Search

The availability of compostable plastic bags has increased greatly in the past few years, as it is perceived that this type of bags will be degraded after disposal. However, there are some knowledge gaps regarding the potential effects on the soil ecosystems. We assessed the rate of degradation of samples of four different types of commercial compostable bags in vermicomposting systems with the earthworm species Eisenia andrei. We also evaluated the biological response of E. andrei (survival and reproduction) to microplastics (MPs) from fragments of the plastic bags (Lepidium sativum L.) exposed to micronized plastic (L. sativum seedling emergence was not significantly affected; however, earthworm reproduction was affected, suggesting that although compostable, some of the formulations may potentially be toxic to soil fauna.

Abstract Infections and vaccines can induce enhanced long-term responses in innate immune cells, establishing an innate immunological memory termed trained immunity. Here, we show that monocytes with a trained immunity phenotype, due to exposure to the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, are characterized by an increased biosynthesis of different lipid mediators (LM) derived from long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Pharmacological and genetic approaches show that long-chain PUFA synthesis and lipoxygenase-derived LM are essential for the BCG-induced trained immunity responses of human monocytes. Furthermore, products of 12-lipoxygenase activity increase in monocytes of healthy individuals after BCG vaccination. Grasping the underscoring lipid metabolic pathways contributes to our understanding of trained immunity and may help to identify therapeutic tools and targets for the modulation of innate immune responses.

Vermicomposting offers an eco-friendly solution to managing the sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment plants. The objective of this study was to investigate the microbial community composition, structure and functionality during the vermicomposting of sewage sludge. We analyzed samples of sewage sludge, earthworm casts and vermicompost by applying high-throughput sequencing 16S and ITS rRNA. Most of the bacterial (95%) and fungal taxa (99%) were eliminated and subsequently replaced by other microbial taxa originating from earthworms. Further changes resulted in a vermicompost with a more diverse bacterial (but not fungal) community. In addition, the earthworm activity led to an increase in bacterial and a decrease in fungal alpha diversity, resulting in greater differences in beta diversity between sewage sludge, casts and vermicompost. We also found that bacterial pathways associated with amino acid and plant hormone biosynthesis and antibiotic synthesis were enriched. Vermicomposting successfully eliminated most of the 10 human bacterial pathogens found in the sewage sludge. Simultaneously, parasitic and pathogenic fungal taxa were removed. Overall, vermicompost derived from sewage sludge is safer for disposal on land than raw sludge, particularly regarding their respective microbial compositions. This indicates that it could potentially be used as a soil organic amendment and fertilizer.

Summary: Innate immune cells can undergo long-term functional reprogramming after certain infections, a process called trained immunity (TI). Here, we focus on antigens of Leishmania braziliensis, which induced anti-tumor effects via trained immunity in human monocytes. We reveal that monocytes exposed to promastigote antigens of L. braziliensis develop an enhanced response to subsequent exposure to Toll-like receptor (TLR)2 or TLR4 ligands. Mechanistically, the induction of TI in monocytes by L. braziliensis is mediated by multiple pattern recognition receptors, changes in metabolism, and increased deposition of H3K4me3 at the promoter regions of immune genes. The administration of L. braziliensis exerts potent anti-tumor capabilities by delaying tumor growth and prolonging survival of mice with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Our work reveals mechanisms of TI induced by L. braziliensis in vitro and identifies its potential for cancer immunotherapy.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common psychiatric disease worldwide with a huge socio-economic impact. Pharmacotherapy represents the most common option among the first-line treatment choice; however, only about one third of patients respond to the first trial and about 30% are classified as treatment-resistant depression (TRD). TRD is associated with specific clinical features and genetic/gene expression signatures. To date, single sets of markers have shown limited power in response prediction. Here we describe the methodology of the PROMPT project that aims at the development of a precision medicine algorithm that would help early detection of non-responder patients, who might be more prone to later develop TRD. To address this, the project will be organized in 2 phases. Phase 1 will involve 300 patients with MDD already recruited, comprising 150 TRD and 150 responders, considered as extremes phenotypes of response. A deep clinical stratification will be performed for all patients; moreover, a genomic, transcriptomic and miRNomic profiling will be conducted. The data generated will be exploited to develop an innovative algorithm integrating clinical, omics and sex-related data, in order to predict treatment response and TRD development. In phase 2, a new naturalistic cohort of 300 MDD patients will be recruited to assess, under real-world conditions, the capability of the algorithm to correctly predict the treatment outcomes. Moreover, in this phase we will investigate shared decision making (SDM) in the context of pharmacogenetic testing and evaluate various needs and perspectives of different stakeholders toward the use of predictive tools for MDD treatment to foster active participation and patients’ empowerment. This project represents a proof-of-concept study. The obtained results will provide information about the feasibility and usefulness of the proposed approach, with the perspective of designing future clinical trials in which algorithms could be tested as a predictive tool to drive decision making by clinicians, enabling a better prevention and management of MDD resistance.

The latest advances in technology and materials science have catalyzed a transformative shift towards the adoption of environmentally conscious and lightweight materials across key sectors such as aeronautics, biomedical, and automotive industries. Noteworthy among these innovations are the magnesium-aluminum (Mg-Al) alloys employed in aeronautical applications, contributing to the overall reduction in aircraft weight and subsequently diminishing fuel consumption and mitigating atmospheric emissions. The present work delves into a study of the anti-corrosive properties inherent in various sol-gel coatings, leveraging a range of environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitors, specifically tailored for samples of the AZ61 alloy. Methodologically, the work involves the synthesis and application of sol-gel coatings on AZ61 alloy containing eco-friendly inhibitors: L-cysteine, N-acetyl-cysteine, curcumin and methylene blue. Subsequently, an accelerated corrosion test in a simulated saline environment is performed. Through microstructural and compositional analyses, the best inhibitors responses are achieved with inhibitors containing S, N heteroatoms and conjugated double bonds in their structure, probably due to the creation of a continuous MgCl2 layer. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on protective eco-coatings, aligning with the broader paradigm shift towards sustainable and lightweight materials in key industries.

The proper functioning of the immune system depends on an appropriate balance between pro-inflammation and anti-inflammation. When the balance is disrupted and the system is excessively biased towards inflammation, immune responses cannot return within the normal range, which favors the onset of diseases of autoimmune or inflammatory nature. In this scenario, it is fundamental to find new compounds that can help restore this balance and contribute to the normal functioning of the immune system in humans. Here, we show the properties of a fungal compound with a strong safety profile in humans, AM3, as an immunomodulatory molecule to decrease excessive cytokine production in human cells. Our results present that AM3 treatment of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and monocytes decreased their pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion following the challenge with bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Additionally, AM3 skewed the differentiation profile of human monocytes to macrophages towards a non-inflammatory phenotype without inducing tolerance, meaning these cells kept their capacity to respond to different stimuli. These effects were similar in young and elderly individuals. Thus, the fungal compound, AM3 may help reduce excessive immune activation in inflammatory conditions and keep the immune responses within a normal homeostatic range, regardless of the age of the individual.

Summary: Itaconate is an immunomodulatory metabolite produced by immune cells under microbial stimulation and certain pro-inflammatory conditions and triggers antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses. We show that dimethyl itaconate, a derivative of itaconate previously linked to suppression of inflammation and widely employed as an alternative to the endogenous metabolite, can induce long-term transcriptional, epigenomic, and metabolic changes, characteristic of trained immunity. Dimethyl itaconate alters glycolytic and mitochondrial energetic metabolism, ultimately leading to increased responsiveness to microbial ligand stimulation. Subsequently, mice treated with dimethyl itaconate present increased survival to infection with Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, itaconate levels in human plasma correlate with enhanced ex vivo pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that dimethyl itaconate displays short-term anti-inflammatory characteristics and the capacity to induce long-term trained immunity. This pro-and anti-inflammatory dichotomy of dimethyl itaconate is likely to induce complex immune responses and should be contemplated when considering itaconate derivatives in a therapeutic context.

Respiratory disorders caused by allergy have been associated to bronchiolar inflammation leading to life-threatening airway narrowing. However, whether airway allergy causes alveolar dysfunction contributing to the pathology of allergic asthma remains unaddressed. To explore whether airway allergy causes alveolar dysfunction that might contribute to the pathology of allergic asthma, alveolar structural and functional alterations were analyzed during house dust mite (HDM)-induced airway allergy in mice, by flow cytometry, light and electron microscopy, monocyte transfer experiments, assessment of intra-alveolarly-located cells, analysis of alveolar macrophage regeneration in Cx3cr1cre:R26-yfp chimeras, analysis of surfactant-associated proteins, and study of lung surfactant biophysical properties by captive bubble surfactometry. Our results demonstrate that HDM-induced airway allergic reactions caused severe alveolar dysfunction, leading to alveolar macrophage death, pneumocyte hypertrophy and surfactant dysfunction. SP-B/C proteins were reduced in allergic lung surfactant, that displayed a reduced efficiency to form surface-active films, increasing the risk of atelectasis. Original alveolar macrophages were replaced by monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages, that persisted at least two months after the resolution of allergy. Monocyte to alveolar macrophage transition occurred through an intermediate stage of pre-alveolar macrophage and was paralleled with translocation into the alveolar space, Siglec-F upregulation, and downregulation of CX3CR1. These data support that the severe respiratory disorders caused by asthmatic reactions not only result from bronchiolar inflammation, but additionally from alveolar dysfunction compromising an efficient gas exchange.

IntroductionRecurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs) and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVCs) represent major healthcare problems all over the world. Antibiotics and antifungals are widely used for such infectious diseases, which is linked with microbial resistances and microbiota deleterious effects. The development of novel approaches for genitourinary tract infections (GUTIs) such as trained immunity-based vaccines (TIbV) is therefore highly required. MV140 is a sublingual whole-cell heat-inactivated polybacterial preparation with demonstrated clinical efficacy for RUTIs. The sublingual heat-inactivated Candida albicans vaccine V132 has been developed for RVVCs. We previously showed that the combination of MV140 and V132 promotes potent Th1/Th17 and regulatory T-cell responses against antigens contained in the formulation and unrelated antigens. The specific contribution of each preparation to such effects and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood.MethodsPBMC and monocytes were isolated from healthy donors and in vitro stimulated with V132, MV140 or MV140/V132. After 6 days of resting, cells were reestimulated with LPS and MV140. Analysis of cytokine production by ELISA, Seahorse assays for functional metabolic experiments and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were performed. BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally and sublingually immunized with V132.ResultsWe uncover that V132 induces trained immunity in human PBMCs and purified monocytes, significantly increasing the responses triggered by subsequent stimulation with MV140. Mechanistically, V132 drives metabolic rewiring towards increased glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation and induces epigenetic reprogramming that enhances the transcription of the pro-inflammatory genes IL6 and TNFA. Splenocytes and peritoneal cells from V132-immunize mice show increased responses upon in vitro stimulation with MV140. Remarkably, splenocytes from sublingually V132-immunized and MV140 in vivo treatment mice show stronger Th17 responses than mice exposed to excipients upon in vitro stimulation with MV140.ConclusionOverall, we provide novel mechanistic insights into how V132-induced trained immunity enhances both innate and adaptive immune responses triggered by MV140, which might open the door for new interventions for GUTIs with important clinical implications.

The ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the highly infectious Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). There is an urgent need for biomarkers that will help in better stratification of patients and contribute to personalized treatments. We performed targeted proteomics using the Olink platform and systematically investigated protein concentrations in 350 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 186 post-COVID-19 individuals, and 61 healthy individuals from 3 independent cohorts. Results revealed a signature of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, which is represented by inflammatory biomarkers, chemokines and complement-related factors. Furthermore, the circulating proteome is still significantly affected in post-COVID-19 samples several weeks after infection. Post-COVID-19 individuals are characterized by upregulation of mediators of the tumor necrosis (TNF)-α signaling pathways and proteins related to transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß. In addition, the circulating proteome is able to differentiate between patients with different COVID-19 disease severities, and is associated with the time after infection. These results provide important insights into changes induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection at the proteomic level by integrating several cohorts to obtain a large disease spectrum, including variation in disease severity and time after infection. These findings could guide the development of host-directed therapy in COVID-19.

Winemaking is a well-known process comprising several steps to produce must and wine. Grape marc is a byproduct of wine production that can be vermicomposted and used as organic fertiliser. Grape marc vermicompost has a richer and more stable microbiome than grape marc alone and when added to the soil of vineyards it can improve grape production and wine quality. We compared Albariño must and wine microbiotas from grapevines treated with vermicompost derived from Albariño grape marc and controls (standard fertilisation). We hypothesised that observed microbial changes are connected to improved organoleptic properties observed in fertilised must and wine. Treated Albariño vines showed increased grape production and the final wine showed improved organoleptic properties. Metataxonomic analyses of the 16S rRNA and ITS gene regions showed that the Albariño must and wine microbiome varied in their taxonomic composition. Must bacteriotas showed no significant (p < 0.05) variation in alpha or beta-diversity, while wine bacteriotas and must and wine mycobiotas showed significant differences in richness and evenness, as well as in microbial structure (beta-diversity) between treated and control grapevines. Must and wine bacteriotas also showed significant (p < 0.05) changes in their predicted metabolic pathways. Our study suggests that changes in the abundance of specific bacterial and fungal taxa and the metabolic processes they carry out during Albariño winemaking can improve the productivity of the grapevine and the organoleptic properties of the wine.

Abstract Wastewater treatment plants produce hundreds of million tons of sewage sludge every year all over the world. Vermicomposting is well established worldwide and has been successful at processing sewage sludge, which can contribute to alleviate the severe environmental problems caused by its disposal. Here, we utilized 16S and ITS rRNA high-throughput sequencing to characterize bacterial and fungal community composition and structure during the gut- and cast-associated processes (GAP and CAP, respectively) of vermicomposting of sewage sludge. Bacterial and fungal communities of earthworm casts were mainly composed of microbial taxa not found in the sewage sludge; thus most of the bacterial (96%) and fungal (91%) taxa in the sewage sludge were eliminated during vermicomposting, mainly through the GAP. Upon completion of GAP and during CAP, modified microbial communities undergo a succession process leading to more diverse microbiotas than those found in sewage sludge. Consequently, bacterial and fungal community composition changed significantly during vermicomposting. Vermicomposting of sewage resulted in a stable and rich microbial community with potential biostimulant properties that may aid plant growth. Our results support the use of vermicompost derived from sewage sludge for sustainable agricultural practices, if heavy metals or other pollutants are under legislation limits or adequately treated.

The study of microbial communities or microbiotas in animals and environments is important because of their impact in a broad range of industrial applications, diseases and ecological roles. High throughput sequencing (HTS) is the best strategy to characterize microbial composition and function. Microbial profiles can be obtained either by shotgun sequencing of genomes, or through amplicon sequencing of target genes (e.g., 16S rRNA for bacteria and ITS for fungi). Here, we compared both HTS approaches at assessing taxonomic and functional diversity of bacterial and fungal communities during vermicomposting of white grape marc. We applied specific HTS workflows to the same 12 microcosms, with and without earthworms, sampled at two distinct phases of the vermicomposting process occurring at 21 and 63 days. Metataxonomic profiles were inferred in DADA2, with bacterial metabolic pathways predicted via PICRUSt2. Metagenomic taxonomic profiles were inferred in PathoScope, while bacterial functional profiles were inferred in Humann2. Microbial profiles inferred by metagenomics and metataxonomics showed similarities and differences in composition, structure, and metabolic function at different taxonomic levels. Microbial composition and abundance estimated by both HTS approaches agreed reasonably well at the phylum level, but larger discrepancies were observed at lower taxonomic ranks. Shotgun HTS identified ~1.8 times more bacterial genera than 16S rRNA HTS, while ITS HTS identified two times more fungal genera than shotgun HTS. This is mainly a consequence of the difference in resolution and reference richness between amplicon and genome sequencing approaches and databases, respectively. Our study also revealed great differences and even opposite trends in alpha- and beta-diversity between amplicon and shotgun HTS. Interestingly, amplicon PICRUSt2-imputed functional repertoires overlapped ~50% with shotgun Humann2 profiles. Finally, both approaches indicated that although bacteria and fungi are the main drivers of biochemical decomposition, earthworms also play a key role in plant vermicomposting. In summary, our study highlights the strengths and weaknesses of metagenomics and metataxonomics and provides new insights on the vermicomposting of white grape marc. Since both approaches may target different biological aspects of the communities, combining them will provide a better understanding of the microbiotas under study.

The majority of COVID-19 patients experience mild to moderate disease course and recover within a few weeks. An increasing number of studies characterized the long-term changes in the specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune responses, but how COVID-19 shapes the innate and heterologous adaptive immune system after recovery is less well known. To comprehensively investigate the post-SARS-CoV-2 infection sequelae on the immune system, we performed a multi-omics study by integrating single-cell RNA-sequencing, single-cell ATAC-sequencing, genome-wide DNA methylation profiling, and functional validation experiments in 14 convalescent COVID-19 and 15 healthy individuals. We showed that immune responses generally recover without major sequelae after COVID-19. However, subtle differences persist at the transcriptomic level in monocytes, with downregulation of the interferon pathway, while DNA methylation also displays minor changes in convalescent COVID-19 individuals. However, these differences did not affect the cytokine production capacity of PBMCs upon different bacterial, viral, and fungal stimuli, although baseline release of IL-1Ra and IFN-γ was higher in convalescent individuals. In conclusion, we propose that despite minor differences in epigenetic and transcriptional programs, the immune system of convalescent COVID-19 patients largely recovers to the homeostatic level of healthy individuals.

Humans have a great diversity in phenotypes, influenced by genetic, environmental, nutritional, cultural, and social factors. Understanding the historical trends of physiological traits can shed light on human physiology, as well as elucidate the factors that influence human diseases. Here we built genome-wide polygenic scores for heritable traits, including height, body mass index, lipoprotein concentrations, cardiovascular disease, and intelligence, using summary statistics of genome-wide association studies in Europeans. Subsequently, we applied these scores to the genomes of ancient European populations. Our results revealed that after the Neolithic, European populations experienced an increase in height and intelligence scores, decreased their skin pigmentation, while the risk for coronary artery disease increased through a genetic trajectory favoring low HDL concentrations. These results are a reflection of the continuous evolutionary processes in humans and highlight the impact that the Neolithic revolution had on our lifestyle and health.

Se optimizaron las condiciones de extracción mecánica de hidrocoloides de hojas de Malva sylvestris y determinó el comportamiento reológico y actividad antioxidante. Las hojas fueron hidratadas en 15, 20 y 25 g de agua/g de hojas polvo, por 30, 60 y 90 min, luego solubilizadas por expresión mediante paletas a presión de 53 db y 424, 508 y 592 mov/min por 60, 120 y 180 s. La reología en soluciones al 0,7, 1,4 y 2,1% (p/v) a 20, 30 y 40 °C se efectuó con reómetro y la actividad antioxidante a 20, 40, 60 y 80 °C se realizó cuantificando polifenoles totales y captación de radicales libres con los métodos de Folin-Ciocalteu y DPPH respectivamente. Del estudio se concluye, que para obtener rendimiento máximo en la extracción de 19,21% (p/p), las condiciones óptimas se ajustaron a modelo de segundo orden con hidratación de 25 g de agua/g de hojas polvo por 30 min y solubilización a 592 mov/min por 180s. Los reogramas obedecieron al modelo de Ostwald, mostrando los hidrocoloides ser fluidos pseudoplásticos. Los polifenoles totales (mg AGE / 100 g muestra) de 20 a 80 °C, disminuyó de 131,17 a 78,87 y la captación de radicales libres DPPH (mM Trolox / g muestra) de 60 a 80 °C decreció de 0,422 a 0,298.

Aims. Current research aimed to explore the therapeutic values of different earthworms as antibacterial, anticoagulant, and antioxidant agents. Methods. Ten different earthworms, i.e., Amynthas corticis, Amynthas gracilis, Pheretima posthuma, Eisenia fetida, Aporrectodea rosea, Allolobophora chlorotica, Aporrectodea trapezoides, Polypheretima elongata, Aporrectodea caliginosa, and Pheretima hawayana, were collected and screened for biological activities. Antibacterial effect analysis of earthworm species was done against fourteen bacterial pathogens, i.e., Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1), Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella flexneri, Enterobacter amnigenus, Serratia odorifera, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2), Staphylococcus warneri, and Lactobacillus curvatus, via agar well diffusion, crystal violet, MTT, agar disc diffusion, and direct bioautography assays. Antioxidant potential was evaluated through ABTS and DPPH assays. Lipolytic, proteolytic, and amylolytic assays were done for lipase, protease, and amylase enzymes confirmation. In vitro anticoagulant effects were examined in the blood samples by measuring prothrombin time. Results. Results revealed that all earthworm extracts showed the inhibition of all tested bacterial pathogens except P. aeruginosa (1), P. aeruginosa (2), S. warneri, and L. curvatus. The maximum zone of inhibition of E. coli was recorded as 14.66 ± 0.57 mm by A. corticis, 25.0 ± 0.0 mm by P. posthuma, 20.0 ± 0.0 mm by E. fetida, and 20.0 ± 0.0 mm by A. trapezoid. Cell proliferation, biofilm inhibition, the synergistic effect of extracts along with antibiotics, and direct bioautography supported the results of agar well diffusion assay. Similarly, P. hawayana, A. corticis, A. caliginosa, and A. trapezoids increase the prothrombin time more efficiently compared to other earthworms. A. corticis, A. gracilis, A. rosea, A. chlorotica, P. elongata, and A. trapezoides showed maximum DPPH scavenging potential effect. Conclusions. The coelomic fluid of earthworms possessed several bioactive compounds/enzymes/antioxidants that play an important role in the bacterial inhibition and act as anticoagulant agents. Therefore, the development of new therapeutic drugs from invertebrates could be effective and potential for the prevention of the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Non-specific protective effects of certain vaccines have been reported, and long-term boosting of innate immunity, termed trained immunity, has been proposed as one of the mechanisms mediating these effects. Several epidemiological studies suggested cross-protection between influenza vaccination and COVID-19. In a large academic Dutch hospital, we found that SARS-CoV-2 infection was less common among employees who had received a previous influenza vaccination: relative risk reductions of 37% and 49% were observed following influenza vaccination during the first and second COVID-19 waves, respectively. The quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine induced a trained immunity program that boosted innate immune responses against various viral stimuli and fine-tuned the anti-SARS-CoV-2 response, which may result in better protection against COVID-19. Influenza vaccination led to transcriptional reprogramming of monocytes and reduced systemic inflammation. These epidemiological and immunological data argue for potential benefits of influenza vaccination against COVID-19, and future randomized trials are warranted to test this possibility. Author summary COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, has claimed millions of lives and affected many more since its emergence. A number of studies have previously suggested that influenza vaccination can provide protection against COVID-19. Although multiple COVID-19 vaccines are currently available, emergence of new variants and inequity in vaccine distribution around the world make it crucial to identify alternative ways that can help in the fight against this pandemic. With this in mind, we investigated if seasonal influenza vaccination had any effect on COVID-19 incidence. Dutch healthcare workers who received the influenza vaccine in the previous flu season had 37% and 49% lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first two waves of the pandemic, respectively. We also explored the mechanisms underlying this observation, using various techniques such as single-cell RNA sequencing, proteomics, and stimulation assays. The influenza vaccine reduced systemic inflammation and reprogrammed the immune cells to fine-tune the response against SARS-CoV-2. This study reveals influenza vaccination as a safe and helpful tool to decrease COVID-19 burden.

As our ancestors migrated throughout different continents, natural selection increased the presence of alleles advantageous in the new environments. Heritable variations that alter the susceptibility to diseases vary with the historical period, the virulence of the infections, and their geographical spread. In this study we built polygenic scores for heritable traits that influence the genetic adaptation in the production of cytokines and immune-mediated disorders, including infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases, and applied them to the genomes of several ancient European populations. We observed that the advent of the Neolithic was a turning point for immune-mediated traits in Europeans, favoring those alleles linked with the development of tolerance against intracellular pathogens and promoting inflammatory responses against extracellular microbes. These evolutionary patterns are also associated with an increased presence of traits related to inflammatory and auto-immune diseases.

Male sex and old age are risk factors for COVID-19 severity, but the underlying causes are unknown. A possible explanation for this might be the differences in immunological profiles in males and the elderly before the infection. With this in mind, we analyzed the abundance of circulating proteins and immune populations associated with severe COVID-19 in 2 healthy cohorts. Besides, given the seasonal profile of COVID-19, the seasonal response against SARS-CoV-2 could also be different in the elderly and males. Therefore, PBMCs of female, male, young, and old subjects in different seasons of the year were stimulated with heat-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 to investigate the season-dependent anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune response. We found that several T cell subsets, which are known to be depleted in severe COVID-19 patients, were intrinsically less abundant in men and older individuals. Plasma proteins increasing with disease severity, including HGF, IL-8, and MCP-1, were more abundant in the elderly and males. Upon in vitro SARS-CoV-2 stimulation, the elderly produced significantly more IL-1RA and had a dysregulated IFNγ response with lower production in the fall compared with young individuals. Our results suggest that the immune characteristics of severe COVID-19, described by a differential abundance of immune cells and circulating inflammatory proteins, are intrinsically present in healthy men and the elderly. This might explain the susceptibility of men and the elderly to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

ABSTRACT: Composting and vermicomposting before addition to the soil is a viable alternative to the disposal of cattle manure. However, this residue has been used in the untreated form for seedling production. This study evaluated the use of cattle manure in natura, and the organic composted or vermicomposted variants of cattle manure on substrates used in the production of Eucalyptus urograndis seedlings. The treatments consisted of substrates formulated by mixing the organic fertilizers with washed sand in 20, 40, 60, 80 or 100 (v/v) percentages, compared to a commercial substrate. The E. urograndis seedlings were grown in tubes in a greenhouse and evaluated after 120 days for shoot and root dry weights, plant height, stem diameter, shoot/root ratio, and Dickson quality index. The substrate formulated from a mixture of 80% (v/v) of cattle manure in natura and washed sand allows for better development in Eucalyptus seedlings. Substrate containing 100% bovine manure vermicompost or organic compost produced seedlings with lower quality than in natura bovine manure but superior to the commercial substrate. Due to the health risks associated with use of untreated bovine manure, organic compost and vermicompost are good alternatives for the production of E. urograndis seedlings.

Winemaking is a well-known process that includes several steps in the production of grape must and wine. Grape marc, or bagasse, is a byproduct of wine production that can be vermicomposted and used as organic fertilizer. Grape marc vermicompost has microbial communities that are richer and more stable than grape marc alone, and its addition to a vineyard’s terroir can improve grape yields and wine quality. Here we compare the must and wine microbiota of Mencía from grapevines treated with and without (standard fertilization) vermicompost derived from Mencía grape marc. Mencía is a high-quality red wine broadly grown in Galicia, Spain, and is appreciated for its fresh acidity and fruity flavors. When Mencía grapevines are treated with vermicompost derived from its grape marc, Mencía vines increase their grape production, and the final wine improves its organoleptic properties. Metataxonomic analyses of the bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS gene regions showed that Mencía must and wine have the distinct taxonomic composition (phyla, genera and ASVs—amplicon sequence variants) of bacterial and fungal groups. Must and wine bacteriotas and mycobiotas show no significant variation in alpha-diversity, while wine bacteriotas and mycobiotas show significant differences in microbial structure (beta-diversity) between treated and control grapevines. Likewise, the functional diversity and predicted metabolic pathways (biosynthesis, degradation/utilization/assimilation, generation of precursor metabolites and energy, macromolecule modification and superpathways) of the must and wine microbiota also show significant changes. Our study proposes that changes in the abundance of microbial taxa and the metabolic processes they undergo during winemaking may improve Mencía’s organoleptic properties and productivity.

Earthworms heavily modify the soil microbiome as it passes throughout their guts. However, there are no detailed studies describing changes in the composition, structure and diversity of soil microbiomes during gut transit and once they are released back to the soil as casts. To address this knowledge gap, we used 16S rRNA next-generation sequencing to characterize the microbiomes of soil, gut and casts from the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa. We also studied whether these three microbiomes are clearly distinct in composition or can be merged into metacommunities. A large proportion of bacteria was unique to each microbiome—soil (82%), gut (89%) and casts (75%), which indicates that the soil microbiome is greatly modified during gut transit. The three microbiomes also differed in alpha diversity, which peaked during gut transit and decreased in casts. Furthermore, gut transit also modified the structure of the soil microbiome, which clustered away from those of the earthworm gut and cast samples. However, this clustering pattern was not supported by metacommunity analysis, which indicated that soil and gut samples make up one metacommunity and cast samples another. These results have important implications for understanding the dynamics of soil microbial communities and nutrient cycles.

Summary: Trained immunity (TI) is a de facto innate immune memory program induced in monocytes/macrophages by exposure to pathogens or vaccines, which evolved as protection against infections. TI is characterized by immunometabolic changes and histone post-translational modifications, which enhance production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. As aberrant activation of TI is implicated in inflammatory diseases, tight regulation is critical; however, the mechanisms responsible for this modulation remain elusive. Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that curbs inflammation and modulates metabolic pathways. In this study, we show that administration of recombinant IL-37 abrogates the protective effects of TI in vivo, as revealed by reduced host pro-inflammatory responses and survival to disseminated candidiasis. Mechanistically, IL-37 reverses the immunometabolic changes and histone post-translational modifications characteristic of TI in monocytes, thus suppressing cytokine production in response to infection. IL-37 thereby emerges as an inhibitor of TI and as a potential therapeutic target in immune-mediated pathologies.

Summary: A growing number of studies show that innate immune cells can undergo functional reprogramming, facilitating a faster and enhanced response to heterologous secondary stimuli. This concept has been termed “trained immunity.” We outline here a protocol to recapitulate this in vitro using adherent monocytes from consecutive isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The induction of trained immunity and the associated functional reprogramming of monocytes is described in detail using β-glucan (from Candida albicans) and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin as examples.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Repnik et al. (2003) and Bekkering et al. (2016).

The Massif Central in France could potentially harbor numerous ancient endemic lineages owing to its long history of continuous geological stability. Several endemic earthworm species inhabit the area, with Allolobophora (Gatesona) chaetophora, Helodrilus (Acystodrilus) and Avelona ligra showing hints of a common evolutionary origin. However, the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status of the species remain to be studied through integrative molecular and morphological methods. To this end, eight species including most of the known species and subspecies of All. (Gatesona), Helodrilus (Acystodrilus) musicus, and Avelona ligra were sequenced for a set of five molecular markers. The species were grouped on the basis of the molecular findings in a phylogenetic framework. All. (Gatesona) was included within the same clade as Helodrilus (Acystodrilus) and Avelona, separated from Allolobophora sensu stricto, supporting its status as a good genus. Branch lengths and average pairwise genetic distances suggested the subspecies of All. (Gatesona) chaetophora examined should be considered species-level taxa. Thus, a generic diagnosis for Gatesona stat. nov. is provided, along with redescriptions of Gatesona chaetophora comb. nov., Gatesona rutena comb. nov. stat. nov., Gatesona lablacherensis comb. nov. stat. nov. and Gatesona serninensis comb. nov. stat. nov. The study findings highlight the need for further sampling of earthworm diversity in the Massif Central (and Southern France), in addition to an increased focus on the Eastern European species of Helodrilus.

ABSTRACT The development of vaccines is one of the greatest medical interventions in the history of global infectious diseases and has contributed to the annual saving of at least 2 to 3 million lives worldwide. However, many diseases are not preventable through currently available vaccines, and the potential of modulating the immune response during vaccination has not been fully exploited. The first golden age of vaccines was based on the germ theory and the use of live, attenuated, inactivated pathogens or toxins. New strategies and formulations (e.g., adjuvants) with an immunomodulatory capacity to enhance the protective qualities and duration of vaccines have been incompletely exploited. These strategies can prevent disease and improve protection against infectious diseases, modulate the course of some noncommunicable diseases, and increase the immune responses of patients at a high risk of infection, such as the elderly or immunocompromised patients. In this minireview, we focus on how metabolic and epigenetic modulators can amplify and enhance the function of immunity in a given vaccine. We propose the term “amplifier” for such additives, and we pose that future vaccines will have three components: antigen, adjuvant, and amplifier.

The area comprising the Pyrenees, Northeast Spain, Southern France and Corsica-Sardinia supports a large part of the diversity of Lumbricidae earthworms, including most species of the endemic genera Prosellodrilus, Cataladrilus and Scherotheca. In this region, the probability of encountering new species for science is significant, especially in scarcely sampled localities. In this study, we describe two unidentified species recently collected in the Hyères Archipelago (France), which we assigned to the genera Cataladrilus and Scherotheca based on morphological characters and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Other species of Scherotheca from Montpellier (including the type species of the genus, Sc. gigas gigas) were included in the analysis to clarify their conflicting systematics. A reduced molecular marker set (COI, 16S, 28S and ND1) proved as successful as larger marker sets for identifying phylogenetic relationships within the Lumbricidae. Remarkable disjunctions between both Cataladrilus porquerollensis Marchán & Decäens sp. nov., Scherotheca portcrosana Marchán & Decäens sp. nov. and their most closely related relatives, suggesting a strong influence of paleogeographic events on the earthworm fauna of the area and a possible role of near-shore islands as refugia for relict taxa. Genetic distances and branch lengths supported the elevation of some subspecies of Scherotheca to specific status as well as the retention of other subspecies, highlighting the importance of testing for such delimitation with molecular methods.

Among infectious diseases, tuberculosis is the leading cause of death worldwide, and represents a serious threat, especially in developing countries. The protective effects of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), the current vaccine against tuberculosis, have been related not only to specific induction of T-cell immunity, but also with the long-term epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming of the cells from the innate immune system through a process termed trained immunity. Here we show that MTBVAC, a live attenuated strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, safe and immunogenic against tuberculosis antigens in adults and newborns, is also able to generate trained immunity through the induction of glycolysis and glutaminolysis and the accumulation of histone methylation marks at the promoters of proinflammatory genes, facilitating an enhanced response after secondary challenge with non-related bacterial stimuli. Importantly, these findings in human primary myeloid cells are complemented by a strong MTBVAC-induced heterologous protection against a lethal challenge with Streptococcus pneumoniae in an experimental murine model of pneumonia.

Summary: Trained immunity confers a sustained augmented response of innate immune cells to a secondary challenge, via a process dependent on metabolic and transcriptional reprogramming. Because of its previous associations with metabolic and transcriptional memory, as well as the importance of H3 histone lysine 4 monomethylation (H3K4me1) to innate immune memory, we hypothesize that the Set7 methyltransferase has an important role in trained immunity induced by β-glucan. Using pharmacological studies of human primary monocytes, we identify trained immunity-specific immunometabolic pathways regulated by Set7, including a previously unreported H3K4me1-dependent plasticity in the induction of oxidative phosphorylation. Recapitulation of β-glucan training in vivo additionally identifies Set7-dependent changes in gene expression previously associated with the modulation of myelopoiesis progenitors in trained immunity. By revealing Set7 as a key regulator of trained immunity, these findings provide mechanistic insight into sustained metabolic changes and underscore the importance of characterizing regulatory circuits of innate immune memory. : Using a combination of pharmacological and genetic approaches, Keating et al. show that the Set7 methyltransferase is a regulator of trained immunity induced by β-glucan. Activation of Set7 increases oxidative phosphorylation in trained cells via histone lysine methylation at gene enhancers of key enzymes of the TCA cycle. Keywords: trained immunity, Set7, methylation, β-glucan, oxidative phosphorylation, immunometabolism, inflammation, monocyte, macrophage

Human space travel is on the verge of visiting Mars and, in the future, even more distant places in the solar system. These journeys will be also made by terrestrial microorganisms (hitchhiking on the bodies of astronauts or on scientific instruments) that, upon arrival, will come into contact with new planetary environments, despite the best measures to prevent contamination. These microorganisms could potentially adapt and grow in the new environments and subsequently recolonize and infect astronauts. An even more challenging situation would be if truly alien microorganisms will be present on these solar system bodies: What will be their pathogenic potential, and how would our immune host defenses react? It will be crucial to anticipate these situations and investigate how the immune system of humans might cope with modified terrestrial or alien microbes. We propose several scenarios that may be encountered and how to respond to these challenges.

Earthworm systematics have been limited by the small number of taxonomically informative morphological characters and high levels of homoplasy in this group. However, molecular phylogenetic techniques have yielded significant improvements in earthworm taxonomy in the last 15 years. Several different approaches based on the use of different molecular markers, sequencing techniques, and compromises between specimen/taxon coverage and phylogenetic information have recently emerged (DNA barcoding, multigene phylogenetics, mitochondrial genome analysis, transcriptome analysis, targeted enrichment methods, and reduced representation techniques), providing solutions to different evolutionary questions regarding European earthworms. Molecular phylogenetics have led to significant advances being made in Lumbricidae systematics, such as the redefinition or discovery of new genera (Galiciandrilus, Compostelandrilus, Vindoboscolex, Castellodrilus), delimitation and revision of previously existing genera (Kritodrilus, Eophila, Zophoscolex, Bimastos), and changes to the status of subspecific taxa (such as the Allolobophorachaetophora complex). These approaches have enabled the identification of problems that can be resolved by molecular phylogenetics, including the revision of Aporrectodea, Allolobophora, Helodrilus, and Dendrobaena, as well as the examination of small taxa such as Perelia, Eumenescolex, and Iberoscolex. Similar advances have been made with the family Hormogastridae, in which integrative systematics have contributed to the description of several new species, including the delimitation of (formerly) cryptic species. At the family level, integrative systematics have provided a new genus system that better reflects the diversity and biogeography of these earthworms, and phylogenetic comparative methods provide insight into earthworm macroevolution. Despite these achievements, further research should be performed on the Tyrrhenian cryptic complexes, which are of special eco-evolutionary interest. These examples highlight the potential value of applying molecular phylogenetic techniques to other earthworm families, which are very diverse and occupy different terrestrial habitats across the world. The systematic implementation of such approaches should be encouraged among the different expert groups worldwide, with emphasis on collaboration and cooperation.

The chord and Hellinger distances are commonly used as measures of resemblance in ecological studies. Both distances are bound within the range [0,√2]. We propose to scale them within the range [0,1]. The scaling is mainly justified to report beta diversity values in the range [0,1] properly. Moreover, results for both unscaled distances in multivariate techniques such as cluster analysis or ordinations are not directly comparable with similar graphical displays obtained with indices bound in the range [0,1]. Although comparability and/or interpretability of values are compromised, the used of the unscaled Hellinger and chord distances do not void their validity in ecological studies. Nonetheless, we have found one exception when comparing clustering models using the Gower distance criterion.

Vermicomposting is the process of organic waste degradation through interactions between earthworms and microbes. A variety of organic wastes can be vermicomposted, producing a nutrient-rich final product that can be used as a soil biofertilizer. Giving the prolific invasive nature of the Australian silver wattle Acacia dealbata Link in Europe, it is important to find alternatives for its sustainable use. However, optimization of vermicomposting needs further comprehension of the fundamental microbial processes. Here, we characterized bacterial succession during the vermicomposting of silver wattle during 56 days using the earthworm species Eisenia andrei. We observed significant differences in α- and β-diversity between fresh silver wattle (day 0) and days 14 and 28, while the bacterial community seemed more stable between days 28 and 56. Accordingly, during the first 28 days, a higher number of taxa experienced significant changes in relative abundance. A microbiome core composed of 10 amplicon sequence variants was identified during the vermicomposting of silver wattle (days 14 to 56). Finally, predicted functional profiles of genes involved in cellulose metabolism, nitrification, and salicylic acid also changed significantly during vermicomposting. This study, hence, provides detailed insights of the bacterial succession occurring during vermicomposting of the silver wattle and the characteristics of its final product as a sustainable plant biofertilizer.

Bioelectrochemical technologies offer alternative ways of treating wastewater and using this process to generate electricity. However, research in this area is just beginning to consider environmental transmission of viruses present in wastewater. The viral fecal indicator coliphage MS2 (the most frequently used pathogen model) was used in this study, since it is a well-known indigenous wastewater virus. The scaled-up bioelectrochemical system had a working volume of 167 L and coliphage MS2 concentration decreased from 8000 to 285 PFU/mL. The kinetics were quantified up to 15 h, after which excessive yeast growth in the system prevented further bacteriophage determination. The logarithmic reduction value (LRV) calculated within the first three hours was 3.8. From 4 hours to 14, LRV values were from 4.1 to 4.8, and in hour 15 the LRV increased to 5.3, yielding a more than 90% reduction. Overall, results obtained indicate that the scaled-up bioelectrochemical treatment system was efficient in reducing coliphage MS2 densities and could be used as a model to explore its further applicability for the reduction of viruses or pathogens in treated effluents.

Lumbricidae taxonomy is vastly restricted by the morphological simplicity of earthworms and their lack of complex appendices. This has led to confusing results in the Lumbricidae classifications, which in turn, has hindered our ability to identify and assign new and cryptic species to the family. Here we propose the addition of a new Lumbricidae genus from the Zagros and Elburz Mountains of Iran, i.e. Philomontanus gen. nov, including three new species. Our taxonomic inferences were based on the phylogenetic analysis of two nuclear gene regions (28S rDNA and 18S rDNA) and 11 mitochondrial gene regions (16S rDNA, 12S rDNA, NADH dehydrogenase I, cytochrome oxidase subunits I and II and tRNAs Asn, Asp, Val, Leu, Ala and Ser). Philomontanus gen. nov comprises the earthworm species Philomontanus sarii sp. nov., Philomontanus mahmoudi sp. nov. and Philomontanus baloutchi sp. nov. These three species are morphologically similar to each other with only a few characters separating them (e.g. size, pigmentation and position of clitellum). Our findings support the adoption of an integrative approach including molecular information (e.g., DNA sequences) to aid earthworm classification and develop a robust taxonomy.

The innate immune system displays heterologous memory characteristics, which are characterized by stronger responses to a secondary challenge. This phenomenon termed trained immunity relies on epigenetic and metabolic rewiring of innate immune cells. As reactive oxygen species (ROS) production has been associated with the trained immunity phenotype, we hypothesized that the increased ROS levels and the main intracellular redox molecule glutathione play a role in the induction of trained immunity. Here we show that pharmacological inhibition of ROS in an in vitro model of trained immunity did not influence cell responsiveness; the modulation of glutathione levels reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine production in human monocytes. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in glutathione metabolism were found to be associated with changes in pro-inflammatory cytokine production capacity upon trained immunity. Also, plasma glutathione concentrations were positively associated with ex vivo IL-1β production, a biomarker of trained immunity, produced by monocytes of BCG-vaccinated individuals. In conclusion, glutathione metabolism is involved in the induction of trained immunity, and future studies are warranted to explore its functional consequences in human diseases.

In recent years, the massive influx of pelagic Sargassum spp. has generated great interest in the scientific community, highlighting the urgency of addressing the physiology and biochemical composition of these species. Until now, the presence of lignified cells in the tissue of Sargassum natans and Sargassum fluitans has not been reported. Although ‘‘lignin-like’’ compounds have been identified in green algae, the presence of true lignin in the Sargassum genus has not been confirmed. Our work is the first report of lignified cells forming the secondary cell wall in these Sargassum. This study used histological techniques applied to thick sections for identifying lignin-like tissues in Sargassum spp. The dyes as Safranin O and Toluidine have been used to differentiate lignin and cellulose in conducting tissue and to indicate the presence, absence, and distribution of these compounds in tissues. This work is the initial study of the cell wall heteropolymers structure and arrangement in Sargassum spp., providing insights into the unique cell wall architecture of these seaweeds.

Vermicomposting has been found as a profitable approach to dispose of and treat large quantities of raw grape marc. However, less information is available with regard to its efficiency for treating distillery winery byproducts, even though distillation has been widely used as a way to economically valorize grape marc. As such, we sought to characterize the compositional and functional changes in bacterial communities during vermicomposting of distilled grape marc by using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. Samples were collected at the initiation of vermicomposting and at days 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42. There were significant changes (p < 0.0001) in the bacterial community composition of distilled grape marc after 14 days of vermicomposting that were accompanied by twofold increases in bacterial richness and diversity from a taxonomic and phylogenetic perspective. This was followed by significant increases in functional diversity of the bacterial community, including metabolic capacity, lignin and cellulose metabolism, and salicylic acid synthesis. These findings indicate that the most striking compositional and functional bacterial community changes took place during the active phase of the process. They also pinpoint functional attributes that may be related to the potential beneficial effects of distilled grape marc vermicompost when applied on soil and plants.

In an anaerobic digestion (AD) process, the hydrolysis phase is often limited when substrates with high concentrations of solids are used. We hypothesized that applying micro-aeration in the hydrolysis phase and the application of granular activated carbon (GAC) in the methanogenesis phase could make the AD process more efficient. A packed bed reactor (PBR) coupled with an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) was conducted, and its effects on methane generation were evaluated. The micro-aeration rate applied in PBR was 254 L-air/kg-Total solids (TS)-d was compared with a control reactor. Micro-aeration showed that it reduced the hydrolysis time and increased the organic matter solubilization as chemical oxygen demand (COD) increasing 200%, with a volatile fatty acids (VFAs) increment higher than 300%, compared to the control reactor (without aeration). Our findings revealed that the implementations of microaeration and GAC in the two-phase AD system could enhance methane production by reducing hydrolysis time, increasing solid waste solubilization.

GM-CSF promotes the functional maturation of lung alveolar macrophages (A-MØ), whose differentiation is dependent on the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) transcription factor. In fact, blockade of GM-CSF-initiated signaling or deletion of the PPARγ-encoding gene PPARG leads to functionally defective A-MØ and the onset of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. In vitro, macrophages generated in the presence of GM-CSF display potent proinflammatory, immunogenic and tumor growth-limiting activities. Since GM-CSF upregulates PPARγ expression, we hypothesized that PPARγ might contribute to the gene signature and functional profile of human GM-CSF-conditioned macrophages. To verify this hypothesis, PPARγ expression and activity was assessed in human monocyte-derived macrophages generated in the presence of GM-CSF [proinflammatory GM-CSF-conditioned human monocyte-derived macrophages (GM-MØ)] or M-CSF (anti-inflammatory M-MØ), as well as in ex vivo isolated human A-MØ. GM-MØ showed higher PPARγ expression than M-MØ, and the expression of PPARγ in GM-MØ was found to largely depend on activin A. Ligand-induced activation of PPARγ also resulted in distinct transcriptional and functional outcomes in GM-MØ and M-MØ. Moreover, and in the absence of exogenous activating ligands, PPARγ knockdown significantly altered the GM-MØ transcriptome, causing a global upregulation of proinflammatory genes and significantly modulating the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and migration. Similar effects were observed in ex vivo isolated human A-MØ, where PPARγ silencing led to enhanced expression of genes coding for growth factors and chemokines and downregulation of cell surface pathogen receptors. Therefore, PPARγ shapes the transcriptome of GM-CSF-dependent human macrophages (in vitro derived GM-MØ and ex vivo isolated A-MØ) in the absence of exogenous activating ligands, and its expression is primarily regulated by activin A. These results suggest that activin A, through enhancement of PPARγ expression, help macrophages to switch from a proinflammatory to an anti-inflammatory polarization state, thus contributing to limit tissue damage and restore homeostasis.

It has recently been hypothesized that stress exposure (e.g. via glucocorticoid secretion) may dysregulate the bacterial gut microbiome, a crucial ‘organ' in animal health. However, whether stress exposure (e.g. via glucocorticoid secretion) affects the bacterial gut microbiome of natural populations is unknown. We have experimentally altered the basal glucocorticoid level (corticosterone implants) in a wild avian species, the yellow-legged gull Larus michahellis, to assess its effects on the gastrointestinal microbiota. Our results suggest underrepresentation of several microbial taxa in the corticosterone-implanted birds. Importantly, such reduction included potentially pathogenic avian bacteria (e.g. Mycoplasma and Microvirga) and also some commensal taxa that may be beneficial for birds (e.g. Firmicutes). Our findings clearly demonstrate a close link between microbiome communities and glucocorticoid levels in natural populations. Furthermore, they suggest a beneficial effect of stress in reducing the risk of infection that should be explored in future studies.

Monocytes are innate immune cells that play a pivotal role in antifungal immunity, but little is known regarding the cellular metabolic events that regulate their function during infection. Using complementary transcriptomic and immunological studies in human primary monocytes, we show that activation of monocytes by Candida albicans yeast and hyphae was accompanied by metabolic rewiring induced through C-type lectin-signaling pathways. We describe that the innate immune responses against Candida yeast are energy-demanding processes that lead to the mobilization of intracellular metabolite pools and require induction of glucose metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation and glutaminolysis, while responses to hyphae primarily rely on glycolysis. Experimental models of systemic candidiasis models validated a central role for glucose metabolism in anti-Candida immunity, as the impairment of glycolysis led to increased susceptibility in mice. Collectively, these data highlight the importance of understanding the complex network of metabolic responses triggered during infections, and unveil new potential targets for therapeutic approaches against fungal diseases.

Previous studies dealing with changes in microbial communities during vermicomposting were mostly performed at lab-scale conditions and by using low-throughput techniques. Therefore, we sought to characterize the bacterial succession during the vermicomposting of grape marc over a period of 91 days in a pilot-scale vermireactor. Samples were taken at the initiation of vermicomposting, and days 14, 28, 42, and 91, representing both active and mature stages of vermicomposting. By using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, significant changes in the bacterial community composition of grape marc were found after 14 days and throughout the process (p < 0.0001). There was also an increase in bacterial diversity, both taxonomic and phylogenetic, from day 14 until the end of the trial. We found the main core microbiome comprised of twelve bacterial taxa (~16.25% of the total sequences) known to be capable of nitrogen fixation and to confer plant-disease suppression. Accordingly, functional diversity included increases in specific genes related to nitrogen fixation and synthesis of plant hormones (salicylic acid) after 91 days. Together, the findings support the use of grape marc vermicompost for sustainable practices in the wine industry by disposing of this high-volume winery by-product and capturing its value to improve soil fertility.

Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP), which integrates biological pretreatment, enzyme production, saccharification, and fermentation, is a promising operational strategy for cost-effective ethanol production from biomass. In this study, the use of a native strain of Trametes hirsuta (Bm-2) was evaluated for bioethanol production from Brosimum alicastrum in a CBP. The raw seed flour obtained from the ramon tree contained 61% of starch, indicating its potential as a raw material for bioethanol production. Quantitative assays revealed that the Bm-2 strain produced the amylase enzyme with activity of 193.85 U/mL. The Bm-2 strain showed high tolerance to ethanol stress and was capable of directly producing ethanol from raw flour at a concentration of 13 g/L, with a production yield of 123.4 mL/kg flour. This study demonstrates the potential of T. hirsuta Bm-2 for starch-based ethanol production in a consolidated bioprocess to be implemented in the biofuel industry. The residual biomass after fermentation showed an average protein content of 22.5%, suggesting that it could also be considered as a valuable biorefinery co-product for animal feeding.

The most important operational expense during wastewater treatment is electricity for pumping and aeration. Therefore, this work evaluated operational parameters and contaminant removal efficiency of a microbial fuel cell stack system (MFCSS) that uses no electricity. This system consists of (i) septic tank primary treatment, (ii) chamber for secondary treatment containing 18 MFCs, coupled to an energy-harvesting circuit (EHC) that stores the electrons produced by anaerobic respiration, and (iii) gravity-driven disinfection (sodium hypochlorite 5%). The MFCSS operated during 60 days (after stabilization period) and it was gravity-fed with real domestic wastewater from a house (5 inhabitants). The flow rate was 600 ± 100 L∙d−1. The chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, total nitrogen and total phosphorous were measured in effluent, with values of 100 ± 10; 12 ± 2; 9.6 ± 0.5 and 4 ± 0.2 mg∙L−1, and removal values of 86%, 87%, 84% and 64%, respectively. Likewise, an EHC (ultra-low energy consumption) was built with 6.3 V UCC® 4700 µF capacitors that harvested and stored energy from MFCs in parallel. Energy management was programmed on a microcontroller Atmega 328PB®. The water quality of the treated effluent complied with the maximum levels set by the Mexican Official Standard NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996-C. A cost analysis showed that MFCSS could be competitive as a sustainable and energy-efficient technology for real domestic wastewater treatment.

Cytisus scoparius es una planta arbustiva ampliamente distribuida por todo el mundo y considerada como una amenaza para otras especies en algunos países. Las plantas del género Cytisus crecen sobre todo en áreas perturbadas y su presencia favorece, a menudo, la propagación rápida del fuego. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el proceso de vermicompostaje de estos arbustos para producir un fertilizante orgánico de alta calidad y libre de polifenoles. El vermicompostaje redujo sustancialmente la biomasa de C. scoparius (en un 84%), fundamentalmente como resultado de la pérdida de sólidos volátiles, en tan sólo 6 semanas. Se obtuvo un vermicompost de calidad, que es un material similar a la turba, rico en nutrientes y microbiológicamente activo y estable, y sin la fitotoxicidad asociada a los polifenoles. Simultáneamente, la población inicial de lombrices se incrementó muy considerablemente, en un 350%. El procedimiento descrito es eficaz, simple y económico, y puede escalarse fácilmente para su aplicación industrial.