Frontiers in Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Deciphering the genomic and functional basis of virulence and immune modulation in <i>Pantoea stewartii</i>.","authors":"Jianying Liu, Na Peng, Xiaoxia Zhang, Hai-Lei Wei","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1969847","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1969847","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Pantoea stewartii</i> subsp. <i>indologenes</i> is an emerging cereal phytopathogen with unclear virulence mechanisms. We sequenced a rice seed-borne strain, HR3-48, and classified it as <i>P. stewartii</i> subsp. <i>indologenes</i> (<i>Pnsi</i>) through phylogeny of 92 housekeeping genes, ANI (> 99%), and dDDH (> 96%) comparisons. HR3-48 harbors a conserved plant-pathogenic PSI-1 type III secretion system (T3SS) and a single flagellar locus (<i>flag-1</i>) with multiple <i>fliC</i> genes. The tandem <i>fliC456</i> cassette is functionally redundant for motility and flagellum assembly but contributes significantly to eliciting plant immune responses in <i>Nicotiana benthamiana</i>. The T3SS structural gene <i>hrcQ-U</i> determines hypersensitive response (HR) induction. HR3-48 causes necrosis in maize and rice, a phenotype primarily reliant on T3SS. The flagellin-derived epitope flg22^PanM, a key polymorphism of L19M, triggered robust reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and inhibited <i>Pst</i> DC3000-induced HR in <i>N. benthamiana</i>, whereas flg22^PanE (L19E) showed weak or no activity in these early immune assays, indicating that the 19^th residue dictates the specificity of plant immune recognition. Both peptides suppress Arabidopsis seedling growth. Collectively, our data indicate that PSI-1 T3SS in <i>Pnsi</i> HR3-48 is a major virulence determinant in cereal hosts, whereas polymorphic flagellins modulate MTI (MAMP-triggered immunity) outputs and motility of HR3-48, with the 19^th residue of flg22 contributing to differential immune perception. It remains unclear how immune suppression is mediated by effectors.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1969847"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13677831/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biofilm-associated genes in <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>: role in chronic infections and therapeutic challenges.","authors":"Mohammad Asim Azhar, Tanveer Ahmad Mir, Sana Ahmed, Abdullah M Assiri, Dieter C Broering","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1915213","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1915213","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>One of the major contributors to persistent healthcare and community-associated infections is <i>S. aureus</i>, which has a remarkable ability to form biofilms that protect it against the host immune system and antimicrobial therapy. In recent years, it has become clear that biofilm development is a highly orchestrated and dynamic process, controlled by complex genetic networks, transcriptional regulators, two-component systems (TCSs), and environmental signals. The present review covers the molecular mechanisms involved in the initiation, maturation, maintenance, and dispersal of biofilms in general, and in particular, the coordinated functions of adhesins, the <i>icaADBC</i> operon, components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), global regulators (<i>agr</i>, <i>sarA</i>, and <i>sigB</i>), and two-component regulatory systems, as well as emerging insights from transcriptomic studies on biofilm adaptation. We then review the roles of these regulatory pathways in metabolic heterogeneity, antibiotic tolerance, immune evasion, and persistence in clinically relevant biofilm-associated infections, including infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis, prosthetic joint infection, catheter-associated infection, and diabetic foot infection. The review further outlines the latest developments in antibiofilm therapeutics, including matrix-degrading enzymes, quorum-sensing inhibitors, antimicrobial peptides, bacteriophage-based therapeutics, lysins, nitric oxide donors, nanoparticle-assisted therapeutics, and CRISPR-Cas-based antimicrobials. Incorporating molecular regulation into infection-specific pathogenesis and emerging therapeutic strategies, this review offers a new perspective on the biology of <i>S. aureus</i> biofilms and highlights opportunities to develop mechanism-based interventions to combat chronic biofilm-associated infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1915213"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678300/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gut microbiota in esophageal cancer: mechanisms, clinical implications, and therapeutic potential.","authors":"Yonghao Li, Lu Zhou, Ruixue Huang, Yu Wang, Haibin Zhao, Meijuan Sun, Yushuang Zhang, Zhongbing Wu, Jing Li","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1955627","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1955627","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly prevalent and aggressive gastrointestinal malignancy. Late diagnosis and heterogeneous responses to chemoradiotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies severely challenge clinical management. Accumulating evidence suggests that gut microbiota dysbiosis influences esophageal mucosal malignant transformation, tumor progression, and therapeutic outcomes through the gut-esophageal axis. However, most existing research remains correlational. To bridge this gap, this review critically synthesizes the dysbiosis signatures of EC and establishes a five-tier evidence grading framework to rigorously distinguish causal mechanisms from preclinical inferences. This microbial regulation is predominantly driven by metabolite-mediated signaling, remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment (TME), intestinal barrier disruption, and oncogenic pathway activation. We functionally classify EC-associated dysbiosis into pro-tumorigenic, anti-tumorigenic, and context-dependent taxa, emphasizing a multidimensional ecosystem perspective. Furthermore, we evaluate the utility of gut microbial signatures as predictive biomarkers for neoadjuvant therapy and prognosis. Microbiota-targeted intervention strategies, including fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), microecological preparations, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), have entered clinical exploration as adjunctive approaches to optimize treatment efficacy. Finally, we address current translational barriers and propose future directions, emphasizing multi-omics integration, spatial transcriptomics, and artificial intelligence (AI). This provides an objective, mechanistically grounded framework for advancing microbiota-guided personalized oncology in EC.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1955627"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678293/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"PF127 hydrogel-assisted in-situ <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> biofilm fabrication endowing pathological animal model for chronic osteomyelitis.","authors":"Jiawen Wang, Fuchao Chu, Qing Zhang, Xiangyu Qi, Liudong Zhang, Xu Zhang, Yazhong Zhang, Yongxiang Lv, Wenbo Li, Na Cai, Dekun Zhang, Ziqiang Zhu","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1914727","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1914727","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic osteomyelitis driven by biofilms remains difficult to treat and thus the exploration of its clinical therapy and pathological mechanism largely depend on effective animal models. However, standardized and efficient methods for establishing stable and reproducible animal models for chronic osteomyelitis are still lacking. This study developed a Hydrogel Assisted In-situ Biofilm Fabrication (HAIBF) method by coupling thermosensitive Pluronic F-127 (PF127) hydrogel with biofilm fragments, which stably mimic the pathological process of biofilm-infected chronic osteomyelitis. Forty-eight rats were randomly allocated into four groups: a planktonic bacteria injection group, a direct biofilm injection group, a PF127-loaded biofilm injection group, and a blank control group. Rats were euthanized, and tibial samples were harvested once a week for the following month after infection. Macroscopic examination, SEM, CLSM, micro-CT with three-dimensional reconstruction and quantitative analysis, and H&E staining were combined to evaluate biofilm localization, bone destruction, and tissue pathology. PF127 facilitated the stable localization of biofilm within bone tissue. Collectively, these results validated the successful establishment of a chronic osteomyelitis model characterized by persistent biofilm infection, pathological bone remodeling, and impaired bone repair. HAIBF integrates low-metabolism biofilm fragments with an injectable, thermoresponsive PF127 hydrogel to establish an implant-free bone infection model that undergoes <i>in situ</i> gelation and promotes the local retention of biofilm-derived material. Within a relatively short infection progression period, this model reliably reproduces persistent biofilm-associated infection and selected pathological features of chronic osteomyelitis, thereby providing a more stable and consistent experimental platform for mechanistic studies and therapeutic evaluation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1914727"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13677841/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elevated temperature exacerbates red sore disease caused by <i>Vibrio vulnificus</i> in American eels (<i>Anguilla rostrata</i>).","authors":"Amanpreet K Kohli, Hannah N Brown, Catharine R Cipriano, David T Gauthier, Wolfgang K Vogelbein, Andrew R Wargo","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1911288","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1911288","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The marine pathogenic bacterium <i>Vibrio vulnificus</i> is linked to epizootics of a dermal ulcerative disease, causing high mortality in European and Japanese eels. American eels (<i>Anguilla rostrata</i>) experience a similar condition, commonly referred to as red sore disease (RSD). Field studies indicate that <i>V. vulnificus</i> infections highly correlate with RSD in American eels, but causation remains un-established. In this study, clinically healthy American eels were intraperitoneally injected with <i>V. vulnificus</i> and then held for 12 days at 18, 25, or 32°C. Presence of characteristic clinical signs, mortality, and consistent bacterial re-isolation fulfilled Koch's postulates for <i>V. vulnificus</i> as an etiological agent of RSD in American eels. Gross clinical signs included hyperemia, hemorrhage, epidermal erosion, and shallow to deep ulceration with sub-dermal tissue necrosis. Histopathology indicated widespread colonization by Gram negative bacteria; partial to complete loss of epidermis and dermis (including scales); as well as edema, hemorrhage, myonecrosis, and extensive leukocytic infiltration (inflammation) of affected tissues. Eels injected with <i>V. vulnificus</i> had 92 times higher odds of death than controls. Elevated temperature was an additional risk factor with the odds of <i>V. vulnificus</i>-injected eels dying being 13 times greater at 32°C compared to 18°C. This directly related to the increased growth of <i>V. vulnificus</i> at higher temperatures observed <i>in vitro</i>. These findings identify temperature as an important driver for RSD risk in wild American eel populations and a mitigation focus for eel aquaculture in the Chesapeake Bay region of the United States.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1911288"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13677888/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An acetophenone carboxylase homolog from <i>Rhodococcus aetherivorans</i> initiates acetone rather than acetophenone catabolism.","authors":"Katharina Müller, Jörg Kahnt, Nicole Paczia, Johann Heider","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1888828","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1888828","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ketones such as acetone and acetophenone are chemically inert and must be activated prior to microbial degradation. In aerobic bacteria such as <i>Rhodococcus</i>, ketone activation is accomplished either by oxygenation or carboxylation reactions. Acetone and acetophenone carboxylases are homologous enzymes, but have different subunit compositions. While acetone carboxylases form heterohexameric complexes out of three distinct subunits, the acetophenone carboxylase core complex contains an additional duplicate of one of these subunits, resulting in a heterooctamer of four different subunits. Moreover, acetophenone carboxylase comprises a detachable fifth subunit ε, which is not present in acetone carboxylases. Here, we show that an apparent acetophenone carboxylase from <i>Rhodococcus aetherivorans</i> initiates acetone rather than acetophenone catabolism. The same strain of <i>R. aetherivorans</i> also degrades acetophenone, but as revealed by proteomics and enzyme activity measurements, this substrate is activated by an oxygenation reaction. In contrast to the canonical enzyme variant, which is restricted to acetone and butanone, the acetone carboxylase from <i>R. aetherivorans</i> apparently also accepts more aliphatic ketones with longer chain length. Furthermore, gene deletion studies confirmed the indispensability of the unique subunit ε for enzyme activity. In conclusion, we identified a novel type of acetone carboxylase with acetophenone carboxylase-like subunit composition and extended substrate spectrum. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that heterodecameric acetone carboxylases are particularly widespread across Actinomycetota and Pseudomonadota.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1888828"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13677872/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223688","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of exogenous microbial fertilizer and <i>in situ</i> green manure management on soil microbial community structure and predicted functional potential in Korla fragrant pear orchards.","authors":"Yixin Ke, Pengxue Jia, Xintong Gao, Enduo Liu, Kailong Wang, Zhongping Chai","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1941612","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1941612","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Long-term chemical fertilizer overuse has degraded soil quality in Korla fragrant pear orchards of Xinjiang, causing reduced organic matter accumulation, nutrient imbalance, and microbial community shifts. However, the effects of exogenous microbial fertilizers and endogenous green manure, particularly under different planting densities, on soil microbiome regulation in sandy orchards of southern Xinjiang remain unclear. Here, a 7-8-year-old Korla fragrant pear orchard was subjected to six fertilization treatments: conventional fertilization (CK), microbial fertilizer (JF), low- and high-density *<i>Melilotus officinalis</i>* (CM1 and CM2), and low- and high-density sunflower (*<i>Helianthus annuus</i>*) (DK1 and DK2). Soil physicochemical properties, 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing, and PICRUSt2-based functional prediction were integrated to evaluate treatment effects on soil properties, microbial communities, and predicted functional potential. Organic fertilization generally reduced electrical conductivity (EC) and improved organic matter and available nutrients. Among treatments, CM1 showed relatively favorable soil improvement, reducing EC by 19.20% and increasing alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen and total nitrogen by 36.20 and 36.83%, respectively. JF significantly increased fungal diversity, with the Chao1 index rising by 48.6%, while green manure species and planting density strongly influenced bacterial and fungal community structures. All organic fertilization treatments reduced the relative abundance of *Fusarium*, with CM1 showing the greatest decrease (29.8-60.0%). Functional prediction revealed distinct microbial responses: JF enhanced pathways related to fatty acid β-oxidation and lysine fermentation, with associated gene abundances increasing by 11.86 and 203.32%, respectively; CM1 increased butyrate fermentation-related predicted functions and reduced several denitrification-related predicted functions; DK1 mainly enhanced glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, whereas DK2 showed greater potential in nitrogen cycling and phosphorus transformation-related functions. RDA indicated that bacterial functional profiles were associated with soil available potassium, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, and total nitrogen. Under the conditions of this experiment, different fertilization strategies altered soil microbial communities by modifying environmental conditions and microbial assembly patterns. CM1 showed relatively strong potential for improving soil properties and regulating microbial communities, while microbial fertilizer and sunflower treatments exhibited distinct functional responses. These findings provide insights into green manure and microbial fertilizer management in arid-region pear orchards of southern Xinjiang.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1941612"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13677886/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbial signaling and pest control in a medicinal plant: insights into insect, fungus, plant interactions.","authors":"Chao Zhang, Yinna Li, Jing He, Xiaodan Si, Linjie Zhao, Yeyun Wang, Chenyu Yang, Hongliang Wang, Songwei Li","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1767752","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1767752","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tri-trophic interactions are dynamic relationships between plants, herbivores, and natural enemies and such interactions play important roles in agricultural ecosystems with regard to crop health, such as in the case of <i>Aloe vera</i> crops. <i>A. vera</i> is an agriculturally and medicinally important plant, known for its medicinal value and resilience in arid conditions. Herbivorous pests cause damage to the plant that allows entry of pathogens through infected parts and decreases the commercial and medicinal value of <i>A. vera</i>. However, there is an identified potential endophytic fungi it induces systemic resistance by eliminating pests in <i>A. vera</i> and enhances the plant defensive strategy against further pests and pathogens. Moreover, microbial signaling plays a crucial role in the Tri-trophic interactions via chemical signals enabling communication among plants, pests, and pathogens. Understanding further research into microbial signaling pathways is needed to improve biocontrol methods. The continued progress of biotechnology opens new ways to improve the efficiency of endophytic fungi and <i>A. vera</i>'s pest resistance. Tri-trophic interactions created within this framework underscore the implications of its usage in pest management under conditions of ecological stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1767752"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678292/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Connecting gut microbiome composition to symptom severity and host genetics in endometriosis.","authors":"Giuseppe Giovanni Nardone, Lara Emily Rosso, Aurora Santin, Beatrice Spedicati, Stefania Cappellani, Maria Pina Concas, Gabriella Zito, Federico Romano, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Nunzia Zanotta, Giuseppina Campisciano, Giuseppe Ricci, Manola Comar, Giorgia Girotto","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1873766","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1873766","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Endometriosis (EM) is a multifactorial, estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease characterized by high clinical variability. Growing evidence is highlighting the role of gut microbiome dysbiosis in EM pathophysiology; however, associations between microbiome, symptom severity, and host genetics remain poorly characterized. Extra-oral taste receptor genes (TGs), expressed in both the gastrointestinal and female reproductive systems, may represent novel mediators of gut-reproductive tract axis crosstalk.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 50 women with surgically confirmed EM were deeply clinically characterized, including the evaluation of EM-symptoms and their severity. Microbiome profiles were obtained by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of rectal swabs. Genetic variants within four TGs (<i>TAS2R3, TAS2R4, TAS2R5,</i> and <i>TAS2R14</i>) were assessed using SNP-array genotyping. Microbiome composition was investigated through the evaluation of alpha and beta diversity, as well as enterotype classification analyses. Associations between EM-related features, bacterial taxa and TG-SNPs were investigated using regression models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three distinct gut microbiome community types were identified, dominated by <i>Bacteroides</i>, <i>Prevotella</i>, and <i>Escherichia-Shigella</i>. While microbiome composition did not differ significantly across EM stages, beta diversity was associated with dysmenorrhea (R² = 0.13) and disease stage (R² = 0.12). Regarding TGs, SNPs within <i>TAS2R14</i> gene showed significant associations with alpha and beta diversity indices. Reduced abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing taxa, including members of the <i>Lachnospiraceae</i> and <i>Ruminococcaceae</i> families, was associated with dysmenorrhea, whereas increased abundance of <i>Prevotella</i> and <i>Mobiluncus</i> with dysuria and infertility, respectively. Finally, an increased premenstrual pain severity was associated with a reduced relative abundance of taxa within the order <i>Burkholderiales</i> (<i>β</i> = -2.265) and the family <i>Sutterellaceae</i> (<i>β</i> = -1.563); high postmenstrual pain severity was associated with a lower abundance of <i>Bifidobacteriales</i> (<i>β</i> = -4.932) and <i>Bifidobacteriaceae</i> (<i>β</i> = -4.134).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This case-only study elucidated the complex relationship between gut microbiome composition, EM-related symptoms, and host genetic variation. In particular, extra-oral taste receptor genes emerged as novel risk factors to host-microbiome interactions, supporting their potential role in the microbiota-endometriosis axis and opening new perspectives on EM pathogenesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1873766"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13677852/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of a conjugative IncA plasmid co-harbouring <i>bla</i> _NDM-5 and <i>bla</i> _VIM-1 in a KPC-producing <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> clinical isolate K27.","authors":"Zhenzhen Liu, Dandan Dong, Nan Jia, Yifan Li, Youhan Gao, Yuanqi Zhu","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1959757","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1959757","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Multiple-carbapenemase-producing <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> has emerged as a critical threat to global health due to limited treatment options and high mortality. This study aimed to characterize the genomic features of a triple-carbapenemase-producing <i>K. pneumoniae</i> clinical isolate.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A carbapenem-resistant <i>K. pneumoniae</i> (CRKP) strain K27 was collected from a patient in a tertiary hospital in January 2025. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, carbapenemase detection, S1 nuclease pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (S1-PFGE), conjugation experiments, and plasmid fitness cost assays were performed. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of strain K27 was carried out on Illumina and PacBio platforms, bioinformatic analyses were performed using tools such as PlasmidFinder, ResFinder and ISfinder to characterize plasmid architecture, including replicon typing, resistance gene profiling, and mobile genetic element identification.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Strain K27 was an extensively drug-resistant ST11 <i>K. pneumoniae</i> producing three carbapenemases (NDM, KPC and VIM). Both S1-PFGE and WGS revealed that strain K27 carried four plasmids. The <i>bla</i> _KPC-2 gene was located on an IncFII_pHN7A8:IncR hybrid plasmid (assigned as pK27-KPC2) and carried by a truncated transposon Tn<i>6296</i>, while the <i>bla</i> _NDM-5 and <i>bla</i> _VIM-1 genes were co-harboured on a single IncA plasmid (assigned as pK27-NDM5/VIM1), where they were carried by a truncated transposon Tn<i>125</i> and integron In916, respectively. The two corresponding genetic elements were separated by IS<i>CR1</i>, and this arrangement was highly similar to that of plasmid p24A20009_B_NDM. Conjugation experiments demonstrated that the plasmid pK27-NDM5/VIM1 was transferable at a frequency of (4.5 ± 1.2) × 10^-2, and the resulting transconjugant was designated as K27-C. Independent sample <i>t</i>-tests further revealed significant differences between the transconjugant K27-C and the <i>Escherichia coli</i> J53Azi^R groups, both in the area under the curve (<i>t</i> = 3.63, <i>p</i> = 0.002) and in the maximum optical density (<i>t</i> = 2.57, <i>p</i> = 0.02).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The finding of two different class B metallo-carbapenemase genes co-harboured on a single conjugative IncA plasmid in a KPC-producing ST11 <i>K. pneumoniae</i> clinical isolate is alarming. This co-production of three distinct carbapenemases in a single strain could pose considerable challenges for the selection of clinical anti-infective therapies. Furthermore, the isolate may pose a high risk of subsequent clonal dissemination and/or horizontal gene transfer, necessitating ongoing epidemiological surveillance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1959757"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13677901/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}