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Md Shafiur Rahman,1,2 Md Nazrul Islam Mondal,2 Md Rafiqul Islam,2 Md Mizanur Rahman,2 M Nazrul Hoque,3 Md Shamsher Alam4 1Department of Public Health, First Capital University of Bangladesh, Chuadanga, Bangladesh; 2Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh; 3Hobby Center for Public Policy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; 4Faculty of Ecology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia Background: The burden of tobacco use is shifting from developed to developing countries. This study aimed to explore the different types of tobacco use, and to identify the determinant factors associated with the tobacco use among ever-married men in Bangladesh. Data and methods: Data of 3,771 ever-married men, 15–54 years of age were extracted from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2007. Prevalence rate, chi-square (Χ2) test, and binary logistic regression analysis were used as the statistical tools to analyze the data. Results: Tobacco use through smoking (58.68%) was found to be higher than that of chewing (21.63%) among men, which was significantly more prevalent among the poorest, less educated, and businessmen. In bivariate analysis, all the socioeconomic factors were found significantly associated with tobacco use; while in multivariate analysis, age, education, wealth index, and occupation were identified as the significant predictors. Conclusion: Tobacco use was found to be remarkably common among males in Bangladesh. The high prevalence of tobacco use suggests that there is an urgent need for developing intervention plans to address this major public health problem in Bangladesh. Keywords: tobacco use, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, prevalence rate, logistic regression model

Pediococcus pentosaceus is well known for its probiotic properties, including roles in improving health, antimicrobial production, and enhancing fermented food quality. This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the whole genome of P. pentosaceus MBBL6, isolated from healthy cow milk, to assess its probiotic and antimicrobial potentials. P. pentosaceus MBBL6, isolated from a healthy cow milk at BSMRAU dairy farm, Gazipur, Bangladesh, underwent comprehensive genomic analysis, including whole genome sequencing, assembly, annotation, phylogenetic comparison, and assessment of metabolic pathways and secondary metabolites. Antimicrobial efficacy was evaluated through in-vitro and in-vivo studies, alongside in-silico exploration for potential mastitis therapy. We predicted 1,906 genes and 204 SEED sub-systems involved in carbohydrate metabolism and vitamin B complex biosynthesis, with a focus on lactose metabolism in MMBL6. Notably, 43 putative carbohydrate-active enzyme genes, including lysozymes, suggest the ability of MBBL6 for carbohydrate biotransformation and antimicrobial activity. The genome also revealed primary metabolic pathways for arginine and gallic acid metabolism and secondary metabolite gene clusters, including T3PKS and RiPP-like regions. Importantly, two bacteriocin biosynthesis gene clusters namely bovicin_255_variant and penocin_A, were identified in MBBL6. The safety assessment of MBBL6 genome revealed no virulence genes and a low pathogenicity score (0.196 out of 1.0). Several genes related to survival in gastrointestinal tract and colonization were also identified. Furthermore, MBBL6 exhibited susceptibility to a wide range of antibiotics in-vitro, and effectively suppressed mastitis pathogens in an in-vivo mouse mastitis model trial. The observed bacteriocin, particularly bovicin, demonstrated the ability to disrupt the function of an essential protein, Rho factor of mastitis pathogens by blocking transcription termination process. Taken together, our in-depth genomic analysis underscores the metabolic versatility, safety profile, and antimicrobial potential of P. pentosaceus MBBL6, suggesting its promise for applications in therapeutics, bioremediation, and biopreservation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Rahman et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

We sequenced the whole genome of Enterococcus faecium MBBL3, isolated from healthy cow milk. The draft genome of MBBL3 is 2,971,195 bp with 95.61× coverage, spanned over 106 contigs.

Background: Arsenic (As), found in diverse ecosystems, poses major public health risks in various parts of the world. Arsenotrophic bacteria in contaminated environments help reduce toxicity by converting arsenite (AsIII) to less harmful arsenate (AsV). We assumed that Achromobacter aegrifaciens strains from As-contaminated tubewell water and soil would share similar genomic characteristics associated with arsenic detoxification and bioremediation. To investigate this, we employed both culture-dependent and culture-independent viz. whole genome sequencing (WGS) methods to thoroughly elucidate the phenotypic and genotypic features of two A. aegrifaciens strains isolated from As-contaminated tubewell water (BAW48) and soil (BAS32) samples collected in the Bogura district of Bangladesh., Results: Both BAW48 and BAS32 isolates demonstrated As(III) oxidation in the KMNO4 test, which was corroborated by molecular analysis confirming the presence of aioA and arsB genes in both strains. These strains were found to be phylogenetically related to many strains of Achromobacter spp., isolated from biological inorganic reactors, environmental soils, sediments and human clinical samples across diverse geographical regions. Moreover, both strains possessed distinct heavy metal resistance genes conferring resistance to Co, Zn, Cu, Cd, Hg, As, and Cr. Three As gene clusters such as As(III) oxidizing aioBA, As(III) reducing arsRCDAB and the MMA(III) oxidizing ars resistance gene (arsHCsO) cluster were predicted in both genomes of A. aegrifaciens. Further genomic analyses revealed similar profiles in both strains, with mobile genetic elements, antimicrobials and heavy metal resistance genes, virulence genes, and metabolic features. Pangenome and synteny analysis showed that the two genomes are evolutionary distinct from other strains, but closely related to one another., Conclusion: The genomic data confirmed that A. aegrifaciens strains can oxidize As(III) and detoxify heavy metals like As, suggesting their potential for As detoxification and bioremediation. These findings align with our assumption and provide a basis for developing sustainable solutions for bioremediation efforts in As-contaminated environments., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We sequenced the genomes of three multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas putida strains namely 11CM-M1, 11CM-F1, and 11CM-S1, isolated from milk, feces, and farm soil samples collected from dairy cows with clinical mastitis. The assembled draft genomes of these P. putida strains were approximately 5.6 Mbp, with a GC content of 62.4%., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

We report the draft genome of an arsenotrophic Achromobacter aegrifaciens BAS32 isolated from arsenic (As)-contaminated soil in Bangladesh. This genome contains several predicted gene clusters for As-conversion, namely, As resistance ( ars HCsO), arsenite-oxidizing ( aio BA), and arsenate-reducing ( ars RCDAB) gene clusters along with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

We report, for the first time, the draft genomes of four multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas asiatica strains isolated from milk (2M1), feces (2F1 and 2F2), and farm soil (2S1) samples of dairy cows with clinical mastitis. The assembled genomes of these strains were 5.7 Mbp, 62.8% G + C content, and 50× genome coverage., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

We report the draft genome of Achromobacter aegrifaciens strain BAW48, a bacterium with a genome size of 6,877,653 bp. This genome comprises gene clusters for arsenic conversion, such as arsenic resistance ( arsHCsO ), arsenite oxidation ( aioBA ), and arsenate reduction ( arsRCDAB ), along with genes for heavy metal and antibiotic resistance., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Adipose tissue (AT) expands through both hyperplasia and hypertrophy. During adipogenesis, adipose stromal and progenitor cells (ASPC) proliferate and then accumulate lipids, influenced by the local AT microenvironment. Increased adipogenic capacity is desirable as it relates to metabolic health, especially in transition dairy cows where excess free fatty acids in circulation can compromise metabolic and immune health. Our aim was to elucidate the depot-specific adipogenic capacity and extracellular matrix (EMX) properties of subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral (VAT) AT of dairy cows and define how the EMX affects adipogenesis. Flank SAT and omental VAT samples were collected from dairy cows in a local abattoir. Tissue samples were used for transcriptome analysis, targeted real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) for adipogenic markers, adipocyte sizing, assessment of viscoelastic properties and collagen accumulation, and then decellularized for native EMX isolation. For in vitro analyses, SAT and VAT samples were digested via collagenase, and ASPC cultured for metabolic analysis. Adipogenic capacity was assessed by adipocyte size, quantification of ASPC in stromal vascular fraction (SVF) via flow cytometry, and gene expression of adipogenic markers. In addition, functional assays including lipolysis and glucose uptake were performed to further characterize SAT and VAT adipocyte metabolic function. Data were analyzed using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) and GraphPad Prism 9. Subcutaneous AT adipogenic capacity was greater than VAT's, as indicated by increased ASPC abundance, increased magnitude of adipocyte ADIPOQ and FASN expression during differentiation, and higher adipocyte lipid accumulation as shown by an increased proportion of larger adipocytes and abundance of lipid droplets. Rheologic analysis revealed that VAT is stiffer than SAT, which led us to hypothesize that differences between SAT and VAT adipogenic capacity were partly mediated by depot-specific EMX microenvironment. Thus, we studied depot-specific EMX-adipocyte crosstalk using a 3-dimensional model with native EMX (decellularized AT). Subcutaneous AT and VAT ASPC were cultured and differentiated into adipocytes within depot-matched and mismatched EMX for 14 d, followed by ADIPOQ expression analysis. Visceral AT EMX impaired ADIPOQ expression in SAT cells. Our results demonstrate that SAT is more adipogenic than VAT and suggest that divergences between SAT and VAT adipogenesis are partially mediated by the depot-specific EMX microenvironment., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Background: Koala retrovirus (KoRV), a major pathogen of koalas, exists in both endogenous (KoRV-A) and exogenous forms (KoRV-A to I and K to M) and causes multiple disease phenotypes, including carcinomas and immunosuppression. However, the direct association between the different KoRV subtypes and carcinogenesis remains unknown. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of koalas carrying both endogenous (KoRV-A) and exogenous (KoRV-A, B, and C) subtypes was performed using a high-throughput RNA-seq approach. PBMCs were obtained from three healthy koalas: one infected with endogenous (KoRV-A; Group I) and two infected with exogenous (KoRV-B and/or KoRV-C; Group II) subtypes. Additionally, spleen samples (n = 6) from six KoRV-infected deceased koalas (K1- K6) and blood samples (n = 1) from a live koala (K7) were collected and examined to validate the findings., Results: All koalas were positive for the endogenous KoRV-A subtype, and eight koalas were positive for KoRV-B and/or KoRV-C. Transcription of KoRV gag, pol, and env genes was detected in all koalas. Upregulation of cytokine and immunosuppressive genes was observed in koalas infected with KoRV-B or KoRV-B and -C subtypes, compared to koalas infected with only KoRV-A. We found 550 DEG signatures with significant (absolute p < 0.05, and absolute log 2 Fold Change (FC) > 1.5) dysregulation, out of which 77.6% and 22.4% DEGs were upregulated (log 2 FC > 1.5) and downregulated (log 2 FC <  - 1.5), and downregulated (log 2  FC <  - 1), respectively. We identified 17 unique hub genes (82.3% upregulated and 17.7% down-regulated), with KIF23, CCNB2, POLR3F, and RSL24D1 detected as the potential hub genes modified with KoRV infection. Real-time RT-qPCR was performed on seven koalas to ascertain the expression levels of four potential hub genes, which were subsequently normalized to actin copies. Notably, all seven koalas exhibited distinct expression signatures for the hub genes, especially, KIF23 and CCNB2 show the highest expression in healthy koala PBMC, and POLR3F shows the highest expression in koala with lymphoma (K1)., Conclusion: Thus, it can be concluded that multiple KoRV subtypes affect disease progression in koalas and that the predicted hub genes could be promising prognostic biomarkers for pathogenesis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A new Schiff base-based multi-cation/anion probe (L) has been synthesized and characterized using HR-MS, FT-IR, 1 H, and 13 C NMR techniques. The Schiff base motif provides specific binding sites that detect cations and anions by generating distinct optical output signals upon interaction. A noticeable color change of the probe solution was observed from pale yellow to various shades of yellow upon adding cations such as Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , and Pb 2+ and anions such as CO 3 2 ⁻, S 2 ⁻, and SO 4 2 ⁻. This color change results from forming complexes like M 3 L 2 with metal ions. Whereas origin of color in presence of anion were attributed due to the deprotonation of acidic proton in the ligand. Moreover, the complexes formed by Zn 2+ , S 2 /CO 3 2 ⁻ ion with L are fluorescent, enabling the detection of Cu 2+ and SO 4 2 ⁻ using the Stern-Volmer plot, with a limit of detection (LODs) of 8.48 µM and 10.47 µM, respectively. Additionally, increasing the pH of the probe solution above 8 reveals a significant enhancement of fluorescence intensity due to the deprotonation of phenolic -OH and amide -NH in the presence of hydroxide ions. This emission in the basic medium is quenched by Cu 2+ ions and restored when Cu 2+ is complexed with EDTA. A logic gate has also been constructed for understanding the TURN-OFF-TURN-ON mechanism involving Cu 2+ ions and EDTA. Overall, the versatile performance of a single probe L opens up new possibilities as a multifunctional sensor, making it highly suitable for practical applications., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Dengue virus (DENV) infection, spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, is a significant public health concern in tropical and subtropical regions. Among the four distinct serotypes of DENV (DENV-1 to DENV-4), DENV-2 is associated with the highest number of fatalities worldwide. However, there is no specific treatment available for dengue patients caused by DENV-2., Objective: This study aimed to identify inhibitory phytocompounds in silico in Vernonia cinerea ( V. cinerea ), a widely used traditional medicinal plant, for treating DENV-2 associated illnesses., Methods: The chemical structures of 17 compounds from V. cinerea were sourced from the Indian Medicinal Plants, Phytochemistry, and Therapeutics (IMPPAT) database. These compounds underwent geometry optimization, were screened against nonstructural protein 1 (NSP1) of DENV-2, and further validated through molecular dynamics simulations (MDS). Baicalein, an established drug against DENV-2, was used for validation in molecular screening, MDS, and MM-GBSA analyses., Results: Among these compounds, Beta-amyrin, Beta-amyrin acetate, Chrysoeriol, Isoorientin, and Luteolin showed promising potential as inhibitors of the NSP1 of DENV-2, supported by the results of thermodynamic properties, molecular orbitals, electrostatic potentials, spectral data and molecular screening. Besides, these compounds adhered to the Lipinski's "rule of 5", showing no hepatotoxicity/cytotoxicity, with mixed mutagenicity, immunotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. Furthermore, final validation through MDS confirmed their potential, demonstrating stable tendencies with significant inhibitory activities against NSP1 of DENV-2 over the control drug Baicalein. Among the screened compounds, Chrysoeriol emerged as the most promising inhibitor of NSP1 of DENV-2, followed by Luteolin and Isoorientin., Conclusion: Taken together, our results suggest that Chrysoeriol is the best inhibitor of NSP1 of DENV-2, which could be evaluated as a therapeutic agent or a lead compound to treat and manage DENV-2 infections., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hossain, Hasnat, Akter, Mim, Tahcin, Hoque, Sutradhar, Keya, Sium, Hossain, Masuma, Rakib, Islam, Islam, Bhattacharya and Hoque.)

We report the draft genomes of two Enterococcus faecalis strains MBBL1 and MBBL2, isolated from raw milk of healthy cows. The genome of MBBL1 is 2,681,695 bp with 57.41× coverage, and MBBL2 is 2,681,119 bp with 99.81× coverage, spanned across 14 and 13 contigs, respectively., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Pediococcus acidilactici is a potential probiotic bacteria isolated from diverse sources. However, strains isolated from milk, especially from raw milk of healthy cows, have not been thoroughly studied. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of P. acidilactici strains MBBL5 and MBBL7, isolated from milk samples of healthy cows., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Despite therapeutic advancements, cervical cancer caused by high-risk subtypes of the human papillomavirus (HPV) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. This study aimed to discover potential drug candidates from the Asian medicinal plant Andrographis paniculata, demonstrating efficacy against the E6 protein of high-risk HPV-16 subtype through an in-silico computational approach. The 3D structures of 32 compounds (selected from 42) derived from A. paniculata, exhibiting higher binding affinity, were obtained from the PubChem database. These structures underwent subsequent analysis and screening based on criteria including binding energy, molecular docking, drug likeness and toxicity prediction using computational techniques. Considering the spectrometry, pharmacokinetic properties, docking results, drug likeliness, and toxicological effects, five compounds-stigmasterol, 1H-Indole-3-carboxylic acid, 5-methoxy-, methyl ester (AP7), andrographolide, apigenin and wogonin-were selected as the potential inhibitors against the E6 protein of HPV-16. We also performed 200 ns molecular dynamics simulations of the compounds to analyze their stability and interactions as protein-ligand complexes using imiquimod (CID-57469) as a control. Screened compounds showed favorable characteristics, including stable root mean square deviation values, minimal root mean square fluctuations and consistent radius of gyration values. Intermolecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts, were sustained throughout the simulations. The compounds displayed potential affinity, as indicated by negative binding free energy values. Overall, findings of this study suggest that the selected compounds have the potential to act as inhibitors against the E6 protein of HPV-16, offering promising prospects for the treatment and management of CC., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important zoonotic pathogen associated with a wide range of infections in humans and animals. Thus, the emergence of MRSA clones poses an important threat to human and animal health. This study is aimed at elucidating the genomics insights of a strong biofilm-producing and multidrug-resistant (MDR) S. aureus MTR&#95;BAU&#95;H1 strain through whole-genome sequencing (WGS). The S. aureus MTR&#95;BAU&#95;H1 strain was isolated from food handlers' hand swabs in Bangladesh and phenotypically assessed for antimicrobial susceptibility and biofilm production assays. The isolate was further undergone to high throughput WGS and analysed using different bioinformatics tools to elucidate the genetic diversity, molecular epidemiology, sequence type (ST), antimicrobial resistance, and virulence gene distribution. Phenotypic analyses revealed that the S. aureus MTR&#95;BAU&#95;H1 strain is a strong biofilm-former and carries both antimicrobial resistance (e.g., methicillin resistance; mec A, beta-lactam resistance; bla Z and tetracycline resistance; tet C) and virulence (e.g., sea , tsst , and PVL ) genes. The genome of the S. aureus MTR&#95;BAU&#95;H1 belonged to ST1930 that possessed three plasmid replicons (e.g., rep16, rep7c, and rep19), seven prophages, and two clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) arrays of varying sizes. Phylogenetic analysis showed a close evolutionary relationship between the MTR&#95;BAU&#95;H1 genome and other MRSA clones of diverse hosts and demographics. The MTR&#95;BAU&#95;H1 genome harbours 42 antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), 128 virulence genes, and 273 SEED subsystems coding for the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, proteins, cofactors, vitamins, minerals, and lipids. This is the first-ever WGS-based study of a strong biofilm-producing and MDR S. aureus strain isolated from human hand swabs in Bangladesh that unveils new information on the resistomes (ARGs and correlated mechanisms) and virulence potentials that might be linked to staphylococcal pathogenesis in both humans and animals., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Fatimah Muhammad Ballah et al.)

Controlling foodborne pathogens in buffalo milk is crucial for ensuring food safety. This study estimated the prevalence of nine target genes representing seven critical foodborne bacteria in milk and milk products, and identified factors associated with their presence in buffalo milk chain nodes in Bangladesh. One hundred and forty-three milk samples from bulk tank milk (n = 34), middlemen (n = 37), milk collection centers (n = 37), and milk product shops (n = 35) were collected and analyzed using RT-PCR. Escherichia (E.) coli, represented through yccT genes, was the most prevalent throughout the milk chain (81-97%). Chi-squared tests were performed to identify the potential risk factors associated with the presence of foodborne bacteria encoded for different genes. At the middleman level, the prevalence of E. coli was associated with the Mymensingh, Noakhali, and Bhola districts (P = 0.01). The prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes, represented through inlA genes, and Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica, represented through yst genes, were the highest at the farm level (65-79%). The prevalence of both bacteria in bulk milk was associated with the Noakhali and Bhola districts (P < 0.05). The prevalence of Y. enterocolitica in bulk milk was also associated with late autumn and spring (P = 0.01) and was higher in buffalo-cow mixed milk than in pure buffalo milk at the milk collection center level (P < 0.01). The gene stx2 encoding for Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) E. coli was detected in 74% of the milk products. At the middleman level, the prevalence of STEC E. coli was associated with the use of cloths or tissues when drying milk containers (P = 0.01). Salmonella enterica, represented through the presence of invA gene, was most commonly detected (14%) at the milk collection center. The use of plastic milk containers was associated with a higher prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, represented through htrA genes, at milk product shops (P < 0.05). These results suggest that raw milk consumers in Bangladesh are at risk if they purchase and consume unpasteurized milk., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Current treatment of clostridial infections includes broad-spectrum antibiotics and antitoxins, yet antitoxins are ineffective against all Clostridium species. Moreover, rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens treatment effectiveness and public health. This study therefore aimed to discover a common drug target for four pathogenic clostridial species, Clostridium botulinum , C. difficile , C. tetani , and C. perfringens through an in-silico core genomic approach. Using four reference genomes of C. botulinum , C. difficile , C. tetani , and C. perfringens , we identified 1484 core genomic proteins (371/genome) and screened them for potential drug targets. Through a subtractive approach, four core proteins were finally identified as drug targets, represented by type III pantothenate kinase (CoaX) and, selected for further analyses. Interestingly, the CoaX is involved in the phosphorylation of pantothenate (vitamin B5), which is a critical precursor for coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis. Investigation of druggability analysis on the identified drug target reinforces CoaX as a promising novel drug target for the selected Clostridium species. During the molecular screening of 1201 compounds, a known agonist drug compound (Vibegron) showed strong inhibitory activity against targeted clostridial CoaX. Additionally, we identified tazobactam, a beta-lactamase inhibitor, as effective against the newly proposed target, CoaX. Therefore, identifying CoaX as a single drug target effective against all four clostridial pathogens presents a valuable opportunity to develop a cost-effective treatment for multispecies clostridial infections., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Soil microbiome science, rapidly evolving, predominantly focuses on field crop soils. However, understanding garden soil microbiomes is essential for enhancing food production sustainability in garden environments. This study aimed to unveil the bacteriome diversity and composition in rooftop garden soils (RGS) and surface garden soils (SGS) across urban (Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporations) and peri-urban (Gazipur City Corporation) areas of Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. We analyzed 11 samples, including six RGS and five SGS samples from 11 individual gardens using 16S rRNA (V3-V4 region) gene-based amplicon sequencing. A total of 977 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), including 270 and 707 in RGS and SGS samples, respectively, were identified. The observed OTUs were represented by 21 phyla, 45 classes, 84 orders, 173 families, and 293 genera of bacteria. Alpha diversity indices revealed significantly higher bacterial diversity in SGS samples (p = 0.01), while beta diversity analyses indicated distinct bacteriome compositions between RGS and SGS samples (p = 0.028, PERMANOVA). Despite substantial taxonomic variability between sample categories, there was also a considerable presence of shared bacterial taxa. At the phylum level, Bacilliota (61.14%), Pseudomonadota (23.42%), Actinobacteria (6.33%), and Bacteroidota (3.32%) were the predominant bacterial phyla (comprising > 94.0% of the total abundances) in both types of garden soil samples. Of the identified genera, Bacillus (69.73%) and Brevibacillus (18.81%) in RGS and Bacillus (19.22%), Methylophaga (19.21%), Acinetobacter (6.27%), Corynebacterium (5.06%), Burkholderia (4.78%), Paracoccus (3.98%) and Lysobacter (2.07%) in SGS were the major bacterial genera. Importantly, we detected that 52.90% of genera were shared between RGS and SGS soil samples. Our data reveal unique and shared bacteriomes with probiotic potential in soil samples from both rooftop and surface gardens. Further studies should explore the functional roles of shared bacterial taxa in garden soils and how urban environmental factors affect microbiome composition to optimize soil health and sustainable food production., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

We performed whole-genome sequencing of four multidrug-resistant Enterococcus avium strains isolated from milk (4M1), feces (4F1 and 4F2), and farm soil (4S1) of mastitic dairy cows. The draft genomes of E. avium strains 4M1, 4F1, 4F2, and 4S1 were approximately 4.2 Mbp, with 39.1% GC content and 66.5× coverage., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The field of fish microbiome research has rapidly been advancing, primarily focusing on farmed or laboratory fish species rather than natural or marine fish populations. This study sought to reveal the distinctive gut bacteriome composition and diversity within the anadromous fish species Tenualosa ilisha (hilsa), which holds the status of being the national fish of Bangladesh. We conducted an analysis on 15 gut samples obtained from 15 individual hilsa fishes collected from three primary habitats (e.g., freshwater = 5, brackish water = 5 and marine water = 5) in Bangladesh. The analysis utilized metagenomics based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing targeting the V3-V4 regions. Our comprehensive identification revealed a total of 258 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The observed OTUs were represented by six phyla, nine classes, 19 orders, 26 families and 40 genera of bacteria. Our analysis unveiled considerable taxonomic differences among the habitats (freshwater, brackish water, and marine water) of hilsa fishes, as denoted by a higher level of shared microbiota (p = 0.007, Kruskal-Wallis test). Among the identified genera in the gut of hilsa fishes, including Vagococcus, Morganella, Enterobacter, Plesiomonas, Shigella, Clostridium, Klebsiella, Serratia, Aeromonas, Macrococcus, Staphylococcus, Proteus, and Hafnia, several are recognized as fish probiotics. Importantly, some bacterial genera such as Sinobaca, Synechococcus, Gemmata, Serinicoccus, Saccharopolyspora, and Paulinella identified in the gut of hilsa identified in this study have not been reported in any aquatic or marine fish species. Significantly, we observed that 67.50% (27/40) of bacterial genera were found to be common among hilsa fishes across all three habitats. Our findings offer compelling evidence for the presence of both exclusive and communal bacteriomes within the gut of hilsa fishes, exhibiting potential probiotic properties. These observations could be crucial for guiding future microbiome investigations in this economically significant fish species., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Kawser et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa are major concerns for public health worldwide. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of P. aeruginosa in clinical, environmental, and poultry sources in Bangladesh, along with their antibiotic susceptibility and the profiling of β-lactamase and virulence genes using standard molecular and microbiology techniques. We collected 110 samples from five different locations, viz., BAU residential area (BAURA; n = 15), BAU Healthcare Center (BAUHCC; n = 20), BAU Veterinary Teaching Hospital (BAUVTH; n = 22), Poultry Market (PM; n = 30) and Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MCCH; n = 23). After overnight enrichment in nutrient broth, 89 probable Pseudomonas isolates (80.90%) were screened through selective culture, gram-staining and biochemical tests. Using genus- and species-specific PCR, we confirmed 22 isolates (20.0%) as P. aeruginosa from these samples. Antibiogram profiling revealed that 100.0% P. aeruginosa isolates (n = 22) were multidrug-resistant isolates, showing resistance against Doripenem, Penicillin, Ceftazidime, Cefepime, and Imipenem. Furthermore, resistance to aztreonam was observed in 95.45% isolates. However, P. aeruginosa isolates showed a varying degree of sensitivity against Amikacin, Gentamicin, and Ciprofloxacin. The blaTEM gene was detected in 86.0% isolates, while blaCMY, blaSHV and blaOXA, were detected in 27.0%, 18.0% and 5.0% of the P. aeruginosa isolates, respectively. The algD gene was detected in 32.0% isolates, whereas lasB and exoA genes were identified in 9.0% and 5.0% P. aeruginosa isolates. However, none of the P. aeruginosa isolates harbored exoS gene. Hence, this study provides valuable and novel insights on the resistance and virulence of circulating P. aeruginosa within the clinical, environmental, and poultry environments of Bangladesh. These findings are crucial for understanding the emergence of β-lactamase resistance in P. aeruginosa, highlighting its usefulness in the treatment and control of P. aeruginosa infections in both human and animal populations., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Islam et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

We sequenced the genomes of Pediococcus pentosaceus strains MBBL4 and MBBL6, isolated from raw milk samples of healthy cows. The draft genomes of the MBBL4 and MBBL6 were 1,896,831 bp and 1,849,397 bp, respectively, and were fragmented into 58 and 42 contigs, with coverages of 118.2× and 128.7×, respectively.