
Actinobacteria are known to produce a variety of secondary metabolites with skin-protective properties. This study aimed to investigate the photoprotective and antigenotoxic properties against UVB of extracts obtained from Cutibacterium acnes strains. Bacterial growth was measured spectrophotometrically and the constant maximum growth rate (μ) value to each strain, were calculated. In vitro photoprotection
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Lest we forget: Odunbaku Oguntona Sapara William (1895-1935) beyond the demystification of Deity FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-11 Temitope O Obadare, Adeyemi T Adeyemo
Oguntola Odunbaku Sapara Williams (born Alexander Johnson Williams, 1861–1935) was a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Public Health. This paper attempts to highlight the effort of an African doctor to fight disease outbreaks during the African colonial era. His uninterrupted 32 years career as a colonial medical officer in one of the British colonies in West Africa, provided superintendence for the
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Genomic insight into the salt tolerance and proteolytic activity of Bacillus subtilis FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-11 Sugyeong Lee, Sumin Seo, Sooyoung Sul, Do-Won Jeong, Jong-Hoon Lee
We assessed the salt tolerance and proteolytic activity of 40 genome-published Bacillus subtilis strains isolated from fermented Korean foods to illuminate the genomic background behind the functionality of B. subtilis in high-salt fermentation. On the basis of the salt tolerance and phenotypic proteolytic activity of the 40 strains, we selected five strains exhibiting different phenotypic characteristics
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Successful cultivation of black morel, Morchella sp. in Japan FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-07 Maki Narimatsu, Shiho Sato, Yuichi Sakamoto
True morels (Morchella spp.) are economically important edible fungi cultivated mainly in China. Japan is one of the top importers of morels, but there are no reports on the distribution of major cultivated species. To investigate the possibility of black morel cultivation in Japan, phylogenetic analysis, mating type analysis, and field cultivation tests were conducted using domestically collected
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We can do it - Empowering learning FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-04 Beatrix Fahnert
We all need to adapt constantly in order to thrive in our ever-changing complex world. Thus, education and educators need to empower learners to develop a mindset and skills set of lifelong and lifewide learning. Papers from around the globe, reflecting the current drivers in education, were published in the FEMS Microbiology Letters virtual Thematic Issue ‘Empowering learning' in October 2023. Its
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A novel synthetic inhibitor of polyamine utilization in S. coelicolor FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-04 Sergii Krysenko, Maria Lopez, Christian Meyners, Patrick L Purder, Alina Zinser, Felix Hausch, Wolfgang Wohlleben
In this work, we present the first inhibitor of GlnA2Sc, a gamma-glutamylpolyamine synthetase, which allows S. coelicolor to detoxify high concentrations of polyamines and to utilize them as a carbon or nitrogen source. GlnA2 belongs to the class of glutamine-synthetase-like (GS-like) enzymes that catalyze the glutamylation of different nitrogen-containing compounds. Whereas a number of inhibitors
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The Clostridium-infecting filamentous phage CAK1 genome analysis allows to define a new potential clade of Tubulavirales FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-10-02 Maud Billaud, Marie-Agnès Petit, Julien Lossouarn
What we know about Tubulavirales, i.e. filamentous phages, essentially comes from Gram-negative-infecting Inoviridae. However, metagenomics recently suggests filamentous phages are much more widespread and diverse. Here, we report the complete sequence and functional annotation of CAK1, a 6.6 kb filamentous phage that was shown to chronically infect Clostridium beijerinckii 30 years ago and only represents
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Assessment of phenotypic heterogeneity in Salmonella Typhimurium preadapted to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-09-29 Jirapat Dawan, Songrae Kim, Juhee Ahn
Bacterial population exposed to stressful antibiotic conditions consists of various subpopulations such as tolerant, persister, and resistant cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phenotypic heterogeneity of Salmonella Typhimurium preadapted to sublethal concentrations of antibiotics. Salmonella Typhimurium cells were treated with 1/2 × MIC of antibiotics for the first 48 h and successively
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Analysis of BlaEC family class C beta-lactamase FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-09-27 Jiri Schmidt, Veronika Zdarska, Milan Kolar, Patrik Mlynarcik
Recent years have witnessed an increased prevalence of intrinsic and acquired beta-lactamase-producing bacteria, severely limiting human and veterinary medicine therapeutic options. The present study aimed to design specific oligonucleotides for rapid PCR detection of the cephalosporinase-encoding gene blaEC (BlaEC family class C beta-lactamase). Three primers were designed to detect 2281 variants
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Impact of different environmental pollution processes on bacterial key-indicators in tropical rivers: Scoping review FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (IF 2.1) Pub Date : 2023-09-26 Jimena Bohórquez-Herrera, Isaac David Abad Matías, Clara Gilma Gutiérrez Castañeda
Freshwater ecosystems are an essential resource for human use and natural populations, but they are exposed to different sources of man-made pollution. This study analyses how different environmental pollution processes influence the structure of bacterial communities in tropical rivers. A scoping review was performed to characterize the bacterial communities in freshwater ecosystems in tropical regions