Search Results (7,181)

Background: This study investigated the relationships among mitochondrial energy metabolism, immune function, and gut microbiota in mice under a fatigued state, providing preliminary evidence for future nutrition-related mechanistic and intervention studies. Methods: Mice were adaptively fed for 4 days and then randomly divided into a normal control group (NC) and a fatigue model group (NM). Immune organ indices, serum IgG levels, thigh muscle ATP content, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I–IV activities, and gut microbiota composition were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), microplate assays, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: Compared with the NC, the NM showed a significantly reduced spleen index, serum IgG levels, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I, III, and IV activities, along with reduced ATP content. Regarding gut microbiota, mice in the NM exhibited disordered intestinal villus arrangement, inflammatory cell infiltration in the crypts and muscular layers, and markedly reduced intestinal microbial activity as well as protease and sucrase activities. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed fewer ASVs in the NM, with enrichment of Lactobacillaceae, Limosilactobacillus, and Ligilactobacillus, whereas the NC was characterized by Borkfalkiaceae and Borkfalkia. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis identified Lactobacillaceae, Firmicutes_D, and Lactobacillales as characteristic taxa of the NM. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) prediction indicated that fatigue-associated microbial functions were mainly related to carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism. Correlation and RDA analyses further suggested that alterations in gut microbiota structure were closely associated with mitochondrial energy-related indicators and immune-related parameters. Conclusions: Fatigue was associated with alterations in energy metabolism, immune function, and gut microecology in mice. The “gut microbiota–energy metabolism–immunity” framework may represent a potential association-based framework and provides biological information to support future nutrition-related intervention studies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction involves oxidative stress, gut barrier impairment, and gut–liver axis disruption. This study evaluated whether enzymatically prepared Solenocera crassicornis peptides (SCPs) provide additional benefits during diet normalization in HFD-induced obese mice and examined associations with antioxidant, microbial, and barrier markers. Methods: SCPs were characterized using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and amino acid analysis. Peptides underwent bioactivity prediction and Keap1 docking. After 7 weeks of HFD feeding, obese male C57BL/6J mice were switched to a normal diet and administered vehicle, orlistat, or SCPs for 4 weeks. Adipose tissue mass, serum lipid profiles, liver histology, hepatic antioxidant status, barrier-associated histological and biochemical markers, and gut microbiota composition were assessed. A simulated digestion–fecal fermentation model was used to assess the effects of fermentation products generated in the presence of digested SCPs on H₂O₂-induced oxidative injury and MUC2 secretion in LS174T goblet-like cells. Results: SCPs reduced epididymal and perirenal fat, improved serum lipids, improved hepatic steatosis-related morphology and enhanced hepatic antioxidant status. SCPs were also associated with improved intestinal morphology, increased mucin-associated staining, decreased serum diamine oxidase levels and reduced hepatic lipopolysaccharide accumulation. 16S rRNA sequencing showed SCP-associated microbial shifts, with correlations linking taxa to metabolic and barrier markers. Fermentation products generated in the presence of digested SCPs improved oxidative-stress and MUC2-related readouts in LS174T cells. Conclusions: During diet normalization, SCPs were associated with additional improvements in adiposity, lipid profiles, hepatic antioxidant status, intestinal barrier readouts, and gut microbiota. These findings support further investigation of SCPs as standardized marine protein hydrolysates, but active components, causal mechanisms, long-term efficacy, safety, and human relevance remain to be established. Full article

In this study, we conducted a molecular investigation of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in bat species captured in the northern region of the Pantanal biome, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Tissue samples were screened by qPCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Positive samples were subsequently subjected to conventional PCR assays targeting partial fragments of the 16S rRNA (~900 bp) and 23S rRNA (~800 bp) genes. Hemoplasma DNA was detected in four bat species: Glossophaga soricina, Molossops temminckii, Molossus rufus, and Desmodus rotundus. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial 16S and 23S rRNA gene sequences demonstrated that the detected hemoplasmas clustered predominantly with previously described bat-associated hemoplasmas from Brazil and other countries in the Americas. Notably, the detection in M. temminckii represents, to our knowledge, the first molecular evidence of hemotropic Mycoplasma infection in this bat species. These findings expand current knowledge regarding the occurrence, host range, and genetic diversity of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in bats from the Pantanal biome and contribute to wildlife surveillance efforts in this ecologically important region. Full article

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a prevalent trichothecene mycotoxin in cereals that poses food and feed safety risks while causing important economic losses. Microbial biotransformation offers a selective, mild strategy for DON detoxification. Here, we screened aerobic soil-derived bacterial communities from diverse agricultural environments, using DON as the sole carbon source for this mycotoxin depletion. More than half of the tested enrichment samples showed a reduced DON signal, as observed by HPLC-UV. To assess the biological relevance, culture extracts were tested for cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells. Z13, a soil sample that depleted DON but produced no other detectable metabolites, showed reduced cytotoxicity, comparable to the negative control. In contrast, samples that depleted DON but produced 3-keto-DON remained toxic. High-resolution LC-MS analysis indicated the formation of metabolites putatively identified as 3-keto-DON in enrichment cultures and 3-epi-DON in a Devosia strain culture. Community composition was profiled with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, which showed that Z13 presented a remarkable drop in diversity upon microbial cultivation, and included genera such as Devosia, Nocardioides, and Pseudomonas. Together, these results provide integrated chemical, biological, and ecological evidence for aerobic DON biotransformation in soil-derived communities, identify pathway products, and highlight practical constraints related to community dependence and storage sensitivity. Full article

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with microbial dysbiosis, yet subtype-specific alterations in the tongue-coating microbiome remain insufficiently characterized. In this cross-sectional study, tongue-coating samples from 158 participants (94 healthy controls [HC], 19 ulcerative colitis [UC] patients, and 45 Crohn’s disease [CD] patients) were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We compared alpha and beta diversity, taxonomic composition, differential taxa, exploratory random-forest feature rankings, and SPIEC-EASI co-occurrence networks. Species richness did not differ significantly among groups, whereas Shannon and Simpson indices were lower in UC than in HC and CD. Bray–Curtis and Jaccard ordinations showed significant but partially overlapping community differences among the three groups. UC was characterized by enrichment of Proteobacteria, Neisseria, and Porphyromonass (p < 0.001), whereas CD showed higher relative abundances of Prevotella, Veillonella, Leptotrichia, and TM7x. Random forest and LEfSe analyses yielded concordant candidate discriminative taxa, but no independent validation cohort was available. Network analysis suggested group-specific co-occurrence patterns, with results interpreted as statistical associations rather than direct microbial interactions. These findings support the presence of subtype-associated tongue-coating dysbiosis in IBD and identify candidate taxa for future validation. Full article

Diarrhea significantly impacts livestock and poultry health, causing growth delays and higher mortality rates. Macleaya cordata extract (MCE) demonstrates strong antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent for diarrhea. This research investigated whether MCE alleviates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced diarrhea in mice through modulation of the gut microbiota. Here, changes in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and gut bacterial structure were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, respectively. The effects of MCE administration (40 mg/kg) on intestinal injury and inflammatory responses were assessed in mice induced with LPS. These results show that MCE-treated mice exhibited significantly lower diarrhea indices, attenuated duodenal villus shortening, and decreased crypt depth compared with LPS-induced mice. MCE treatment substantially reduced the mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β and NF-κB in the duodenum, as well as the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-8. Furthermore, MCE significantly increased SCFA levels, particularly acetic acid, and reshaped the gut microbiota composition by increasing the abundance of Lachnospiraceae. Given the close interaction between gut microbiota, microbial metabolites, and host inflammatory responses, these microbial and metabolic alterations are closely associated with the attenuation of intestinal and systemic inflammation. In conclusion, the protective effects of MCE against LPS-induced diarrhea in mice are closely associated with the modulation of gut microbiota structure, suppression of inflammatory responses, and enhancement of acetic acid production. This study provides a mechanistic basis for MCE as a natural alternative to antibiotics for treating inflammatory diarrhea in livestock and poultry. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of monolaurin intake per finishing feedlot cattle on growth performance, metabolic status, ruminal environment, and meat fatty acid profile. Twenty-four castrated Holstein males (379 ± 8.5 kg; 12 months old) were randomly assigned to two treatments: basal diet (control) or basal diet with α-monolaurin (treated: 0.762 g/kg dry matter intake; ≈6.63 g/animal/day) for 79 days. Feed intake, body weight, and feed efficiency were recorded, and blood and ruminal samples were collected during the trial. Ruminal fermentation parameters, protozoa counts, hematological and biochemical variables, oxidative status biomarkers, ruminal microbiota composition (16S rRNA sequencing), and Longissimus dorsi fatty acid profile were analyzed. Monolaurin feed did not affect dry matter intake or final body weight, but increased total weight gain, average daily gain, and feed efficiency (p ≤ 0.05), indicating improved nutrient utilization. Hematological and serum biochemical variables were largely unchanged, although total leukocyte counts were lower in treated cattle. Animals receiving monolaurin showed reduced reactive oxygen species and lower superoxide dismutase activity, suggesting improved oxidative balance without changes in lipid peroxidation. During the adaptation phase (day 14), treated cattle exhibited lower acetate, propionate, valerate, and total volatile fatty acid concentrations and higher protozoa counts, but these differences disappeared by day 79, indicating ruminal adaptation. Microbiota diversity was not altered overall, although specific genera differed in relative abundance between treatments. In meat, monolaurin increased lauric, linoleic, and arachidonic acids, reduced palmitic and heptadecanoic acids, decreased total saturated fatty acids, and increased polyunsaturated fatty acids (p ≤ 0.05). Overall, dietary monolaurin improved feed efficiency, modulated oxidative status, induced transient ruminal microbial adjustments, and enhanced the nutritional quality of beef lipids without compromising metabolic health. Full article

Cacti thrive in arid and coastal environments partly through associations with beneficial endophytic and rhizosphere bacteria; however, current knowledge remains limited. This study aimed to assess the diversity of cultivable bacteria associated with Opuntia dillenii and evaluate their potential as Plant Growth-Promoting (PGP) agents. Endophytic bacteria were isolated from cladodes and roots, while rhizobacteria were recovered from rhizosphere soil. Bacterial isolates were identified using morphological characteristics and 16S rRNA/gyrB sequencing, followed by screening for PGP traits, pH and temperature tolerance. A total of 31 isolates were obtained, including 23 endophytes and 8 rhizobacteria, mainly affiliated with Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. Bacillus (35.48%) and Priestia (32.25%) predominated, with Priestia flexa as the most prevalent species. The most frequent PGP traits were phosphate solubilization (80.65%), proteolytic activity (70.97%), siderophore production (67.74%), and nitrogenase activity (64.52%). The highest phosphate solubilization indices were observed for strain R3 (3.41), R6 (3.39) and S6 (3.21), whilst the highest indole-3-acetic acid yields were recorded for C9 (172.88 µg/mL), R11 (96.22 µg/mL) and C3 (90.94 µg/mL), and the strongest siderophore production for C3 (30.37 mm), C7 (27.96 mm) and S7 (27.88 mm). These findings highlight O. dilleniid-associated coastal bacteria as promising resources for plant growth and plant stress resilience. Full article

Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia in children, yet little is known about the role of nasopharyngeal microbiota dysbiosis in susceptibility to infection and disease subtype. In this study, we performed 16S rRNA sequencing on nasopharyngeal samples from 102 pediatric MPP patients, 104 influenza A patients, and 103 healthy controls and compared the microbial diversity, composition, and functional profiles across groups. The MPP group exhibits an altered nasopharyngeal microbial composition, characterized by reduced microbial diversity and an increased relative abundance of genera including Mycoplasma, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Tannerella. Distinct microbiota profiles were identified for the MPP subtypes, with Mycoplasma more abundant in bronchopneumonia (BP) than in lobar pneumonia (LP). A microbial classifier based on the relative abundance of the nasopharyngeal microbiota was established to distinguish MPP patients from both influenza patients and healthy controls, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.978. Key microbial features associated with MPP included Mycoplasma, Mycobacterium, Aeromonas, and Acinetobacter. In addition, PICRUSt2-based functional predictions suggested alterations in amino acid metabolism and predicted functional pathways associated with bacterial infection and antimicrobial resistance in MPP patients. In conclusion, this study provides comprehensive insights into alterations in the nasopharyngeal microbiota in pediatric MPP. These findings highlight the potential role of dysbiosis in disease progression and suggest that changes in microbiota composition and functional profiles are associated with MPP infection. Full article

Background/Objectives: The role of the endometrial microbiome in reproductive failure remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to describe the composition of the endometrial microbiome in women evaluated for infertility or recurrent miscarriage. Methods: In this single-center descriptive study, endometrial samples were collected from women evaluated for infertility or recurrent miscarriage. Microbiome profiling was performed using 16S rRNA gene next-generation sequencing. Samples were classified as Lactobacillus-dominant when Lactobacillus spp. accounted for ≥90% of the total bacterial community. Alpha diversity was assessed using the Shannon and Simpson indices, while beta diversity was evaluated using Bray–Curtis dissimilarity, principal coordinates analysis (PCoA), PERMANOVA, and PERMDISP. Results: Of the 60 samples, 20 (33.3%) were Lactobacillus-dominant and 40 (66.7%) were non-Lactobacillus-dominant. Across all samples, Firmicutes was the predominant phylum (76.6%). Non-Lactobacillus-dominant samples showed significantly higher alpha diversity than Lactobacillus-dominant samples for both the Shannon and Simpson indices (p = 1.19 × 10⁻⁶ and p = 1.51 × 10⁻⁶, respectively), as well as higher observed taxa richness (p = 0.000017). PCoA based on Bray–Curtis dissimilarity demonstrated clear separation between microbiome profiles, supported by PERMANOVA (pseudo-F = 13.87, R² = 0.193, p = 0.001). PERMDISP showed significantly greater dispersion among non-Lactobacillus-dominant samples (F = 566.94, p < 0.001). Non-Lactobacillus-dominant samples showed greater representation of Enterococcus and Prevotella. Conclusions: In this cohort non-Lactobacillus-dominant communities were more frequent with greater diversity, richness, and compositional heterogeneity than Lactobacillus-dominant communities. These findings highlight the need for larger, standardized studies with appropriate control populations to clarify their clinical significance. Full article

Microorganisms in sediments participate actively in biogeochemical cycling and are essential for maintaining the stability of marine ecosystems. To investigate the spatial impact of seaweed mariculture on sediment bacterial communities, three distinct zones were selected along the Zhanjiang coast, China: the Gracilaria salicornia aquaculture zone, a transition zone (adjacent to the aquaculture area), and a control zone (with no direct mariculture influence). In this study, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was employed to examine the composition, diversity, and potential functions of sediment bacterial communities across these three zones. The dominant microbial communities identified included Pseudomonadota, Thermodesulfobacteriota, Chloroflexota, and Acidobacteriota. Analyses of α-diversity, β-diversity, and molecular ecological network revealed that the bacterial community in the G. salicornia aquaculture zone exhibited significant differences in species composition, community structure, and interspecies interaction compared with those in the transition and control zones. Environmental factors such as pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and nitrate (NO₃⁻) exerted significant influence on the bacterial community composition and structure. Predicted functional potential analyses indicated high abundances of pathways related to carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism. Overall, this study characterizes the spatial distribution patterns of microbial communities in a coastal seaweed mariculture ecosystem and provides important data to support further research on biogeochemical processes mediated by sediment bacteria and their response mechanisms to mariculture activities. Full article

The increasing consumption of fresh organic produce has given rise to concerns regarding the microbiological safety of minimally processed foods. Organic cultivation may be associated with increased exposure to environmental microorganisms due to soil-based inputs and reduced chemical interventions, including both beneficial taxa and potential foodborne pathogens. Fresh produce is known to harbour complex microbial ecosystems, which are shaped by farming practices, plant physiology, handling, packaging and storage, particularly in raw-consumed products such as leafy greens and strawberries. In this study, bacterial (16S rRNA) and eukaryotic (18S rRNA) communities were characterized by amplicon sequencing. In parallel, an amoeba-associated bacterial microbiome was analyzed and DVC-FISH was used to assess the viability and metabolic activity of pathogenic bacteria internalized within free-living amoebae (FLA). No significant differences in alpha or beta diversity were observed between organic and conventional products, suggesting microbiome convergence at the retail stage driven by post-harvest handling and processing. Potentially pathogenic genera, including Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Acinetobacter (bacterial), as well as Tilletiopsis, Candida, and Naegleria (eukaryotic), were identified in both organic and non-organic microbiomes. The viability of FLA-internalized Pseudomonas spp. was confirmed by DVC-FISH, demonstrating that FLA act as reservoirs, enhancing pathogen persistence in fresh produce. This integrated assessment of organic and conventional fruits and vegetables at the retail stage highlights the importance of post-harvest handling and retail conditions in shaping microbiological safety. The integration of microbiome profiling with targeted viability analyses demonstrates that downstream stages are critical control points for food safety and consumer exposure, beyond the influence of the production system alone. Full article

Dryland soils of the Caspian region of western Kazakhstan are exposed to environmental stress, including drought, alkalinity, low soil organic matter content, and anthropogenic pressure. In this preliminary study, bacterial communities were investigated in 18 soil samples collected from six sampling groups across Makat (M1, M2), Isatay (I1, I2), and Beyneu (B1, B2) districts. Soil physicochemical properties were measured, and bacterial diversity was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V3–V4 region. Community composition analysis indicated spatial heterogeneity among the sampled groups. M1 and I1 showed the highest taxon richness, whereas B2 contained the highest number of unique taxa. Genus-level profiles showed that B1 and M2 were mainly associated with Rubrobacter and related actinobacterial taxa; B2 contained higher proportions of Marinobacter, Tychonema, Qipengyuania, and Halomonas; and I2 was enriched with Antarcticibacterium, Salinimicrobium, Rhodococcus, Gillisia, Marinobacter, Dietzia, and Pontibacter. Correlation analysis showed that several bacterial taxa were associated with soil organic matter content, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, exchangeable cations, and pH, although the overall Mantel relationship between soil properties and community structure was not significant. FAPROTAX-based prediction indicated differences in putative heterotrophic, nitrogen-related, sulfur-related, and hydrocarbon-associated functional categories among sites. Because FAPROTAX predictions are based on taxonomic composition, these results should be interpreted only as putative functional potential and not as evidence of actual microbial metabolic activity. These findings suggest that the sampled Caspian dryland soils contain distinct bacterial assemblages and taxa with potential ecological relevance; however, their role in dryland soil resilience or bioremediation should be verified through future culture-based, metagenomic, and functional validation studies. Full article

Paraleyrodes minei is an invasive alien species in China, representing a new record for Yunnan Province and a new sugarcane pest. The mitochondrial genome of P. minei was sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 sequencing platform. The genome sequence was assembled and annotated, and its structural characteristics and nucleotide composition were analyzed. A phylogenetic tree of 18 species in the family Aleyrodidae was constructed using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods to analyze the phylogenetic relationship of P. minei within the family Aleyrodidae. The results indicated that the mitochondrial genome of P. minei was 18,774 bp in length and contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and 1 non-coding control region. The A+T content of the mitochondrial genome of P. minei was 80.93%, indicating a marked A+T preference. ATN was used as the start codon for the PCGs, and TAA, TAG, TA, and T were used as the stop codons. In the secondary structure of tRNA, the TΨC arm was missing in trnA, trnC, and trnG, and the DHU arm was missing in trnS1 and trnS2, with G-U base mismatches present. The phylogenetic tree revealed that the 18 species of 10 genera in the two subfamilies of the family Aleyrodidae clustered into two major branches: the subfamilies Aleyrodinae and Aleurodicinae. All 10 genera were monophyletic groups; among them, the genus Paraleyrodes and the genus Aleurodicus formed a sister relationship, and both belonged to the subfamily Aleurodicinae. This study represents the first successful sequencing of the mitochondrial genome of P. minei, as well as the first mitochondrial genome of the genus Paraleyrodes, laying the foundation for the control of P. minei and the analysis of phylogenetic relationships among various genera of the family Aleyrodidae. Full article

Oat (Avena sativa L.) silage fermentation often fails due to insufficient lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and low water-soluble carbohydrate content. We investigated the effects of Compound Radix Pulsatillae (CRP; 40 g/kg FM) alone or combined with a commercial LAB inoculant (containing L. plantarum, L. buchneri, and Enterococcus faecium, CRP_LA) on oat silage after 60 days. Compared to control (CK), both CRP and CRP_LA increased dry matter and water-soluble carbohydrate retention while reducing fiber components and ammonia nitrogen (p < 0.05). CRP_LA exhibited superior fermentation quality (lowest pH 4.82, highest lactic acid 47.83 g/kg DM). Using 16S rRNA sequencing and UPLC-MS/MS metabolomics integrated with weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we identified a brown module strongly associated with CRP_LA treatment. Six hub metabolites, belonging to flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, and nucleotide derivatives, were significantly elevated in CRP_LA silage and showed strong correlations with Lactobacillus abundance and fermentation quality parameters. Correlation-based network analysis revealed that these hub metabolites positively correlated with Lactobacillus abundance, lactic acid, and water-soluble carbohydrate retention, while negatively correlating with spoilage microorganisms (Enterobacter, Acinetobacter, Leuconostoc) and ammonia nitrogen. This multi-omics study provides a metabolite-centric molecular map of the silage microecosystem reshaped by CRP and LAB co-fermentation. The identified hub metabolites—with predicted antimicrobial, antioxidant, and plant-protective functions—represent potential quality markers for functional silage additive development. Mechanistic validation via targeted metabolite supplementation or pathway-specific gene expression analysis is warranted in future studies. Full article