Journal of Microbiology

Review

Metabolite-mediated mechanisms linking the urinary microbiome to bladder cancer: Thu Anh Trần, Ho Young Lee, Hae Woong Choi; J. Microbiol. 2025;63(11):e2509001. Published online November 30, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2509001

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Abstract PDF: Bladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the urinary tract and is a major health burden globally. Recent advances in microbiome research have revealed that the urinary tract harbors a resident microbial community, overturning the long-held belief in its sterility. Increasing evidence suggests that microbial dysbiosis and microbially derived metabolites contribute to bladder cancer carcinogenesis, progression, and therapeutic responses. Distinct microbial signatures have been observed in bladder cancer patients, with notable differences across disease stages and between primary and recurrent cases. Mechanistic studies have demonstrated that microbe-associated metabolites and toxins can drive DNA damage, chronic inflammation, extracellular matrix remodeling, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. In addition, biofilm formation allows bacteria to evade immune responses and promotes persistent inflammation, creating a tumor-permissive niche. Beyond pathogenesis, microbial activity also influences therapeutic outcomes; for instance, some microbial pathways can inactivate frontline chemotherapy, while others generate metabolites with anti-tumor properties. Collectively, these patterns define a microbiota–metabolite–immunity axis, presenting opportunities for precision oncology. Targeting microbial pathways, profiling urinary microbiota, and harnessing beneficial metabolites offer promising advancements in biomarker discovery, prognostic refinement, and the development of novel therapeutic strategies for bladder cancer.

Journal Articles

Delineating the Acquired Genetic Diversity and Multidrug Resistance in Alcaligenes from Poultry Farms and Nearby Soil: Abhilash Bhattacharjee, Anil Kumar Singh; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(7):511-523. Published online June 21, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00129-w

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Alcaligenes faecalis is one of the most important and clinically significant environmental pathogens, increasing in importance due to its isolation from soil and nosocomial environments. The Gram-negative soil bacterium is associated with skin endocarditis, bacteremia, dysentery, meningitis, endophthalmitis, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia in patients. With emerging antibiotic resistance in A. faecalis, it has become crucial to understand the origin of such resistance genes within this clinically significant environmental and gut bacterium. In this research, we studied the impact of antibiotic overuse in poultry and its effect on developing resistance in A. faecalis. We sampled soil and faecal materials from five poultry farms, performed whole genome sequencing & analysis and identified four strains of A. faecalis. Furthermore, we characterized the genes in the genomic islands of A. faecalis isolates. We found four multidrug-resistant A. faecalis strains that showed resistance against vancomycin (MIC >1000 μg/ml), ceftazidime (50 μg/ml), colistin (50 μg/ml) and ciprofloxacin (50 μg/ml). From whole genome comparative analysis, we found more than 180 resistance genes compared to the reference sequence. Parts of our assembled contigs were found to be similar to different bacteria which included pbp1A and pbp2 imparting resistance to amoxicillin originally a part of Helicobacter and Bordetella pertussis. We also found the Mycobacterial insertion element IS6110 in the genomic islands of all four genomes. This prominent insertion element can be transferred and induce resistance to other bacterial genomes. The results thus are crucial in understanding the transfer of resistance genes in the environment and can help in developing regimes for antibiotic use in the food and poultry industry.

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First Case of Respiratory Infection in Rabbits Caused by Alcaligenes faecalis in Romania
Vlad Iorgoni, Ionica Iancu, Ionela Popa, Alexandru Gligor, Gabriel Orghici, Bogdan Sicoe, Corina Badea, Cristian Dreghiciu, Călin Pop, Timea Bochiș, Janos Degi, Luminita Costinar, Corina Pascu, Viorel Herman
Veterinary Sciences.2025; 12(1): 33. CrossRef

Quorum Quenching Potential of Reyranella sp. Isolated from Riverside Soil and Description of Reyranella humidisoli sp. nov.: Dong Hyeon Lee, Seung Bum Kim; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(6):449-461. Published online May 30, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00131-2

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