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Abstract Background Postmenopausal and the postpartum periods are essential physiological phases that result in low estrogen levels in women; however, they are important to female reproductive health. Traditional as well as new detection methods (such as 16 S RNA sequencing) have limitations in detecting the composition of vaginal microbiota. Therefore, in this study, we used metagenomic detection technology to study the composition of vaginal microbiota in postmenopausal and postpartum women. Six women were randomly selected from each group (healthy women of childbearing age, postmenopausal group, and postpartum) for vaginal microecology, composition, α-diversity, linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), and Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) analyses. Results We discovered that Lactobacillus dominance disappeared in postpartum and postmenopausal group women and that diversity increased. However, the proportions of Atopobium vaginae, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus agalactiae significantly increased. Diversity was the highest in the postpartum period, with a significant increase in the proportions of A. vaginae, Gardnerella vaginalis, Prevotella, and occasionally, Chlamydia trachomatis. Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis revealed that Lactobacillus crispatus and L. iners enrichment in the postpartum and menopausal periods was much lower than that in the childbearing age group. CARD analysis revealed that ABC-F ATP-binding cassette ribosomal protection protein subfamily gene abundance was significantly lower in the menopausal than in the childbearing age group, whereas the gimA family macrolide glycosyltransferase gene abundance was significantly higher. Conclusions The dominance of vaginal Lactobacillus in postpartum and menopausal women disappeared, while their diversity increased. In addition, the reproductive tract of postpartum women was susceptible to invasion by pathogenic microorganisms, which deserves clinical attention. When menopausal women receive treatment for vaginal infections, the likelihood that certain bacterial communities develop antibiotic resistance through ribosomal protection mechanisms is lower than that of women in the childbearing age, while the possibility of developing resistance to macrolides through glycosylation may increase. This, however, requires further research.

Abstract Childhood obesity not only has a negative impact on a child's health but is also a significant risk factor for adult obesity and related metabolic disorders, making it a major global public health concern. Recent studies have revealed the crucial role of gut microbiota in the occurrence and development of obesity, in addition to genetic and lifestyle factors. In this study, we recruited 19 normal-weight children and 47 children with varying degrees of obesity. A questionnaire survey was conducted to inquire about the family background, lifestyle habits and dietary composition of the 66 children. Findings indicate that fathers of obese children tend to be obese themselves, while children with highly educated mothers are more likely to maintain a normal weight. Furthermore, overweight children tend to spend more time on electronic devices and less time on physical activities compared to their normal-weight counterparts. Obese children exhibit significant differences in breakfast and dinner dietary composition when compared to children with normal weight. Additionally, the gut microbiota of these 66 children was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Analysis of gut microbiota composition showed similar compositions among children with varying degrees of obesity, but significant differences were observed in comparison to normal-weight children. Obese children exhibited a reduced proportion of Bacteroidota and an increased proportion of Firmicutes, resulting in an elevated Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio. Moreover, Actinobacteriota were found to be increased in the gut microbiota of children with varying degrees of obesity. PICRUSt analysis indicated significant metabolic differences in the microbiota functions between obese and normal-weight children, suggesting the composition of gut microbiota could be a crucial factor contributing to obesity. These findings provide valuable insights for the treatment of childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity not only has a negative impact on a child's health but is also a significant risk factor for adult obesity and related metabolic disorders, making it a major global public health concern. Recent studies have revealed the crucial role of gut microbiota in the occurrence and development of obesity, in addition to genetic and lifestyle factors. In this study, we recruited 19 normal-weight children and 47 children with varying degrees of obesity. A questionnaire survey was conducted to inquire about the family background, lifestyle habits and dietary composition of the 66 children. Findings indicate that fathers of obese children tend to be obese themselves, while children with highly educated mothers are more likely to maintain a normal weight. Furthermore, overweight children tend to spend more time on electronic devices and less time on physical activities compared to their normal-weight counterparts. Obese children exhibit significant differences in breakfast and dinner dietary composition when compared to children with normal weight. Additionally, the gut microbiota of these 66 children was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Analysis of gut microbiota composition showed similar compositions among children with varying degrees of obesity, but significant differences were observed in comparison to normal-weight children. Obese children exhibited a reduced proportion of Bacteroidota and an increased proportion of Firmicutes, resulting in an elevated Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio. Moreover, Actinobacteriota were found to be increased in the gut microbiota of children with varying degrees of obesity. PICRUSt analysis indicated significant metabolic differences in the microbiota functions between obese and normal-weight children, suggesting the composition of gut microbiota could be a crucial factor contributing to obesity. These findings provide valuable insights for the treatment of childhood obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are often comorbid with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), which can severely impact pregnancy health and delivery outcomes. The relationship between gut microbiota and pregnancy health has received increasing attention, but its association with concurrent HDP in GDM remains to be investigated. Objective To explore the association between gut microbiota characteristics and concurrent HDP in GDM patients. Methods The 204 patients with GDM who underwent prenatal examination at the Hangzhou Women's Hospital from August 2019 to January 2020 were selected as the study subjects. Pregnant women diagnosed with GDM only were categorized as the GDM group (n=181), while those concurrently diagnosed with GDM and HDP were categorized as the GDM with concurrent HDP group (n=23). Clinical data and inflammation detection markers of the enrolled pregnant women were collected, and fecal samples of the same period were retained for gut microbiota 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing analysis. LEfSe analysis was used to compare microbiota composition between the two groups at the phylum, family and genus levels, and to identify distinct bacterial enrichments. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify gut microbiota characteristics associated with concurrent HDP in GDM. Spearman's rank correlation analysis was performed to explore the association between gut microbiota and inflammatory markers. Results No significant differences were found in overall gut microbiota composition and relative abundances of major phyla between the two groups (P>0.05). LEfSe analysis on family level showed that the Veillonellaceae family was enriched in the GDM with concurrent HDP group (P

Pink bollworms severely affect the production of cotton. The method currently used for pink bollworm control is the planting of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) protein-expressing transgenic cotton. However, pink bollworms can develop strong resistance to Bt proteins in transgenic cotton because of the large planting area and long planting time of this crop, which severely affects the control of pink bollworms. Intestinal microorganisms play very important roles in insect growth, development and Bt resistance. However, the effect of intestinal microorganisms on pink bollworm Bt resistance is still unclear. The current study aimed to analyze the effect of intestinal microorganisms on the Bt resistance of pink bollworms. Intestinal microorganisms associated with Bt resistance were initially screened through Illumina MiSeq sequencing and analysis. The results showed that feeding with a mixture of gentamicin, Cry1Ac and an artificial diet could significantly increase the mortality of pink bollworm larvae compared with feeding with of a mixture of Cry1Ac and an artificial diet or an artificial diet alone. The microbial diversity, community structure and composition of the pink bollworm larval intestine were significantly influenced by feeding with a mixture of gentamicin, Cry1Ac and an artificial diet. Several intestinal bacteria with significantly altered abundances after treatment with gentamicin were preliminarily screened as potential resources for addressing Bt toxicity. This study provides useful strategies for addressing the Bt resistance of pink bollworms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In China, esophageal cancer is one of the most common cancers, and its incidence and mortality are more than twice the global average. However, most esophageal cancers in China are not detected until they are at moderate and advanced stages with poor prognosis, so early diagnosis and treatment are urgently needed. At present, the role of gut flora in the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer has attracted much attention. Objective To explore the basic characteristics of gut flora in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods From the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from April to August 2022, 35 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with no previous anti-cancer treatments were included as esophageal cancer group (EC group), and 35 healthy volunteers as control group. Stool samples of the two groups were collected to detect the gut flora using 16S rDNA sequence. Then an analysis was performed on the Alpha diversity, Beta diversity〔using the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) 〕 and differential species of gut flora 〔using the linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) 〕 of two groups according to the species annotation of the test results. Results The Alpha diversity indices, such as Shannon index, Simpson index, Chao1 index, ACE index and Goods_coverage index demonstrated no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05), while PCoA graph showed that the Beta diversity differed significantly between the two groups on the whole, and the community structures were different (t=10.837, P

Water samples for the 16S rRNA gene and water quality analyses were collected from around 155 km of river segments surrounding the urban areas in Xi'an, China. Multiple statistical analyses showed that the dynamic shifts of microbial communities in the Chan, Ba, and Feng Rivers from the spring to the summer seasons were apparent but little in the Zao River. The heterogeneity of microbial distributions was more due to the influence of hydrologic conditions and various sources of inflows in the rivers. The LEfSe analysis showed that the Chan and Zao Rivers, both more impacted by the sewage effluents, were more differentially abundant with bacteria related to polluted water, but the Ba and Feng Rivers, both on the outer side of the city, were more abundant with microbial communities in soil and freshwater environments in the summer. Multiple statistical analyses indicated that environmental variables had significant impacts on microbial communities. The geographical information system-based spatial analysis showed heterogeneity of microbial community distributions along the rivers. This study showed that the high-throughput sequencing analysis could identify some pathogenic bacteria that would significantly threaten public health and eco-environments in urban rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Birth weight is closely related to individual health. Low birth weight is a high-risk factor for early neonatal death. Macrosomia is associated with higher risk of maternal and infant complications and various chronic diseases in adulthood. Therefore, it is very important to identify the influencing factors of neonatal birth weight. Objective To investigate the relationship between maternal intestinal flora and neonatal birth weight. Methods Participants were 516 singleton mothers and their babies〔24 with low birth weight (LW group) , 479 with normal birth weight (NW group) and 13 with macrosomia (OW group) 〕 delivered at term in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from January to September 2017. Maternal intestinal flora and clinical laboratory test parameters were collected, and the composition and diversity of intestinal flora were analyzed using QIIME. LEfSe analysis was used to compare the relative abundance of intestinal flora at the genus level of the mothers of three groups of babies to identify the flora with significant intergroup differences. MaAslin was used to assess associations of maternal laboratory test parameters and microbial genera. The Boruta was used to build models for predicting three types of neonatal birth weight using maternal laboratory test parameters and intestinal flora OTUs, to assess the association of maternal intestinal floras and neonatal birth weight. Results The analysis of maternal intestinal floras showed that the abundance of Firmicutes was the highest at the phylum level, and Faecalibacterium was significantly enriched at the genus level. There were no significant differences in Simpson's Diversity Index and Shannon Diversity Index at the phylum level across the maternal intestinal floras of three groups of babies (P>0.05) . LEfSe analysis found that compared with intestinal flora of mothers of LW group, the intestinal flora of mothers of NW group showed significantly enriched Streptococcus and Roseburia (P

Parthenium hysterophorus L., as an invasive plant, has negatively impacted the ecosystem functioning and stability of the terrestrial ecosystem in China. However, little information was available for its effects on microorganisms in the Yellow River Delta (YRD), the biggest newly-formed wetland in China. In the present study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to obtain the bacterial community in soils and roots of different plant species, including P. hysterophorus and some native ones in the YRD. Our results showed that the Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Gemmatimonadota, and Actinobacteriota were dominant in the rhizosphere soils of P. hysterophorus (84.2%) and Setaria viridis (86.47%), and the bulk soils (80.7%). The Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota were dominant within the root of P. hysterophorus. A total of 2468 bacterial OTUs were obtained from different groups among which 140 were observed in all the groups; 1019 OTUs were shared by P. hysterophorus non-rhizosphere soil bacteria (YNR) P. hysterophorus rhizosphere soil bacteria (YRR) groups. The indexes of the ACE (823.1), Chao1 (823.19), Simpson (0.9971), and Shannon (9.068) were the highest in the YRR groups, showing the greatest bacterial community diversity. Random forest analysis showed that the Methylomirabilota and Dadabacteria (at the phylum level) and the Sphingomonas, and Woeseia (at the genus level) were identified as the main predictors among different groups. The LEfSe results also showed the essential role of the Acidobacteriota in the YRR group. The SourceTracker analysis of the bacterial community of the YRR group was mainly from GBS groups (average 53.14%) and a small part was from YNR groups (average 6.56%), indicating that the P. hysterophorus invasion had a more significant effect on native plants' rhizosphere microorganisms than soil microorganisms. Our observations could provide valuable information for understanding the bacterial diversity and structure of the soil to the invasion of P. hysterophorus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zanthoxylum bungeanum essential oil (EOZB) as an extract of Zanthoxylum bungeanum has a range of pharmacological effects such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. However, there were no relevant studies on the regulation of gut microbes by EOZB in ruminants. In this study, the effects of different doses of EOZB on the structure and distribution of microorganisms in the small intestine of small-tailed Han sheep (STH) were investigated by 16s rRNA gene sequencing technique. We found that with the intervention of EOZB. The differential bacteria of duodenal at the phylum level were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes and Proteobacteria, and genus level differential bacteria were Prevotella 1, Ruminococcus 2 and Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group. The differential bacteria of jejunal at the phylum level were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes and Proteobacteria, and genus level differential bacteria were Prevotella 1, Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, Christensenellaceae R-7 group, Ruminococcaceae UCG-014, Saccharofermentans, Ruminococcaceae NK4A214 group and Prevotellaceae UCG-001. The differential bacteria of ileal at the phylum level were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Tenericutes, and genus level differential bacteria were Prevotella 1, Christensenellaceae R-7 group, Romboutsia and Ruminococcaceae UCG-014. In addition, at the same dose of EOZB, the five most abundant genera of bacteria varied in different regions of the small intestine. Among them, the abundance of Prevotella 1, Christensenellacea R-7 group and Ruminococcus 2 in ALW group was the highest in jejunum, duodenum and ileum, respectively. The abundance of Prevotella 1, Christensenellacea R-7 group and Rikenellacea RC9 gut group in BLW group was the highest in duodenum, jejunum and ileum, respectively. The abundance of Prevotella 1, Christensenellacea R-7 group and Ruminococcaeae NK4A214 group in CLW group was the highest in jejunum, duodenum and ileum, respectively. The abundance of Prevotella 1, Ruminococcus 2 and Ruminococcus NK4A214 groups in DLW group was the highest in jejunum, duodenum and ileum, respectively. Differential bacteria formed under the regulation of EOZB are associated with the digestion and absorption of nutrients and the state of intestinal health in the host. This study is the first to investigate the effect of EOZB on the distribution and structure of bacteria in the small intestine of STH. The results of the study enriched the structure and distribution of bacteria in the small intestine of ruminants and provided new insights into the future application of herbal medicine in ruminant production. Additionally, it provides a theoretical basis for the selection of probiotic bacteria for ruminants and the development and application of microecological preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: In recent years, several studies have evidenced the importance of the microbiome to host physiology as metabolism regulator, along with its potential role in triggering various diseases. In this study, we analyzed the gut microbiota in hypercholesterolemic (cases) and normocholesterolemic (controls) individuals to identify characteristic microbial signature for each condition. Methods: Stool samples were obtained from 57 adult volunteers (27 hypercholesterolemic and 30 controls). The taxonomic profiling of microbial communities was performed using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA V3-V4 amplicons, followed by data analysis using Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology 2 (QIIME2) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe). Results: Significant differences were observed in weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) between the groups (p<0.05). LEfSe showed differentially abundant prokaryotic taxa (α=0.05, LDA score > 2.0) in the group of hypercholesterolemic individuals (Methanosphaera, Rothia, Chromatiales, Clostridiales, Bacillaceae and Coriobacteriaceae) and controls (Faecalibacterium, Victivallis and Selenomonas) at various taxonomic levels. In addition, through the application of Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States 2 (PICRUSt2), the predominance of pathways related to biosynthesis in hypercholesterolemic patients was established, compared to controls in which degradation pathways were predominant. Finally, in the analysis of co-occurrence networks, it was possible to identify associations between the microorganisms present in both studied groups. Conclusion: Our results point out to unique microbial signatures, which likely play a role on the cholesterol metabolism in the studied population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionIn recent years, several studies have evidenced the importance of the microbiome to host physiology as metabolism regulator, along with its potential role in triggering various diseases. In this study, we analyzed the gut microbiota in hypercholesterolemic (cases) and normocholesterolemic (controls) individuals to identify characteristic microbial signature for each condition.MethodsStool samples were obtained from 57 adult volunteers (27 hypercholesterolemic and 30 controls). The taxonomic profiling of microbial communities was performed using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA V3-V4 amplicons, followed by data analysis using Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology 2 (QIIME2) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe).ResultsSignificant differences were observed in weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) between the groups (p 2.0) in the group of hypercholesterolemic individuals (Methanosphaera, Rothia, Chromatiales, Clostridiales, Bacillaceae and Coriobacteriaceae) and controls (Faecalibacterium, Victivallis and Selenomonas) at various taxonomic levels. In addition, through the application of Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States 2 (PICRUSt2), the predominance of pathways related to biosynthesis in hypercholesterolemic patients was established, compared to controls in which degradation pathways were predominant. Finally, in the analysis of co-occurrence networks, it was possible to identify associations between the microorganisms present in both studied groups.ConclusionOur results point out to unique microbial signatures, which likely play a role on the cholesterol metabolism in the studied population.

The ectomycorrhizal fungi communities of forests are closely correlated with forest health and ecosystem functions. To investigate the structure and composition of ectomycorrhizal fungi communities in oak forest soil and their driving factors along the urban–rural gradient, we set up a Quercus acutissima forest transect and collected samples from the center to the edge of Jinan city (urban, suburban, rural). The results showed that the ectomycorrhizal fungal community composition at the phyla level mainly included Basidiomycota and Ascomycota in three sites. At the genus level, the community compositions of ectomycorrhizal fungi, along the urban–rural gradient, exhibited significant differences. Inocybe, Russula, Scleroderma, Tomentella, Amanita and Tuber were the dominant genera in these Quercus acutissima forests. Additionally, the diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi was the highest in rural Quercus acutissima forest, followed by urban and suburban areas. Key ectomycorrhizal fungi species, such as Tuber, Russula and Sordariales, were identified among three forests. We also found that pH, soil organic matter and ammonium nitrogen were the main driving factors of the differences in ectomycorrhizal fungi community composition and diversity along the urban–rural gradient. Overall, the differences in composition and diversity in urban–rural gradient forest were driven by the differences in soil physicochemical properties resulting from the forest location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parthenium hysterophorus L., as an invasive plant, has negatively impacted the ecosystem functioning and stability of the terrestrial ecosystem in China. However, little information was available for its effects on microorganisms in the Yellow River Delta (YRD), the biggest newly-formed wetland in China. In the present study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to obtain the bacterial community in soils and roots of different plant species, including P. hysterophorus and some native ones in the YRD. Our results showed that the Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Gemmatimonadota, and Actinobacteriota were dominant in the rhizosphere soils of P. hysterophorus (84.2%) and Setaria viridis (86.47%), and the bulk soils (80.7%). The Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota were dominant within the root of P. hysterophorus. A total of 2468 bacterial OTUs were obtained from different groups among which 140 were observed in all the groups; 1019 OTUs were shared by P. hysterophorus non-rhizosphere soil bacteria (YNR) P. hysterophorus rhizosphere soil bacteria (YRR) groups. The indexes of the ACE (823.1), Chao1 (823.19), Simpson (0.9971), and Shannon (9.068) were the highest in the YRR groups, showing the greatest bacterial community diversity. Random forest analysis showed that the Methylomirabilota and Dadabacteria (at the phylum level) and the Sphingomonas, and Woeseia (at the genus level) were identified as the main predictors among different groups. The LEfSe results also showed the essential role of the Acidobacteriota in the YRR group. The SourceTracker analysis of the bacterial community of the YRR group was mainly from GBS groups (average 53.14%) and a small part was from YNR groups (average 6.56%), indicating that the P. hysterophorus invasion had a more significant effect on native plants’ rhizosphere microorganisms than soil microorganisms. Our observations could provide valuable information for understanding the bacterial diversity and structure of the soil to the invasion of P. hysterophorus.

Sufu is a common solid-state traditional fermented food made from soybean. Huase sufu is a typical type found in several provinces of China, especially in Hubei. However, little is known about the bacterial community. High-throughput sequencing technology revealed that the dominant taxa at phylum level were: Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Bacteroides, and at the genus level were: Pseudomonas, Lactococcus, Acinetobacter, etc. Additionally, LEfSe revealed that compared with the bacterial community of red sufu and white sufu, the biomarker genera for both huase sufu were Enterococcus, and Myroides. Moreover, there were twenty-eight hubs for the huase sufu samples, and four of them were dominant genera: Citrobacter, Myroides, Vagococcus, and Enterococcus. These results provide a new insight into our understanding of the bacterial diversity of huase sufu, and will facilitate the isolation, screening, and development potential bacterial strains for production of huase sufu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many and diverse intestinal microbiota, and they are closely related to various physiological functions of the body. They directly participate in the host's food digestion, nutrient absorption, energy metabolism, immune response, and many other physiological activities and are also related to the occurrence of many diseases. The intestinal microbiota are extremely important for maintaining normal physical health. In order to explore the composition and differences of the intestinal microbiota of whooper swans in different wintering areas, we collected fecal samples of whooper swans in Sanmenxia, Henan, and Rongcheng, Shandong, and we used the Illumina HiSeq platform to perform high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Comparison between Sanmenxia and Rongcheng showed no significant differences in ACE, Chao 1, Simpson, and Shannon indices (p > 0.05). Beta diversity results showed significant differences in bacterial communities between two groups [analysis of similarity (ANOSIM): R = 0.80, p = 0.011]. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis showed that at the phylum level, the relative abundance of Actinobacteria was significantly higher in Sanmenxia whooper swans than Rongcheng whooper swans. At the genus level, the amount of Psychrobacter and Carnobacterium in Sanmenxia was significantly higher in Rongcheng, while the relative abundance Catellicoccus and Lactobacillus was significantly higher in Rongcheng than in Sanmenxia. This study analyzed the composition, characteristics, and differences of the intestinal microbiota of the whooper swans in different wintering environments and provided theoretical support for further exploring the relationship between the intestinal microbiota of the whooper swans and the external environment. And it played an important role in the overwintering physiology and ecology, population management, and epidemic prevention and control of whooper swans.

Irrigation with saline water alters the soil environment, thereby influencing soil microbial processes and crop growth. The objective of this field experiment was to compare the effects of long-term irrigation with saline water or freshwater on cotton growth, soil physicochemical properties, and bacterial community structure. High-throughput sequencing of DNA of the 16S rRNA gene was used to assess the composition of bacterial communities. Saline-water irrigation significantly increased soil salinity and significantly decreased pH, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and biomass and yield of cotton. Cotton biomass and yield were negatively correlated with soil salinity but were positively correlated with soil organic matter, and total nitrogen. Compared with fresh water irrigation, irrigation with saline water significantly decreased the Shannon diversity index of the bacterial community. Compared with freshwater irrigation, saline-water irrigation significantly increased the relative abundance of two phyla of bacteria (Gemmatimonadetes and Actinobacteria) and decreased that of two (Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria). In addition, the relative abundance of 5 genera was significantly higher (Sphingomonas, Gemmatimonas, Gaiella, Solirubrobacter, and Nocardioides) and that of 7 was significantly lower (RB41, H16, Haliangium, Nitrospira, Lysobacter, Acidobacteria_bacterium, and Bryobacter) in the saline-water treatment. Soil salinity and pH were the major environmental factors that shaped bacterial communities. According to LEfSe analysis, only 3 indicator species were associated with saline-water irrigation, whereas 5 indicator species were associated with freshwater irrigation. Overall, long-term irrigation with saline water adversely affected soil properties and led to decreases in soil bacterial community diversity and cotton growth and yield. These results contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of bacterial communities in saline environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saline water irrigation can change the soil environment, thereby influencing soil microbial processes. In this study, a nine years saline water irrigation experiment had been conducted in Shihezi, Xinjiang Province, China, to investigate the composition and diversity of the soil fungal community. Our results showed that irrigation with either brackish or saline water significantly increased soil salinity and Available Phosphorus, but reduced soil pH, SOC, TN, and Available Kalium. Saline water irrigation significantly decreased operational taxonomic units (OTUs), ACE, Chao1, and Shannon indices but increased Simpson indices. The dominant fungal phyla were Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, Basidiomycota, Glomeromycota, and Chytridiomycota. Irrigation with either brackish or saline water significantly reduced the abundance of Mortierellomycota but increased the abundance of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. In addition, saline water irrigation significantly decreased the relative abundance of Glomeromycota compared with fresh water irrigation, but significantly increased the relative abundance of Chytridiomycota. Redundancy analysis (RDA) results showed that salinity (ECe) was the primary factors driving the changes in soil fungal community composition. LEfSe analysis demonstrated fungal potential biomarkers decreased by saline water irrigation. These results increase our understanding of soil ecological processes in soils that are increasingly salinized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large and complex intestinal microbiota communities in hosts have profound effects on digestion and metabolism. To better understand the community structure of intestinal microbiota in Przewalski’s horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) under different feeding regimes, we compared bacterial diversity and composition between captive and reintroduced Przewalski’s horses, using high-throughput 16S-rRNA gene sequencing for identification. Reintroduced Przewalski’s horses were sampled in two Chinese nature reserves, i.e., Dunhuang Xihu Nature Reserve (DXNR; n = 8) in Gansu Province and Kalamaili Nature Reserve (KNR; n = 12) in Xinjiang Province, and compared to a captive population at the Przewalski’s Horse Breeding Center in Xinjiang (PHBC; n = 11). The composition of intestinal microbiota in Przewalski’s horses was significantly different at the three study sites. Observed species was lowest in DXNR, but highest in KNR. Lowest Shannon diversity was observed in DXNR, while in KNR and PHBC had a moderately high diversity; Simpson diversity showed an opposite trend compared with the Shannon index. Linear Discriminant Analysis effect size was used to determine differentially distributed bacterial taxa at each study site. The most dominant phyla of intestinal microbiota were similar in all feeding regimes, including mainly Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Spirochaetes. Differing abundances of intestinal microbiota in Przewalski’s horses may be related to different food types at each study site, differences in diversity may be attributed to low quality food in DXNR. Results indicated that diet is one of the important factors that can influence the structure of intestinal microbiota communities in Przewalski’s horse. These findings combined with a detailed knowledge of the available and consumed food plant species could provide guidelines for the selection of potential future reintroduction sites.

Suboptimal health status (SHS), a physical state between health and disease, is a subclinical and reversible stage of chronic disease. Previous studies have shown alterations in the intestinal microbiota in patients with some chronic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the association between SHS and intestinal microbiota in a case‐control study with 50 SHS individuals and 50 matched healthy controls. Intestinal microbiota was analysed by MiSeq 250PE. Alpha diversity of intestinal microbiota in SHS individuals was higher compared with that of healthy controls (Simpson index, W = 2238, P =.048). Beta diversity was different between SHS and healthy controls (P =.018). At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia was higher in the SHS group than that in the controls (W = 2201, P =.049). Compared with that of the control group, nine genera were significantly higher and five genera were lower in abundance in the SHS group (all P <.05). The intestinal microbiota, analysed by a random forest model, was able to distinguish individuals with SHS from the controls, with an area under the curve of 0.79 (95% confidence interval: 0.77‐0.81). We demonstrated that the alteration of intestinal microbiota occurs with SHS, an early stage of disease, which might shed light on the importance of intestinal microbiota in the primary prevention of noncommunicable chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large and complex intestinal microbiota communities in hosts have profound effects on digestion and metabolism. To better understand the community structure of intestinal microbiota in Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) under different feeding regimes, we compared bacterial diversity and composition between captive and reintroduced Przewalski's horses, using high-throughput 16S-rRNA gene sequencing for identification. Reintroduced Przewalski's horses were sampled in two Chinese nature reserves, i.e., Dunhuang Xihu Nature Reserve (DXNR; n = 8) in Gansu Province and Kalamaili Nature Reserve (KNR; n = 12) in Xinjiang Province, and compared to a captive population at the Przewalski's Horse Breeding Center in Xinjiang (PHBC; n = 11). The composition of intestinal microbiota in Przewalski's horses was significantly different at the three study sites. Observed species was lowest in DXNR, but highest in KNR. Lowest Shannon diversity was observed in DXNR, while in KNR and PHBC had a moderately high diversity; Simpson diversity showed an opposite trend compared with the Shannon index. Linear Discriminant Analysis effect size was used to determine differentially distributed bacterial taxa at each study site. The most dominant phyla of intestinal microbiota were similar in all feeding regimes, including mainly Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Spirochaetes. Differing abundances of intestinal microbiota in Przewalski's horses may be related to different food types at each study site, differences in diversity may be attributed to low quality food in DXNR. Results indicated that diet is one of the important factors that can influence the structure of intestinal microbiota communities in Przewalski's horse. These findings combined with a detailed knowledge of the available and consumed food plant species could provide guidelines for the selection of potential future reintroduction sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saline water irrigation can alleviate the shortage of freshwater resources in the northwest arid zone, but long-term saline water irrigation can damage the soil fungal community structure. To alleviate the harm caused by salinity, biochar is used as a soil amendment to improve the soil fungal community structure. To investigate the intrinsic link between biochar application and the structural diversity of fungal communities in saline soils, two irrigation water salinity levels were set:0.35 dS·m -1 (fresh water) and 8.04 dS·m -1 (saline water). At each irrigation water salinity, two levels of biochar application were set:0 t·hm -2 (no application) and 3.7 t·hm -2 (application). High-throughput sequencing results showed that compared to that under fresh water irrigation, saline water irrigation increased fungal community species diversity and decreased fungal community species richness; biochar application under saline water irrigation reduced soil fungal community species diversity and species richness. The dominant fungal phyla in the soils of each treatment were Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, Rozellomycota, and Cysticercales, and the dominant genera were Gibberella , Chaetomium , Sarocladium , Stachybotrys , and Fusarium . Compared to that under freshwater irrigation, saline water irrigation significantly increased the relative abundance of Basidiomycota and Chytridiomycota and significantly decreased the relative abundance of Ascomycota and Rozellomycota. The application of biochar under saline irrigation significantly increased the relative abundance of Ascomycota and Sarocladium but significantly decreased the relative abundance of Basidiomycota, Chaetomium , and Fusarium . LEfSe analysis showed that under the condition of no biochar application, saline irrigation reduced the number of potential biomarkers of fungal communities, whereas the application of biochar under the condition of saline irrigation increased the number of potential biomarkers of fungal communities. These results indicated that the application of biochar can improve the saline soil environment and fungal community structure and provide a theoretical basis for reasonable brackish water irrigation and soil fertilization in arid areas.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in plateau regions have unique microbial community structures. In this study, Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology was applied to investigate microbial communities of plateau WWTPs. The research showed that microbial diversities and richness were negatively associated with the altitude and positively to the water temperature to a certain extent. The dominant phyla of plateau and control WWTPs were similar, which mainly included Proteobacteria , Bacteroidetes , Chloroflexi and Firmicutes . In plateau WWTPs, the LEfSe analysis found 4 biomarkers which can catabolize aromatic compounds, indicating the microorganisms that can degrade refractory organics might survive better in plateau WWTPs. The analysis of functional genera and enzymes showed that there was no significant difference in abundances of organic degrading bacteria, but the nitrogen removal bacteria were less abundant and phosphorus removal bacteria were more abundant in plateau WWTPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The built indoor microbiome has importance for human health. Residents leave their microbial fingerprint but nothing is known about the transfer from plants. Our hypothesis that indoor plants contribute substantially to the microbial abundance and diversity in the built environment was experimentally confirmed as proof of principle by analyzing the microbiome of the spider plant Chlorophytum comosum in relation to their surroundings. The abundance of Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryota (fungi) increased on surrounding floor and wall surfaces within 6 months of plant isolation in a cleaned indoor environment, whereas the microbial abundance on plant leaves and indoor air remained stable. We observed a microbiome shift: the bacterial diversity on surfaces increased significantly but fungal diversity decreased. The majority of cells were intact at the time of samplings and thus most probably alive including diverse Archaea as yet unknown phyllosphere inhabitants. LEfSe and network analysis showed that most microbes were dispersed from plant leaves to the surrounding surfaces. This led to an increase of specific taxa including spore-forming fungi with potential allergic potential but also beneficial plant-associated bacteria, e.g., Paenibacillus. This study demonstrates for the first time that plants can alter the microbiome of a built environment, which supports the significance of plants and provides insights into the complex interplay of plants, microbiomes and human beings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study compared the effects of adding shrimp shell powder (SSP) at four levels comprising 0% (CK), 5% (L), 10% (M), and 15% (H) on the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and the bacterial community succession during swine manure composting. The relative abundances of 5/11 ARGs were reduced in CK, and 7/11 in H. Moreover, the removal rate was enhanced by adding SSP. Thus, H decreased the total abundance of ARGs by 32.68%, whereas CK increased it by 6.31%. Redundancy analysis indicated that mobile genetic elements (MGEs) (46.6%) and the bacterial community (31.1%) mainly explained the changes in ARGs. H enhanced the removal of MGEs, prolonged the thermophilic phase, stabilized copper and zinc, and retained nitrogen. LEfSe analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling indicated that the bacterial community changed in the composting process, and it was optimized by H. The abundances of the potential bacterial co-hosts (such as Lactobacillus , Corynebacterium_1 , and Ornithinicoccus) of ARGs and MGEs were lower and the decomposition of organic matter was higher in H compared with CK. Thus, composting with 15% SSP can reduce the risk of ARGs and improve the practical value for agronomic application. Unlabelled Image • SSP prolonged the thermophilic phase, stabilized Cu and Zn, and retained nitrogen. • SSP improved the removal rate of ARGs and MGEs in swine manure composting. • Adding SSP at H, reduced the abundance of potential host bacteria of ARGs and MGEs. • SSP added at H is optimum for reducing transmission of ARG to potential pathogens. • Adding SSP at H, improving agricultural value of composting production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High-throughput sequencing thoroughly uncovered the microbial communities of PBP. • Leuconostoc , Lactobacillus , Weissella and Staphylococcus were the main bacteria. • Zygosaccharomyces , Pichia and Candida were determined as the primary yeasts. • Nine core microbes related to flavors were identified by correlation analysis. • The network between microbes and flavors were visualized by bioinformatic tools. Pixian broad bean paste (PBP) is a traditional Chinese condiment, famous for its distinctive flavor. Microbial communities play a vital role in producing the unique flavor of PBP, and a significant accumulation of these volatile flavors occurs during the post-fermentation stage of its production. However, little is known about the relationship between the microbes and flavor compounds in PBP. In this study, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) analysis revealed that Leuconostoc (8.30%), Lactobacillus (7.05%), Weissella (5.80%) and Staphylococcus (4.03%) were the dominant bacterial genera, while the most prevalent yeast genera were Zygosaccharomyces (41.45%) and Pichia (5.83%). Gradual accumulations of free amino acids (glutamic acid and asparagine), organic acids (malic acid and tartaric acid), and unique volatiles (aldehydes, phenols and pyrazines) were evident throughout the post-fermentation process. Analysis of the Pearson's correlation coefficients between 66 key microbes and the key flavors was investigated. Nine core microbes were identified based on the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) scores ≥ 4 (or an average abundance >0.1%) and a high correlation with at least two flavor categories (P < 0.05, |ρ| > 0.8), namely Kosakonia , Kazachstania , Debaryomyces , Lactobacillus , Myroides , Stenotrophomonas , Ochrobactrum , Wohlfahrtiimonas, and Lactococcus genera. These results provide a clearer insight into microbial succession during PBP post-fermentation, thereby contributing to further quality improvement of PBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal lagoons are important aquatic systems with strong physicochemical gradients, where the participation of microorganisms in biogeochemical cycles has been well recognised; however, to date, the microbial diversity and distribution in these environments remains under-investigated. Here, three distinguished regions (oligohaline, marine and the mixing) of a transitional coastal lagoon were explored to characterise the structure and composition of benthic microbial communities through 16S rRNA gene Illumina-sequencing, for both Bacteria and Archaea domains. Principal coordinate analysis showed differences in the community structure according to the analysed zones. PERMANOVA analysis evidenced that, of the measured variables, sample zonation and salinity were the main environmental factors explaining the variance of the prokaryotic assemblages. Differentially abundant microbial taxa were detected for each region of the lagoon by LEfSe analysis. Representative members of anaerobic methanogens/methanotrophs (Methanosaetaceae, ANME 1-b and WSA2) were enriched in the oligohaline sediments, while the coastal marine zone had a community represented mainly by Sandaracinaceae, Aminicenantes and Thaumarchaeota (Group-C3). The sediments in the mixing zone had higher abundance of Flavobacteriaceae, Syntrophobacteraceae and uncultured Thermoplasmatales, Bathyarchaeota and Lokiarchaeota. This study expands the available information of the composition and distribution of uncultured Bacteria and Archaea in transitional coastal lagoons, contributing to a systematic understanding of the functioning of these ecosystems. Image 1 • Benthic bacterial and archaeal communities were assessed in a stratified coastal lagoon in the Southern Gulf of Mexico. • Statistical analysis evidenced that sample zonation and salinity could explain the variance of the prokaryotic assemblages. • Differentially abundant benthic microbial taxa were evidenced for each stratified region of the lagoon. • This study contributes with the repertoire of uncultured Bacteria and Archaea for transitional coastal lagoons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment bacterial communities are critical for the circulation of nutrients in lake ecosystems. However, the bacterial community function and co-occurrence models of lakes have not been studied in depth. In this study, we observed significant seasonal changes and non-significant spatial changes in the beta diversity and community structure of sediment bacteria in Lake Chaohu. Through linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), we observed that certain taxa (from phylum to genus) have consistent enrichment between seasons. The sudden appearance of a Firmicutes population in spring samples from the Zhaohe River, an estuary of Lake Chaohu, and the dominance of Firmicutes populations in other regions suggested that exogenous pollution and environmental induction strongly impacted the assembly of bacterial communities in the sediments. Several taxa that serve as intermediate centers in Co-occurrence network analysis (i.e., Pedosphaeraceae, Phycisphaeraceae, Anaerolineaceae, and Geobacteraceae) may play an important role in sediments. Furthermore, compared with previous studies of plants and animals, the results of our study suggest that various organisms, including microorganisms, are resistant to environmental changes and/or exogenous invasions, allowing them to maintain their community structure.

The increasing rate of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has become the focus of research attention. Soil bacterial community plays an important role in soil nutrient cycling. We stimulated N deposition at the Forest Ecosystem of Fujian Normal University and Global Change Research Station in Chenda Town, Sanming City in the Fujian Province of China. We examined the effect of N deposition on the structure and composition of soil bacterial community using 16S rDNA amplification sequencing. The results showed that short-term addition of N had no significant effect on the soil bacterial diversity and composition, but high N treatment significantly affected therelative abundance of individual bacterial species, which increased the abundance of Copiotrophic group and decreased that of the corresponding Oligotrophic group, indicating that changes in soil bacterial nutrient strategies were driven by the availability of nutrients. Enhanced understanding of the responses of soil bacterial community and nutrient distribution pattern to rapid N deposition could improve the prediction ability about the future environment.

Objective: To study the changes of upper digestive tract and bile flora associated with acute liver failure in mice. Methods: Mice were randomly divided into 2 groups: control group and acute liver failure group (group M). Acute liver failure in group M was induced by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine (D-GaIN). The information of relative abundance and diversity were observed by high-throughput sequencing of V3 + V4 region in 16 S rDNA from bacteria of oral cavity, stomach, duodenal and bile.Bacterial translocation and changes associated with acute liver injury were identified by LEfSe (LDA effect size) analysis. Results: At the phylum level, compared with control group, the relative abundance of TM7 in oral cavity and stomach increased in group M. At the family level, compared with control group, group M resulted in a significant decrease in Pasteurellaceae in the stomach ( P <0.05) and a increase in Lactobacillaceae in the bile ( P <0.05). Conclusion: The diversity of bacteria and relative abundance of each bacterium in upper digestive tract and the bile are significantly changed during the process of acute liver injure in mice.