Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"The role of gut microbiota in paediatric short bowel syndrome.","authors":"Cheng Zeng, Lidan Liang, Tingfang Lv","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1970119","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1970119","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is one of the leading causes of intestinal failure in children. Its development is influenced not only by the length and function of the residual intestine but is also closely related to the homeostasis of the gut microbiota. In recent years, the role of the gut microbiota in intestinal adaptation, metabolic regulation, and the development of complications in pediatric SBS has gradually garnered attention. This review summarizes the characteristics of the gut microbiota, mechanisms underlying dysbiosis, associations with complications, and microbiota-targeted therapeutic strategies in pediatric SBS. Existing studies indicate that children with SBS exhibit reduced microbiota diversity, compositional abnormalities, and metabolic dysfunction. Gut microbiota dysbiosis may be associated with intestinal barrier disruption, immune dysregulation, alterations in residual intestinal structure, and parenteral nutrition, and may contribute to the development and progression of complications such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), D-lactic acidosis (D-LA), and liver injury. Strategies such as probiotics, nutritional modulation, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) have shown potential clinical value, although their efficacy and safety require further validation. Future studies integrating multi-omics approaches and long-term longitudinal investigations are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying interactions between the microbiota and host, thereby providing a theoretical basis for microbiota-targeted interventions and improving long-term outcomes in children with SBS.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1970119"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13684125/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Design of a tetravalent dengue vaccine incorporating T-cell epitopes from NS3 and NS5 proteins and B-cell epitopes from the envelope protein using an immunoinformatics approach.","authors":"Theerawat Dobutr, Pemikar Srifa, Nawamin Pinpathomrat","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1934834","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1934834","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dengue virus remains a major global health threat due to its four antigenically diverse serotypes and limited treatment and vaccine options. This study aimed to design and evaluate a rational tetravalent multi-epitope vaccine capable of eliciting broad cross-serotype immune responses against dengue virus. An immunoinformatics-driven strategy was employed to identify CTL, HTL, and B-cell epitopes from the NS3, NS5, and envelope domain III proteins of DENV-1 to DENV-4 based on antigenicity, allergenicity, and predicted immunogenic potential, followed by assessment of HLA population coverage. Among the selected CTL epitopes, three were completely conserved across all four serotypes, while one HTL epitope showed the highest conservation among the selected MHC class II epitopes. High-scoring linear B-cell epitopes were identified across EDIII of all four DENV serotypes, with several closely matching experimentally validated epitopes and predominantly localizing to the FG loop and DIII-DI hinge regions. The combined MHC class I and II population coverage reached 98.05% worldwide. The final vaccine construct comprised 584 amino acids incorporating 11 CTL, 14 HTL, and 7 B-cell epitopes linked to an N-terminal β-defensin adjuvant. Molecular docking, MM/GBSA calculations, and 200 ns molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated stable interactions with both TLR2 and TLR4/MD2 complexes, with docking binding energies of -16.2 and -26.0 kcal/mol and MM/GBSA binding free energies of -27.15 ± 0.54 and -52.50 ± 0.55 kcal/mol, respectively. <i>In silico</i> immune simulation predicted substantial lymphocyte activation, enhanced IFN-γ secretion, predicted antigen clearance, and immunoglobulin class switching. Collectively, the proposed tetravalent multi-epitope vaccine was predicted to provide broad cross-serotype epitope representation, substantial population coverage, and favorable structural and immunological profiles, supporting its potential for further vaccine development. Experimental studies in appropriate <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> models are warranted to further assess its immunogenicity, safety, and protective potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1934834"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683149/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of a standardized cranberry supplement on overactive bladder symptoms and urobiome alterations in young women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial.","authors":"Ayaka Ito, Shohei Akagawa, Yuko Akagawa, Shoji Tsuji, Shogo Kato, Sohsaku Yamanouchi, Kazunari Kaneko","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1952206","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1952206","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Urobiome dysbiosis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of overactive bladder (OAB). In this study, the efficacy of a cranberry supplement for OAB symptoms was investigated, and concurrent urobiome alterations were evaluated in young women.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 26 women (median age, 23 years) with OAB (Overactive Bladder Symptom Score [OABSS] ≥ 3), who received either a cranberry supplement (36 mg proanthocyanidins per day) or placebo for 4 weeks. Clinical efficacy was assessed using the OABSS reduction rate, and urobiome composition was evaluated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-five participants were included in the analysis. At 4 weeks, the OABSS reduction rate was greater in the cranberry group than in the placebo group (median, 66.7% vs. 40.0%; p = 0.039). At baseline, the urobiome was dominated by <i>Lactobacillus</i> (median relative abundance, 64.2%). After cranberry supplementation, the relative abundance of <i>Lactobacillus</i> decreased within the cranberry group (median change, -4.39%; p = 0.027; q = 0.096). No compositional changes were observed in the placebo group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Cranberry supplementation was associated with greater improvement in OAB symptoms than was observed with placebo in young women, while a decrease in <i>Lactobacillus</i> relative abundance was observed within the cranberry group. Given the small sample size of this exploratory pilot trial and the limited species-level resolution of 16S rRNA sequencing, these concurrent findings should be regarded as hypothesis-generating and warrant further investigation.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial registration: </strong>https://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/, identifier UMIN000057544.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1952206"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683685/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Solving the mystery of persistent isolated aspartate aminotransferase elevation: Macro-AST as a decisive diagnostic consideration.","authors":"Lina Sun, Yao Liu, Xue Yang, Fangyuan Gao, Lei Sun, Yu Lu, Yanqiu Li, Ying Feng, Xianbo Wang","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1895517","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2026.1895517","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Persistent isolated elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) often poses a diagnostic challenge. Macro-AST, though underrecognized, is a benign cause that may avoid unnecessary investigations.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To characterize the clinical and laboratory features of macro-AST in Chinese adults and to describe our experience with the PEG precipitation method in identifying this condition.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Clinical data from patients presenting with persistent isolated AST elevation at Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, between February and August 2025 were analyzed. All patients underwent comprehensive laboratory tests (including routine biochemistry, muscle enzymes and autoantibodies), imaging studies (abdominal ultrasound and transient elastography), and liver biopsy. After excluding other definitive diseases, macro-AST was confirmed using the PEG precipitation method. Sera from one healthy control and one disease control (with chronic active hepatitis B) were also collected.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three patients (2 female, 1 male) were confirmed with macro-AST. Immunological evaluation revealed heterogeneous serological features among the three patients, including positive autoantibodies and variably elevated immunoglobulin levels in a subset of cases. The persistent isolated AST elevation was not adequately explained by any histological finding. Following PEG precipitation, the AST recovery rate was considerably lower in macro-AST patients (mean 9.71% ± 6.29%; individual values: 2.02%, 17.42%, and 9.68%) than in the healthy control (88.10%) and the disease control with chronic active hepatitis B (59.63%), while PPA% was markedly higher in macro-AST patients (mean 90.29% ± 6.28%; individual values: 97.97%, 82.58%, and 90.32%) than in the healthy control (11.90%) and the disease control (40.37%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Macro-AST should be considered in cases of persistent isolated AST elevation with unremarkable workup. Testing for macro-AST by PEG precipitation should be considered before proceeding to invasive procedures such as liver biopsy. In this study, the PEG precipitation method proved to be a practical adjunctive tool for identifying macro-AST, although its reliability and diagnostic accuracy in a wider population remain to be confirmed.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1895517"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13718027/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149296007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gut mycobiome dysbiosis in digestive system cancers: immune remodeling and translational implications.","authors":"LingBo Ma, Zhen Wang, Jie Mao","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1902754","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1902754","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fungal dysbiosis has been reported in colorectal cancer (CRC), gastric cancer (GC), and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but evidence strength differs substantially by tumor type and model system. Human CRC studies provide the broadest ecological evidence, including altered fungal community structure and fungal-bacterial networks. Human GC evidence is mainly cross-sectional and identifies <i>Candida albicans</i> as a candidate tissue-associated signal rather than a proven driver. In PDAC, human tissue studies report fungal signals, whereas causal support for <i>Malassezia</i>-mannose-binding lectin (MBL)-complement and fungal IL-33/type 2 immunity derives principally from mouse perturbation models. This narrative review synthesizes cancer-specific observations, fungal sensing, epithelial injury, immune remodeling, cross-kingdom interactions, and translational implications. We emphasize that low fungal biomass, contamination, transient dietary or environmental fungi, non-standardized sequencing, spatial uncertainty, and reverse causation limit interpretation. Fungal detection does not establish viability, colonization, or tumor causation. Clinical translation will require standardized controls, absolute fungal-load measurements, spatial confirmation, longitudinal cohorts, functional validation, and external testing of whether fungal features add value beyond established clinical, bacterial, metabolic, imaging, and immune markers.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1902754"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13684329/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237617","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metagenomic next-generation sequencing in tuberculous periprosthetic joint infection: pathogen-detection yield and clinical characteristics compared with common bacterial PJI.","authors":"Jiayu Li, Yuntao Liao, Xiaolin Li, Lan Lin, Yafei Liu, Wenbo Li, Zida Huang, Zhaoyang Wu, Xinyu Fang, Wenming Zhang","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1935713","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1935713","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To compare the pathogen-detection yield of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and conventional culture in tuberculous periprosthetic joint infection (TB-PJI) and common bacterial PJI (CB-PJI), and to characterize clinical differences and exploratory associations with TB-PJI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective cohort included 197 patients with periprosthetic joint infection treated between January 2016 and June 2024 who underwent both conventional culture and mNGS during the same diagnostic or surgical episode. Patients were classified as CB-PJI (n=178) or TB-PJI (n=19). Paired pathogen-detection rates were compared using McNemar's test. Exploratory multivariable associations with TB-PJI were assessed using Firth penalized logistic regression with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) modeled continuously.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In CB-PJI, mNGS showed a higher pathogen-detection rate than conventional bacterial culture (94.4% vs. 78.1%, P<0.001). In TB-PJI, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) was detected by mNGS in 17/19 cases (89.5%) and recovered by mycobacterial culture in 5/19 cases (26.3%; P<0.001); 12/19 cases were mNGS-positive/mycobacterial-culture-negative. In the primary exploratory Firth model, each 1-point increase in CCI was associated with higher odds of TB-PJI (aOR=2.39, 95% CI: 1.51-4.10, P<0.001), whereas each 10% increase in SF PMN% was associated with lower odds (aOR=0.722, 95% CI: 0.564-0.917, P = 0.009); BMI was not statistically significant. Drug-related complications were more frequent in TB-PJI (42.1% vs. 11.8%, P = 0.002), while the 2-year infection recurrence rate did not differ significantly (15.8% vs. 7.9%, P = 0.216).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this selected retrospective cohort, mNGS provided a higher pathogen-detection yield than conventional culture, particularly for TB-PJI. Higher CCI and lower SF PMN% were exploratory clinical associations with TB-PJI and should not be interpreted as validated diagnostic thresholds. mNGS should be considered an adjunct to mycobacterial culture, molecular testing, and histopathology rather than a stand-alone diagnostic test.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1935713"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683129/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the Biosynex AMPLIQUICK^® Fecal Parasitology assays in a Belgian travel clinic.","authors":"Jasmine Coppens, Jean-Marc Schwob, Karin Van Looveren, Jolien Baeyens, Marjan Van Esbroeck","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1816447","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1816447","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Molecular diagnostics have improved infectious disease detection, yet their role in parasitology remains nuanced.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We compared the performance of the AMPLIQUICK^®Fecal Parasitology assay with the conventional methods encompassing microscopy, antigen testing and in-house PCR testing, in a reference laboratory for parasitology in a travel clinic. The detection of protozoa, helminths, and microsporidia was evaluated on 107 stool samples from 99 patients with suspected gastrointestinal parasitic infections, of which 40 specimens were tested retrospectively and 67 were collected prospectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>AMPLIQUICK^® demonstrated high accuracy for protozoa and microsporidia (94.6%, 35/37) detecting all <i>Entamoeba histolytica</i>, <i>Entamoeba dispar</i>, most <i>Giardia duodenalis</i> and <i>Cryptosporidium</i> spp., and all <i>Enterocytozoon bieneusi</i> and <i>Encephalitozoon</i> spp. The assay detected more <i>Dientamoeba fragilis</i> (24 vs. 12) and <i>Blastocystis</i> sp. (61 vs. 44) than the conventional method but the correctness of these results could not be established. AMPLIQUICK^® reliably detected most clinically relevant helminths, including <i>Ascaris lumbricoides</i>, <i>Strongyloides</i> spp., <i>Hymenolepis nana</i>, <i>Taenia</i> spp., and <i>Enterobius vermicularis.</i> Hookworms, <i>Trichuris trichiura</i>, <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i>, <i>Heterophyidae/Opisthorchidae</i> and <i>Trichostrongylus</i> spp. were occasionally missed.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>AMPLIQUICK^® demonstrated good performance compared to the conventional methods and has the potential to improve parasitology diagnostics, particularly in laboratories with limited expertise. Clinicians should interpret findings in the patient's clinical context.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1816447"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683222/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnostic utility of the modified inflammatory burden index and PCT/LYM ratio for sepsis stratification and early prediction of septic shock.","authors":"Zhen-Zhen Ding, Qian Li, Chun-Yan Ma, Hang Li","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1845721","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1845721","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of a modified inflammatory burden index (mIBI) and conventional biomarkers in sepsis and septic shock and assess the clinical utility of their combined application with the PCT/LYM ratio.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis included 45 patients with sepsis, 77 with septic shock, and 54 with non-septic infectious inflammation (control). Levels of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), neutrophil count (NEU), and lymphocyte count (LYM) were measured. Composite indices including mIBI, PCT/LYM, CRP/LYM, and NLR were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated the independent diagnostic value of mIBI and PCT/LYM after adjusting for confounders.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Inflammatory markers and composite indices increased progressively from control to sepsis to septic shock, whereas LYM decreased (all <i>P</i> < 0.05). For sepsis diagnosis, PCT/LYM showed strong diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.851, 95% CI: 0.775-0.928; sensitivity 80.00%, specificity 81.48% at cutoff 0.91), followed by mIBI (AUC = 0.806, specificity 88.89%). For septic shock, PCT/LYM (AUC = 0.880) and mIBI (AUC = 0.877) were comparable to PCT and IL-6 (all AUC = 0.879). Multivariable analysis revealed that after adjustment for age, sex, qSOFA, diabetes, and renal insufficiency, both log₁₀(mIBI) (OR = 2.771, P < 0.001) and PCT/LYM (OR = 1.045, P = 0.002) were independent predictors for sepsis. For septic shock, log₁₀(mIBI) retained independent predictive capacity (OR = 1.399, P = 0.030), whereas PCT/LYM showed a borderline association (OR = 1.004, P = 0.053).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The composite framework integrating PCT/LYM and mIBI addresses limitations of single biomarkers. PCT/LYM demonstrated independent predictive value, with a numerically higher AUC than PCT alone for both sepsis and septic shock, although the direct DeLong comparison did not reach statistical significance, supporting its potential utility as part of a composite screening approach. Modified IBI showed strong independent diagnostic value for sepsis and high univariate discriminative ability for septic shock. These routinely available indicators offer timely, cost-effective advantages for early sepsis identification and risk stratification.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1845721"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683176/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237605","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Glycogen synthase AfGsy2 regulates mycelial growth, stress response, predatory activity, and chlamydospore development in the nematode-trapping fungus <i>Arthrobotrys flagrans</i>.","authors":"Qianfei Shi, Yu Zhang, Minghe Mo, Guohong Li","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1891167","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1891167","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Glycogen is a universal carbon and energy reserve that plays crucial roles in fungal stress adaptation, cellular homeostasis, and predatory activity. However, the role of glycogen metabolism in nematode-trapping fungi has largely remained unexplored. Here, we performed a systematic functional characterization of <i>AfGsy2</i>, the glycogen synthase-encoding gene in the biocontrol fungus <i>Arthrobotrys flagrans</i>.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a CRISPR-Cas9-mediated deletion mutant, together with overexpression and complementation strains, we investigated the involvement of AfGsy2 in mycelial growth, stress tolerance, trap formation, nematicidal activity against <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>, chlamydospore production and germination, and glycogen accumulation. Subcellular localization was examined using an AfGsy2-GFP fusion protein.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Deletion of <i>AfGsy2</i> reduced hyphal growth on both nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor media but enhanced tolerance to osmotic, salt, and oxidative stresses, suggesting that blocked glycogen synthesis may trigger metabolic rerouting toward alternative stress-protective compounds. Notably, the <i>ΔAfGsy2</i> mutants exhibited reduced trap production and nematicidal activity against <i>C. elegans</i>, whereas overexpression of <i>AfGsy2</i> accelerated these processes, suggesting a link between glycogen metabolism and predatory activity. Moreover, AfGsy2 positively regulated chlamydospore production, glycogen accumulation, and chlamydospore germination. AfGsy2-GFP predominantly localized to the vacuoles of chlamydospores, and complementation restored the mutant phenotypes to wild-type levels.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Collectively, these findings uncover a link between glycogen metabolism and growth, stress resilience, sporulation, and predatory activity in <i>A. flagrans</i>, and establish a molecular foundation for the rational improvement of nematode-trapping fungi. Together, these results identify AfGsy2 as a pleiotropic regulator linking glycogen metabolism to biocontrol-related traits.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1891167"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683002/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction: The <i>CYP4G15</i>-<i>SORD</i>-like-associated pathway promotes ovarian ZIKV infection and egg-associated viral RNA detection in <i>Aedes albopictus</i>.","authors":"Mei Chen, Yajing Zhang, Wenwei Zhong, Mei Hong, Jinbao Gu, Zetian Lai","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1990923","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2026.1990923","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2026.1910501.].</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1990923"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13684789/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}