Journal of Microbiology

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Advances in functional analysis of the microbiome: Integrating metabolic modeling, metabolite prediction, and pathway inference with Next-Generation Sequencing data: Sungwon Jung; J. Microbiol. 2025;63(1):e.2411006. Published online January 24, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2411006

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Abstract PDF: This review explores current advancements in microbiome functional analysis enabled by next-generation sequencing technologies, which have transformed our understanding of microbial communities from mere taxonomic composition to their functional potential. We examine approaches that move beyond species identification to characterize microbial activities, interactions, and their roles in host health and disease. Genome-scale metabolic models allow for in-depth simulations of metabolic networks, enabling researchers to predict microbial metabolism, growth, and interspecies interactions in diverse environments. Additionally, computational methods for predicting metabolite profiles offer indirect insights into microbial metabolic outputs, which is crucial for identifying biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Functional pathway analysis tools further reveal microbial contributions to metabolic pathways, highlighting alterations in response to environmental changes and disease states. Together, these methods offer a powerful framework for understanding the complex metabolic interactions within microbial communities and their impact on host physiology. While significant progress has been made, challenges remain in the accuracy of predictive models and the completeness of reference databases, which limit the applicability of these methods in under-characterized ecosystems. The integration of these computational tools with multi-omic data holds promise for personalized approaches in precision medicine, allowing for targeted interventions that modulate the microbiome to improve health outcomes. This review highlights recent advances in microbiome functional analysis, providing a roadmap for future research and translational applications in human health and environmental microbiology.

Research Article

PneusPage: A WEB-BASED TOOL for the analysis of Whole-Genome Sequencing Data of Streptococcus pneumonia: Eunju Hong, Youngjin Shin, Hyunseong Kim, Woo Young Cho, Woo-Hyun Song, Seung-Hyun Jung, Minho Lee; J. Microbiol. 2025;63(1):e.2409020. Published online January 24, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2409020

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: With the advent of whole-genome sequencing, opportunities to investigate the population structure, transmission patterns, antimicrobial resistance profiles, and virulence determinants of Streptococcus pneumoniae at high resolution have been increasingly expanding. Consequently, a user-friendly bioinformatics tool is needed to automate the analysis of Streptococcus pneumoniae whole-genome sequencing data, summarize clinically relevant genomic features, and further guide treatment options. Here, we developed PneusPage, a web-based tool that integrates functions for species prediction, molecular typing, drug resistance determination, and data visualization of Streptococcus pneumoniae. To evaluate the performance of PneusPage, we analyzed 80 pneumococcal genomes with different serotypes from the Global Pneumococcal Sequencing Project and compared the results with those from another platform, PathogenWatch. We observed a high concordance between the two platforms in terms of serotypes (100% concordance rate), multilocus sequence typing (100% concordance rate), penicillin-binding protein typing (88.8% concordance rate), and the Global Pneumococcal Sequencing Clusters (98.8% concordance rate). In addition, PneusPage offers integrated analysis functions for the detection of virulence and mobile genetic elements that are not provided by previous platforms. By automating the analysis pipeline, PneusPage makes whole-genome sequencing data more accessible to non-specialist users, including microbiologists, epidemiologists, and clinicians, thereby enhancing the utility of whole-genome sequencing in both research and clinical settings. PneusPage is available at https://pneuspage.minholee.net/.

Journal Articles

Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis Facilitates Susceptibility to Bloodstream Infection: Xiaomin Lin, Chun Lin, Xin Li, Fen Yao, Xiaoling Guo, Meimei Wang, Mi Zeng, Yumeng Yuan, Qingdong Xie, Xudong Huang, Xiaoyang Jiao; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(12):1113-1124. Published online December 2, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00190-5

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Abstract: To study the role of intestinal flora in the development of bloodstream infections (BSIs). 42 patients and 19 healthy controls (HCs) were screened into the study and their intestinal flora was measured by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The bacterial diversity was significantly lower in the BSI group compared with that in the HCs (P < 0.001), and beta diversity was significantly differentiated between the two groups (PERMANOVA, P = 0.001). The four keystone species [Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, Prevotella, and Enterococcus (LDA > 4)] differed significantly between the two groups. Dysbiosis of fecal microbial ecology is a common condition present in patients with BSI. The proliferation of certain pathogens or reduction of SCFA-producing bacteria would cause susceptibility to BSI.

Characterization and Comparative Genomic Analysis of vB_BceM_CEP1: A Novel Temperate Bacteriophage Infecting Burkholderia cepacia Complex: Momen Askoura, Eslam K Fahmy, Safya E Esmaeel, Wael A H Hegazy, Aliaa Abdelghafar; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(11):1035-1055. Published online November 18, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00185-2

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Abstract: The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria imminently threatens public health and jeopardizes nearly all aspects of modern medicine. The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) comprises Burkholderia cepacia and the related species of Gram-negative bacteria. Members of the Bcc group are opportunistic pathogens responsible for various chronic illnesses, including cystic fibrosis and chronic granulomatous disease. Phage therapy is emerging as a potential solution to combat the antimicrobial resistance crisis. In this study, a temperate phage vB_BceM_CEP1 was isolated from sewage and fully characterized. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that vB_BceM_CEP1 belongs to the family Peduoviridae. The isolated phage demonstrated enhanced environmental stability and antibiofilm potential. One-step growth analysis revealed a latent period of 30 min and an average burst size of 139 plaque-forming units per cell. The genome of vB_BceM_CEP1 consists of 32,486 bp with a GC content of 62.05%. A total of 40 open reading frames were annotated in the phage genome, and none of the predicted genes was annotated as tRNA. Notably, genes associated with antibiotic resistance, host virulence factors, and toxins were absent from the vB_BceM_CEP1 genome. Based on its unique phenotype and phylogeny, the isolated phage vB_BceM_CEP1 is classified as a new temperate phage with lytic activity. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the diversity of Bcc phages.

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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Abstract

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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Abstract

Quorum quenching refers to any mechanism that inhibits quorum sensing processes. In this study, quorum quenching activity among bacteria inhabiting riverside soil was screened, and a novel Gram-stain-negative, rod shaped bacterial strain designated MMS21-HV4-11(T), which showed the highest level of quorum quenching activity, was isolated and subjected to further analysis. Strain MMS21-HV4-11(T) could be assigned to the genus Reyranella of Alphaproteobacteria based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, as the strain shared 98.74% sequence similarity with Reyranella aquatilis seoho-37(T), and then 97.87% and 97.80% sequence similarity with Reyranella soli KIS14-15(T) and Reyranella massiliensis 521(T), respectively. The decomposed N-acyl homoserine lactone was restored at high concentrations under acidic conditions, implying that lactonase and other enzyme(s) are responsible for quorum quenching. The genome analysis indicated that strain MMS21-HV4-11(T) had two candidate genes for lactonase and one for acylase, and expected protein structures were confirmed. In the quorum sensing inhibition assay using a plant pathogen Pectobacterium carotovorum KACC 14888, development of soft rot was significantly inhibited by strain MMS21-HV4-11(T). Besides, the swarming motility by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 was significantly inhibited in the presence of strain MMS21-HV4-11(T). Since the isolate did not display direct antibacterial activity against either of these species, the inhibition was certainly due to quorum quenching activity. In an extended study with the type strains of all known species of Reyranella, all strains were capable of degrading N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), thus showing quorum quenching potential at the genus level. This is the first study on the quorum quenching potential and enzymes responsible in Reyranella. In addition, MMS21-HV4-11(T) could be recognized as a new species through taxonomic characterization, for which the name Reyranella humidisoli sp. nov. is proposed (type strain = MMS21-HV4-11( T) = KCTC 82780( T) = LMG 32365(T)).

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Study of N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) degradation potential of bacteria isolated from environmental samples and their impact on quorum sensing regulated biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Anju Tomy, Rakesh Yasarla
Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering.2025; 13(2): 115974. CrossRef
Research progress of bacterial quorum sensing systems in synthetic biology applications
Boyu Luo, Tuoyu Liu, Zhi Sun, Yue Teng
Chinese Science Bulletin.2024; 69(36): 5213. CrossRef
Validation List no. 220. Valid publication of new names and new combinations effectively published outside the IJSEM
Aharon Oren, Markus Göker
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology .2024;[Epub] CrossRef

Impact of Elevational Gradients and Chemical Parameters on Changes in Soil Bacterial Diversity Under Semiarid Mountain Region: Salman Khan , Chun Han , Awais Iqbal , Chao Guan , Changming Zhao; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(10):903-915. Published online November 23, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00085-x

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Abstract: Elevation gradients, often regarded as “natural experiments or laboratories”, can be used to study changes in the distribution of microbial diversity related to changes in environmental conditions that typically occur over small geographical scales. We obtained bacterial sequences using MiSeq sequencing and clustered them into operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The total number of reads obtained by the bacterial 16S rRNA sequencing analysis was 1,090,555, with an average of approximately 45,439 reads per sample collected from various elevations. The current study observed inconsistent bacterial diversity patterns in samples from the lowest to highest elevations. 983 OTUs were found common among all the elevations. The most unique OTUs were found in the soil sample from elevation_2, followed by elevation_1. Soil sample collected at elevation_6 had the least unique OTUs. Actinobacteria, Protobacteria, Chloroflexi were found most abundant bacterial phyla in current study. Ammonium nitrogen ( NH4 +-N), and total phosphate (TP) are the main factors influencing bacterial diversity at elevations_ 1. pH was the main factor influencing the bacterial diversity at elevations_2, elevation_3 and elevation_4. Our results provide new visions on forming and maintaining soil microbial diversity along an elevational gradient and have implications for microbial responses to environmental change in semiarid mountain ecosystems.

Tubulysins are Essential for the Preying of Ciliates by Myxobacteria: Uisang Yu , Jiha Kim , Seohui Park , Kyungyun Cho; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(6):627-632. Published online June 14, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00056-2

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Abstract

Tubulysins are bioactive secondary metabolites produced by myxobacteria that promote microtubule disassembly. Microtubules are required for protozoa such as Tetrahymena to form cilia and flagella. To study the role of tubulysins in myxobacteria, we co-cultured myxobacteria and Tetrahymena. When 4000 Tetrahymena thermophila and 5.0 × 108 myxobacteria were added to 1 ml of CYSE medium and co-cultured for 48 h, the population of T. thermophila increased to more than 75,000. However, co-culturing tubulysin-producing myxobacteria, including Archangium gephyra KYC5002, with T. thermophila caused the population of T. thermophila to decrease from 4000 to less than 83 within 48 h. Almost no dead bodies of T. thermophila were observed in the culture medium. Co-culturing of T. thermophila and the A. gephyra KYC5002 strain with inactivation of the tubulysin biosynthesis gene led to the population of T. thermophila increasing to 46,667. These results show that in nature, most myxobacteria are preyed upon by T. thermophila, but some myxobacteria prey on and kill T. thermophila using tubulysins. Adding purified tubulysin A to T. thermophila changed the cell shape from ovoid to spherical and caused cell surface cilia to disappear.

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Tubulysin Production by the Dead Cells of Archangium gephyra KYC5002
Seohui Park, Chaehyeon Park, Yujin Ka, Kyungyun Cho
Journal of Microbiology.2024; 62(6): 463. CrossRef
Two reasons to kill: predation and kin discrimination in myxobacteria
Christine Kaimer, Michael L. Weltzer, Daniel Wall
Microbiology .2023;[Epub] CrossRef

Review

Manganese Transporter Proteins in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium: Nakyeong Ha , Eun-Jin Lee; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(3):289-296. Published online March 2, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00027-7

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Abstract

The metal cofactors are essential for the function of many enzymes. The host restricts the metal acquisition of pathogens for their immunity and the pathogens have evolved many ways to obtain metal ions for their survival and growth. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium also needs several metal cofactors for its survival, and manganese has been found to contribute to Salmonella pathogenesis. Manganese helps Salmonella withstand oxidative and nitrosative stresses. In addition, manganese affects glycolysis and the reductive TCA, which leads to the inhibition of energetic and biosynthetic metabolism. Therefore, manganese homeostasis is crucial for full virulence of Salmonella. Here, we summarize the current information about three importers and two exporters of manganese that have been identified in Salmonella. MntH, SitABCD, and ZupT have been shown to participate in manganese uptake. mntH and sitABCD are upregulated by low manganese concentration, oxidative stress, and host NRAMP1 level. mntH also contains a Mn2+- dependent riboswitch in its 5′ UTR. Regulation of zupT expression requires further investigation. MntP and YiiP have been identified as manganese efflux proteins. mntP is transcr!ptionally activated by MntR at high manganese levels and repressed its activity by MntS at low manganese levels. Regulation of yiiP requires further analysis, but it has been shown that yiiP expression is not dependent on MntS. Besides these five transporters, there might be additional transporters that need to be identified.

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Functional characterization of a TerC family protein of Riemerella anatipestifer in manganese detoxification and virulence
Qinyuan Chen, Fang Guo, Li Huang, Mengying Wang, Chunfeng Shi, Shutong Zhang, Yizhou Yao, Mingshu Wang, Dekang Zhu, Renyong Jia, Shun Chen, Xinxin Zhao, Qiao Yang, Ying Wu, Shaqiu Zhang, Bin Tian, Juan Huang, Xumin Ou, Qun Gao, Di Sun, Ling Zhang, Yanling
Applied and Environmental Microbiology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
NO enhances the adaptability to high-salt environments by regulating osmotic balance, antioxidant defense, and ion homeostasis in eelgrass based on transcriptome and metabolome analysis
Xianyan Wang, Tongtong Wang, Pei Yu, Yuchun Li, Xinfang Lv
Frontiers in Plant Science.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
High-throughput fitness experiments reveal specific vulnerabilities of human-adapted Salmonella during stress and infection
Benjamin X. Wang, Dmitry Leshchiner, Lijuan Luo, Miles Tuncel, Karsten Hokamp, Jay C. D. Hinton, Denise M. Monack
Nature Genetics.2024; 56(6): 1288. CrossRef
Biological characteristics of manganese transporter MntP in Klebsiella pneumoniae
Wei Peng, Yafei Xu, Yilin Yin, Jichen Xie, Renhui Ma, Guoyuan Song, Zhiqiang Zhang, Qiuhang Quan, Qinggen Jiang, Moran Li, Bei Li, Michael David Leslie Johnson
mSphere.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Exploring resource competition by protective lactic acid bacteria cultures to control Salmonella in food: an Achilles’ heel to target?
Ludovico Screpanti, Nathalie Desmasures, Margot Schlusselhuber
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.2024; : 1. CrossRef
Substrate-Induced Structural Dynamics and Evolutionary Linkage of Siderophore-Iron ABC Transporters of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Aisha Farhana, Abdullah Alsrhani, Hasan Ejaz, Muharib Alruwaili, Ayman A. M. Alameen, Emad Manni, Zafar Rasheed, Yusuf Saleem Khan
Medicina.2024; 60(11): 1891. CrossRef
Structures and coordination chemistry of transporters involved in manganese and iron homeostasis
Shamayeeta Ray, Rachelle Gaudet
Biochemical Society Transactions.2023; 51(3): 897. CrossRef
Bacterial Regulatory Mechanisms for the Control of Cellular Processes: Simple Organisms’ Complex Regulation
Jin-Won Lee
Journal of Microbiology.2023; 61(3): 273. CrossRef

Journal Articles

Diversity and Dynamics of Marine Arenicolous Fungi in Three Seasides of the Korean Peninsula: Jun Won Lee , Chang Wan Seo , Wonjun Lee , Ji Seon Kim , Ki Hyeong Park , Yoonhee Cho , Young Woon Lim; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(1):63-82. Published online January 30, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00011-1

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Abstract

Various arenicolous fungal species have been detected from the beach sand in the coastal area. However, little has been revealed regarding their distribution and dynamics. To investigate the overall diversity of marine arenicolous fungi (MAFs) in Korea and whether the composition of MAFs is affected by ocean currents, we isolated and analyzed the fungal community from the western, southern, and eastern seasides of the Korean Peninsula. In total, 603 strains were isolated and identified as 259 species based on appropriate molecular markers for each genus (ITS, BenA, CaM, tef1, and act). The composition of MAFs showed differences among the seasides. Our results indicate that many MAFs inhabit the beach sand on the Korean Peninsula, and the composition of MAFs is also affected by ocean currents flowing along each coast.

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The genus Peniophora (Russulales, Basidiomycota) from Patagonia revisited
Mario Rajchenberg, Andrés de Errasti, Sergio Pérez Gorjón
Mycological Progress.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Contributions to the Inocybe umbratica–paludinella (Agaricales) Group in China: Taxonomy, Species Diversity, and Molecular Phylogeny
Xin Chen, Wen-Jie Yu, Tolgor Bau, P. Brandon Matheny, Egon Horak, Yu Liu, Li-Wu Qin, Li-Ping Tang, Yu-Peng Ge, Tie-Zhi Liu, Yu-Guang Fan
Journal of Fungi.2024; 10(12): 893. CrossRef
Long-Term Investigation of Marine-Derived Aspergillus Diversity in the Republic of Korea
Jun Won Lee, Wonjun Lee, Rekhani Hansika Perera, Young Woon Lim
Mycobiology.2023; 51(6): 436. CrossRef

Characteristic alterations of gut microbiota in uncontrolled gout: Asad ul-Haq , Kyung-Ann Lee , Hoonhee Seo , Sukyung Kim , Sujin Jo , Kyung Min Ko , Su-Jin Moon , Yun Sung Kim , Jung Ran Choi , Ho-Yeon Song , Hyun-Sook Kim; J. Microbiol. 2022;60(12):1178-1190. Published online November 24, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-022-2416-1

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Abstract

Microbiome research has been on the rise recently for a more in-depth understanding of gout. Meanwhile, there is a need to understand the gut microbiome related to uric acid-lowering drug resistance. In this study, 16S rRNA gene-based microbiota analysis was performed for a total of 65 stool samples from 17 healthy controls and 48 febuxostat-treated gout patients (including 28 controlled subjects with decreased uric acid levels and 20 uncontrolled subjects with non-reduced uric acid levels). Alpha diversity of bacterial community decreased in the healthy control, controlled, and uncontrolled groups. In the case of beta diversity, the bacterial community was significantly different among groups (healthy control, controlled, and uncontrolled groups). Taxonomic biomarker analysis revealed the increased population of g-Bifidobacterium in healthy controls and g-Prevotella in uncontrolled patients. PCR further confirmed this result at the species level. Additionally, functional metagenomics predictions led to the exploration of various functional biomarkers, including purine metabolism. The results of this study can serve as a basis for developing potential new strategies for diagnosing and treating gout from microbiome prospects.

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Jae Heon Kim, Hoonhee Seo, Sukyung Kim, Md Abdur Rahim, Sujin Jo, Indrajeet Barman, Hanieh Tajdozian, Faezeh Sarafraz, Ho-Yeon Song, Yun Seob Song
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2024; 25(16): 8943. CrossRef
Reassessing Gout Management through the Lens of Gut Microbiota
Jean Demarquoy, Oumaima Dehmej
Applied Microbiology.2024; 4(2): 824. CrossRef
Changes in gut microbiota structure and function in gout patients
Feiyan Zhao, Zhixin Zhao, Dafu Man, Zhihong Sun, Ning Tie, Hongbin Li, Heping Zhang
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Effect of a Novel Handheld Photobiomodulation Therapy Device in the Management of Chemoradiation Therapy-Induced Oral Mucositis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Case Series Study
In-Young Jo, Hyung-Kwon Byeon, Myung-Jin Ban, Jae-Hong Park, Sang-Cheol Lee, Yong Kyun Won, Yun-Su Eun, Jae-Yun Kim, Na-Gyeong Yang, Sul-Hee Lee, Pyeongan Lee, Nam-Hun Heo, Sujin Jo, Hoonhee Seo, Sukyung Kim, Ho-Yeon Song, Jung-Eun Kim
Photonics.2023; 10(3): 241. CrossRef
New drug targets for the treatment of gout arthritis: what’s new?
Tiago H. Zaninelli, Geovana Martelossi-Cebinelli, Telma Saraiva-Santos, Sergio M. Borghi, Victor Fattori, Rubia Casagrande, Waldiceu A. Verri
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Qiulan Lv, Jun Zhou, Changyao Wang, Xiaomin Yang, Yafei Han, Quan Zhou, Ruyong Yao, Aihua Sui
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Biochemical Recurrence in Prostate Cancer Is Associated with the Composition of Lactobacillus: Microbiome Analysis of Prostatic Tissue
Jae Heon Kim, Hoonhee Seo, Sukyung Kim, Asad Ul-Haq, Md Abdur Rahim, Sujin Jo, Ho-Yeon Song, Yun Seob Song
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2023; 24(13): 10423. CrossRef
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Vladimir S. Ermakov, Jeffry C. Granados, Sanjay K. Nigam
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Emerging Urate-Lowering Drugs and Pharmacologic Treatment Strategies for Gout: A Narrative Review
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Characterization of Fecal Microbiomes of Osteoporotic Patients in Korea
Asad Ul-Haq, Hoonhee Seo, Sujin Jo, Hyuna Park, Sukyung Kim, Youngkyoung Lee, Saebim Lee, Je Hoon Jeong, Ho‑Yeon Song
Polish Journal of Microbiology.2022; 71(4): 601. CrossRef

Review

[MINIREVIEW]Glaciers as microbial habitats: current knowledge and implication: Soyeon Kim , Hanbyul Lee , Soon-Do Hur , Woo Jun Sul , Ok-Sun Kim; J. Microbiol. 2022;60(8):767-779. Published online July 29, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-022-2275-9

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Abstract

Glaciers, formed from the gradual accumulation of snow, can be continuous records representing past environments and recognized as a time capsule of our planetary evolution. Due to extremely harsh conditions, glacial ice has long been considered an uninhabitable ecosystem for microorganisms to sustain their life. However, recent developments in microbiological analysis techniques revealed the presence of unexpectedly diverse microbial strains. Glacial microorganisms could also provide valuable information, including not only biological diversity and structure but also molecular systematics, metabolic profiles, and evolutionary changes from the past climate and ecosystem. However, there are several obstacles in investigating the glacier environment, such as low regional accessibility, technical difficulties of ice coring, potential contamination during the sampling process, and low microbial biomass. This review aims to summarize recent knowledge on decontamination methods, biomass, diversity based on culture-dependent and -independent methods, application of biological proxies, greenhouse gas production and adaptive strategies in glaciers from various regions and to imply further directions for a comprehensive understanding of habitatility in an icy world including outer of our planet.

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Research progress and application of bacterial traceability technology
Wei Wang, Bichun Zhao, Hanyu Zhang, Zhaowei Jie, Can Hu, Hongling Guo, Ping Wang, Yajun Li, Jun Zhu, Hongcheng Mei, Jian Ye
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Bacterial community structure, adaptations and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from Antarctica: A review
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Jacopo Aguzzi, Javier Cuadros, Lewis Dartnell, Corrado Costa, Simona Violino, Loredana Canfora, Roberto Danovaro, Nathan Jack Robinson, Donato Giovannelli, Sascha Flögel, Sergio Stefanni, Damianos Chatzievangelou, Simone Marini, Giacomo Picardi, Bernard F
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Genomic basis of environmental adaptation in the widespread poly-extremophilic Exiguobacterium group
Liang Shen, Yongqin Liu, Liangzhong Chen, Tingting Lei, Ping Ren, Mukan Ji, Weizhi Song, Hao Lin, Wei Su, Sheng Wang, Marianne Rooman, Fabrizio Pucci
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Liang Shen, Jiayu Hu, Luyao Zhang, Zirui Wu, Liangzhong Chen, Namita Paudel Adhikari, Mukan Ji, Shaoxing Chen, Fang Peng, Yongqin Liu
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Journal Articles

Pat- and Pta-mediated protein acetylation is required for horizontallyacquired virulence gene expression in Salmonella Typhimurium: Hyojeong Koo , Eunna Choi , Shinae Park , Eun-Jin Lee , Jung-Shin Lee; J. Microbiol. 2022;60(8):823-831. Published online May 27, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-022-2095-y

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Abstract

Salmonella Typhimurium is a Gram-negative facultative pathogen that causes a range of diseases, from mild gastroenteritis to severe systemic infection in a variety of animal hosts. S. Typhimurium regulates virulence gene expression by a silencing mechanism using nucleoid-associated proteins such as Histone-like Nucleoid Structuring protein (H-NS) silencing. We hypothesize that the posttranslational modification, specifically protein acetylation, of proteins in gene silencing systems could affect the pathogenic gene expression of S. Typhimurium. Therefore, we created acetylation-deficient mutant by deleting two genes, pat and pta, which are involved in the protein acetylation pathway. We observed that the pat and pta deletion attenuates mouse virulence and also decreases Salmonella’s replication within macrophages. In addition, the Δpat Δpta strain showed a decreased expression of the horizontally-acquired virulence genes, mgtC, pagC, and ugtL, which are highly expressed in low Mg2+. The decreased virulence gene expression is possibly due to higher H-NS occupancy to those promoters because the pat and pta deletion increases H-NS occupancy whereas the same mutation decreases occupancy of RNA polymerase. Our results suggest that Pat- and Pta-mediated protein acetylation system promotes the expression of virulence genes by regulating the binding affinity of H-NS in S. Typhimurium.

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Multi-Lasso Peptide-Based Synergistic Nanocomposite: A High-Stability, Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Agent with Potential for Combined Antibacterial Therapy
Yu Li, Jinyu Zhang, Ke Wei, Di Zhou, Zepeng Wang, Zhiwei Zeng, Yu Han, Weisheng Cao
ACS Nano.2024; 18(45): 31435. CrossRef

The efficacy of a 2,4-diaminoquinazoline compound as an intranasal vaccine adjuvant to protect against influenza A virus infection in vivo: Kyungseob Noh , Eun Ju Jeong , Timothy An , Jin Soo Shin , Hyejin Kim , Soo Bong Han , Meehyein Kim; J. Microbiol. 2022;60(5):550-559. Published online April 18, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-022-1661-7

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Abstract

Adjuvants are substances added to vaccines to enhance antigen- specific immune responses or to protect antigens from rapid elimination. As pattern recognition receptors, Toll-like receptors 7 (TLR7) and 8 (TLR8) activate the innate immune system by sensing endosomal single-stranded RNA of RNA viruses. Here, we investigated if a 2,4-diaminoquinazolinebased TLR7/8 agonist, (S)-3-((2-amino-8-fluoroquinazolin- 4-yl)amino)hexan-1-ol (named compound 31), could be used as an adjuvant to enhance the serological and mucosal immunity of an inactivated influenza A virus vaccine. The compound induced the production of proinflammatory cytokines in macrophages. In a dose-response analysis, intranasal administration of 1 μg compound 31 together with an inactivated vaccine (0.5 μg) to mice not only enhanced virus-specific IgG and IgA production but also neutralized influenza A virus with statistical significance. Notably, in a virus-challenge model, the combination of the vaccine and compound 31 alleviated viral infection-mediated loss of body weight and increased survival rates by 40% compared with vaccine only-treated mice. We suggest that compound 31 is a promising lead compound for developing mucosal vaccine adjuvants to protect against respiratory RNA viruses such as influenza viruses and potentially coronaviruses.

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Efflux-Enhanced Imidazoquinolines To Exploit Chemoresistance
Muhammad Haroon, Sharmin Sultana, Seyedeh A. Najibi, Emily T. Wang, Abbey Michaelson, Pranto S. M. Al Muied, Amy E. Nielsen, Rock J. Mancini
ACS Omega.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of New 2,6,7-Substituted Purine Derivatives as Toll-like Receptor 7 Agonists for Intranasal Vaccine Adjuvants
Morgan Kim, Kyungseob Noh, Pyeongkeun Kim, Jae Ho Kim, Byeong Wook Choi, Ravi Singh, Jun-Ho Choi, Soo Bong Han, Seong Soon Kim, Eun-Young Lee, Myung Ae Bae, Daeho Shin, Meehyein Kim, Jin Hee Ahn
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.2024; 67(11): 9389. CrossRef
Evaluation of Antiviral Activity of Gemcitabine Derivatives against Influenza Virus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2
Hyeon-Min Cha, Uk-Il Kim, Soo Bin Ahn, Myoung Kyu Lee, Haemi Lee, Hyungtae Bang, Yejin Jang, Seong Soon Kim, Myung Ae Bae, Kyungjin Kim, Meehyein Kim
ACS Infectious Diseases.2023; 9(4): 1033. CrossRef
Identification of broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies against influenza A virus and evaluation of their prophylactic efficacy in mice
Sumin Son, Soo Bin Ahn, Geonyeong Kim, Yejin Jang, Chunkyu Ko, Meehyein Kim, Sang Jick Kim
Antiviral Research.2023; 213: 105591. CrossRef
Inhibition of KIF20A suppresses the replication of influenza A virus by inhibiting viral entry
Hoyeon Jeon, Younghyun Lim, In-Gu Lee, Dong-In Kim, Keun Pil Kim, So-Hee Hong, Jeongkyu Kim, Youn-Sang Jung, Young-Jin Seo
Journal of Microbiology.2022; 60(11): 1113. CrossRef

Review

Protective and pathogenic role of humoral responses in COVID-19: Uni Park , Nam-Hyuk Cho; J. Microbiol. 2022;60(3):268-275. Published online March 2, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-022-2037-8

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Abstract

Since the advent of SARS-CoV-2 in Dec. 2019, the global endeavor to identify the pathogenic mechanism of COVID-19 has been ongoing. Although humoral immunity including neutralizing activity play an important role in protection from the viral pathogen, dysregulated antibody responses may be associated with the pathogenic progression of COVID-19, especially in high-risk individuals. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific antibodies acquired by prior infection or vaccination act as immune pressure, driving continuous population turnover by selecting for antibody-escaping mutations. Here, we review accumulating knowledge on the potential role of humoral immune responses in COVID-19, primarily focusing on their beneficial and pathogenic properties. Understanding the multifaceted regulatory mechanisms of humoral responses during SARS-CoV-2 infection can help us to develop more effective therapeutics, as well as protective measures against the ongoing pandemic.

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Rise in broadly cross-reactive adaptive immunity against human β-coronaviruses in MERS-recovered patients during the COVID-19 pandemic
So-Hee Kim, Yuri Kim, Sangeun Jeon, Uni Park, Ju-Il Kang, Kyeongseok Jeon, Hye-Ran Kim, Songhyeok Oh, Ji-Young Rhee, Jae-Phil Choi, Wan Beom Park, Sang Won Park, Jeong-Sun Yang, Joo-Yeon Lee, Jihye Kang, Hyoung-Shik Shin, Yeonjae Kim, Seungtaek Kim, Yeon-
Science Advances.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Distinctive Combinations of RBD Mutations Contribute to Antibody Evasion in the Case of the SARS-CoV-2 Beta Variant
Tae-Hun Kim, Sojung Bae, Sunggeun Goo, Jinjong Myoung
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology.2023; 33(12): 1587. CrossRef
Two years of COVID-19 pandemic: where are we now?
Jinjong Myoung
Journal of Microbiology.2022; 60(3): 235. CrossRef

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