Frontiers in Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"What constitutes a true polymicrobial periprosthetic joint infection? From multiple detections to organism-level causality.","authors":"Jixin Chen, Qinxin Zhou, Yongming Zhang, Jianliang Chen, Xiaodong Zheng, Feng Ye","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1936444","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1936444","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Polymicrobial periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is often defined by recovery of two or more microorganisms from the same clinical episode, but this numerical definition is biologically incomplete. A second organism may represent a true co-pathogen, colonization, contamination, reagent background, nonviable DNA after antimicrobial exposure, or an analytically plausible signal of uncertain clinical importance. Established PJI definitions determine whether infection is present but do not provide a validated organism-level rule for assigning causality to every detection. We therefore propose a sequential approach: first establish PJI using accepted episode-level criteria, then adjudicate each detected microorganism separately before classifying the episode as polymicrobial. This Mini Review examines evidence relevant to organism-level causal attribution, including sampling integrity, reproducibility across independent deep specimens, anatomical coherence, orthogonal confirmation, quantitative and temporal signal, organism biology, and clinical concordance. We also consider how tissue culture, synovial fluid culture, sonication, blood culture, PCR, and metagenomic sequencing generate different interpretive challenges, particularly after antimicrobial exposure. Finally, we propose a pragmatic four-category vocabulary-strongly supported participant, probable participant, uncertain detection, and likely contaminant-to make organism-level causal confidence explicit in multidisciplinary interpretation and research reporting. This framework is intended as an interpretive aid rather than a validated diagnostic score. Whether it improves inter-rater consistency, antimicrobial precision, or organism-specific outcomes requires prospective validation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1936444"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13544741/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148897022","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":"Genome analysis and antagonistic activity of <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. strain J36 against <i>Phytophthora cactorum</i>.","authors":"Shuang Ma, Lisha Jiang, Die Yang, Gao Xiong, Mengmeng Cheng, Zhongjian Chen, Teng Wang, Yong Wang","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1922030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1922030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Phytophthora blight of <i>Panax notoginseng</i>, caused by <i>Phytophthora cactorum</i>, is a devastating oomycete disease. Biocontrol strategies hold immense potential for inhibiting the spread of <i>P. cactorum</i>. We isolated 72 actinobacteria from soil and screened their antagonistic activity against <i>P. cactorum</i>. Both strain J36 and its cell-free filtrate exhibited strong antagonistic activity against <i>P. cactorum</i> and were therefore selected. Based on the 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic tree, strain J36 formed a well supported subclade with <i>Streptomyces zaomyceticus</i> NRRL B-2038 (bootstrap value 100%). However, because 16S rRNA sequences often lack sufficient resolution for species-level discrimination, we performed multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) using three housekeeping genes (rpoB, recA, and atpD). The MLSA results consistently placed strain J36 within the same cluster as <i>S. zaomyceticus</i> NRRL B-2038, with a bootstrap support of 99%, indicating a close phylogenetic relationship. To further clarify the taxonomic status, we calculated the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain J36 and the type strain of <i>S. zaomyceticus</i> NBC-00415^T. The ANI value was 90.91% and the dDDH value was 39.30%, both well below the accepted thresholds for species demarcation (ANI < 95%, dDDH < 70%). These genomic indices therefore strongly support that strain J36 represents a novel species within the genus <i>Streptomyces</i>. Through whole-genome sequencing and CAZymes analysis, a total of 98 carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) were detected, including 2 cellulase and 2 β-1,3-glucanases. The cell-free filtrate, which exhibited strong antagonistic activity against <i>P. cactorum</i>, also showed high activities of cellulase and β-1,3-glucanase, suggesting that these enzymes may be involved in its anti-oomycete activity. These findings suggest that J36 has potential as a biocontrol candidate, although further <i>in vivo</i> evaluation is needed to confirm its efficacy against <i>Phytophthora</i> blight of <i>P. notoginseng</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1922030"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13541933/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148897003","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":"Whole-genome sequencing and characterization of <i>Pseudomonas stutzeri</i> P1 endophyte isolated from potato unveils plant growth-promoting and other traits.","authors":"Poonam Patel, Krutarth Raval, Satyamitra Shekh, Payal Mavadiya, Snehal Bagatharia, Fenil Patel, Amrutlal Patel","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1848650","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1848650","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Endophytic bacteria play an important role in plant growth promotion and stress tolerance, offering sustainable alternatives to chemical inputs in agriculture. In this study, an endophytic bacterial strain P1 was isolated and identified as <i>Pseudomonas stutzeri</i>, a plant-associated bacterium exhibiting multiple plant growth-promoting traits (PGPTs). Biochemical (qualitative and quantitative) and <i>in vitro</i> analyses demonstrated nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, ammonia production, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, biofilm formation, and tolerance to abiotic stresses, including salinity and drought. Furthermore, the P1 strain displayed strong biocontrol activity against the fungal pathogen <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>cumini,</i> indicating its potential to mitigate biotic stress. Whole-genome sequencing generated a high-quality complete genome of 4,758,235 bp. Functional annotation showed enrichment of metabolic pathways associated with plant-microbe interactions and environmental adaptation. Further analyses using KEGG and PGPT-pred data confirmed the presence of genes associated with direct and indirect PGPT, such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, biofilm formation, and stress tolerance. The genome also contained genes related to CAZymes, adhesion, and motility, highlighting a strong plant association, whereas the genome lacked major virulence factors and antimicrobial traits, supporting the non-pathogenic nature of the P1 strain. Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential of P1 as a promising bioinoculant candidate for sustainable agriculture in the potato sector.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1848650"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13541934/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148897035","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":"Molecular transmission network and spatial analysis of HIV/AIDS in Hainan, China: a population-based study.","authors":"Zhenjiao Zhang, Xin Chen, Huayue Liang, Ruolan Fu, Ming Chen, Baoshan Ke, Qiongjun Xu, Jindong Ding Petersen, Zhaoqian Wang, Dee Yu","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1907224","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1907224","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The geographical distribution of HIV in Hainan Province is highly heterogeneous. Yet the patterns of cross-regional transmission remain unclear. To address this issue, we integrated HIV transmission network analysis with spatial analysis to characterize cross-regional transmission patterns across the province.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed 2,135 HIV-1 <i>pol</i> gene sequences obtained from HIV/AIDS patients reported in Hainan Province between 2021 and 2025. A molecular transmission network was constructed using a genetic distance threshold of 1.5% to identify cross-regional links among network nodes. Spatial autocorrelation analysis was subsequently performed to characterize the transmission patterns within and across cities in Hainan Province.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 2,135 HIV-1 <i>pol</i> sequences, 1,396 (65.39%) sequences were included in the molecular transmission network. Older aged (≥50 years), no drug resistance, and infection with CRF07_BC and CRF65_cpx were independently factors associated with a higher likelihood of clustering. Global spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated significant spatial dependence in clustering rates across Hainan (Moran's <i>I</i> = 0.256, <i>P</i> < 0.05). Local analysis identified Wuzhishan as a high-low cluster for all subtypes, and Danzhou specifically for CRF07_BC. Network linkage analysis revealed intensive intracity transmission within Haikou and Sanya across all subtypes, with the strongest intercity links between these two cities for CRF07_BC, CRF01_AE, and CRF65_cpx. Of the 1,396 nodes, 79.87% displayed intercity linkage, and female sex was less likely linked, while infection with CRF65_cpx increased linkage likelihood.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study characterizes the patterns of cross-regional HIV transmission in Hainan Province, highlighting the Haikou-Sanya link as a crucial intervention point. Enhanced regional surveillance and coordinated prevention strategies are recommended for this transmission route.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1907224"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13539328/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886786","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":"Stool microbiota variations along the adenoma-colorectal carcinoma sequence - robustness of disease-associated microbial features.","authors":"Ana Carvalho, Silvia Gschwendtner, Michael Schloter, Ana M Gil, Catarina R Marques","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1822941","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1822941","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Colorectal cancer (CRC) has been linked with gut microbiota dysbiosis, thereby fostering the discovery of disease-associated microbial signatures. However, the use of covariate-adjusted methods accounting for confounders effects on microbiome shifts is far from being a gold standard approach, leading to spurious microbial-disease associations. This study aimed to characterize stool microbiota alterations along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence in a Portuguese cohort, and assess the robustness of candidate microbial features.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Stool samples from healthy individuals (HC), adenoma patients (AP), and CRC patients at early (SI/II) and advanced (SIII/IV) stages, were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Microbial features' profiles were compared with publicly available datasets from France, Ireland, Italy, and USA/Canada. Differential abundance (DA) analysis was conducted through multiple DA models (ANCOM-BC2, fastANCOM, MaAsLin2, limma voom, and LEfSe) and statistical approaches, including covariate (age, sex, and body mass index (BMI)) adjustment, prevalence filtering, and analysis of matched subsets.</p><p><strong>Results and discussion: </strong>Among the altered taxa along de adenoma-carcinoma sequence, <i>Sutterella</i> and <i>Desulfovibrio</i> were generally enriched across different DA tools and matched subset analyses, while <i>Parasutterella</i> and <i>Adlercreutzia</i> were depleted. <i>Sutterella</i>, <i>Parasutterella</i>, and <i>Adlercreutzia</i>, were already altered in adenoma and early-stage CRC samples, maintaining or increasing their effect sizes towards advanced CRC stages. This pattern highlights the potential of these taxa as early microbial signatures of colorectal cancer progression. In contrast, <i>Fusobacterium</i>, which is a widely accepted CRC biomarker, was not detected after covariate adjustment. Cross-cohort comparison revealed a limited reproducibility of microbial features (i.e., <i>Dialister</i> was enriched in the Portuguese and French cohorts; <i>Parasutterella</i> and <i>Terrisporobacter</i> were depleted in the Portuguese and USA/Canada datasets), being most of them cohort-specific.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Overall, our results strengthen the importance of covariate control towards the identification of potentially robust and reproducible microbial markers of CRC onset and progression.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1822941"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13539885/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886888","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":"Zinc gluconate ameliorates antibiotics/PGN-induced intestinal injury via modulating the gut barrier, macrophages immunity and gut microbiota.","authors":"Xia Yang, Sumei Wei, Shiqi Su, Ying Su, Liancheng Lan, Xiuqi Chen, Ting Huang, Qingwen Shan","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1791355","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1791355","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of zinc gluconate (ZnG) against antibiotics and peptidoglycan (PGN) induced intestinal injury by targeting gut barrier integrity, macrophage, and gut microbiota homeostasis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty four C57BL/J mice were randomly divided into four groups: normal group (NC), antibiotic cocktail group (ABX), model group (ABX+PGN), and ZnG treatment group (ZnG+ABX/PGN). An antibiotic associated dysbiosis model was established via oral gavage of an antibiotic cocktail, followed by intraperitoneal injection of PGN (10 mg/kg) to simulate Gram positive (G⁺) bacteria associated challenge in antibiotic associated colitis (AAC) after microbiota disruption. Subsequently, ZnG was administered for therapeutic intervention. Parameters assessed included general condition of mice, intestinal permeability, barrier integrity, macrophage polarization, and gut microbiota composition.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results indicated that ZnG significantly increased the body weight of the mice treated with ABX and PGN. It also markedly alleviated pathological and ultrastructural damage in the colon. ZnG improved intestinal permeability by reducing serum diamine oxidase (DAO) levels and restored intestinal integrity by upregulating tight junction proteins (TJs), including zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, and mucin 2 (MUC2). In addition, ZnG modulated the macrophage immunity by regulating the expression of polarization associated proteins (iNOS/ARG-1) and inhibited activation of the TLR2-NF-κB signaling pathway. Microbiota analysis revealed that ZnG increased gut microbial diversity while modulating the microbial community structure and its predicted functional potential in mice.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings demonstrate that ZnG exhibits therapeutic potential for AAC through modulation of gut microbiota, enhancement of gut barrier, and regulation of immune responses.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1791355"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13538094/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886905","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":"Thermophilic bacteria of the Arabian Gulf and their emerging biotechnological applications: current insights and future prospects.","authors":"Amjad Khalil, Sa-Ad Abubakari","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1865082","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1865082","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thermophilic bacteria represent a powerful class of extremophiles whose ability to thrive at elevated temperatures makes them indispensable to modern biotechnology. The Arabian Gulf characterized by extreme heat, geothermal systems, hot springs, oil reservoirs, and hypersaline habitats hosts a rich yet understudied reservoir of these organisms. This review consolidates current insights into the diversity, ecological niches, and biotechnological relevance of thermophilic bacteria isolated from the region. Dominant genera such as <i>Bacillus</i>, <i>Geobacillus</i>, <i>Thermus</i>, <i>Anoxybacillus</i>, and <i>Brevibacillus</i> exhibit remarkable physiological and molecular strategies that enable survival under intense thermal, saline, and pH stress. Their capacity to produce thermostable enzymes, including proteases, amylases, lipases, cellulases, and DNA polymerases, positions them as high-value contributors to sectors spanning bioenergy, pharmaceuticals, food processing, agriculture, and environmental remediation. Beyond enzyme production, emerging applications such as antimicrobial compound discovery, hydrocarbon bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and sustainable bioprocessing highlight the region's untapped biotechnological potential. However, systematic exploration remains limited, hindered by sparse isolation efforts, incomplete physiological profiling, and a lack of genomic and omics-driven studies. The review underscores the need for integrated approaches that merge classical microbiology with advanced molecular and systems-level tools. Collectively, thermophilic bacteria from the Arabian Gulf constitute a promising yet underutilized biological resource poised to drive sustainable industrial innovation and environmental solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1865082"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13539344/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886917","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":"FUT2-mediated intestinal fucosylation: a master regulator of host-microbiota symbiosis in health and disease.","authors":"Lifen Zhao, Nianzhu Zhang","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1926158","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1926158","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intestinal fucosylation, the enzymatic addition of fucose to glycoconjugates, represents a pivotal regulatory mechanism that modulates host-microbiota crosstalk in the gastrointestinal tract. This review comprehensively synthesizes current advances in the molecular mechanisms, multilevel regulatory networks, and functional implications of intestinal mucosal fucosylation. This review focuses on α(1,2)-fucosylation catalyzed by fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2)-a reaction that determines the secretor status and modifies critical glycoconjugates, including mucins and human milk oligosaccharides. This review examines the dynamic regulation of epithelial fucosylation by host-derived factors-including immune mediators [notably interleukin-22 (IL-22) secreted by group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s)], the enteric nervous system (ENS), and microbial signals. Furthermore, this review details how fucosylated glycans shape the gut microbial ecosystem by serving as selective nutrient sources for beneficial symbionts-including <i>Bifidobacterium</i> and <i>Bacteroides</i> species-while concurrently enhancing colonization resistance against enteric pathogens. Dysregulation of this axis is increasingly associated with a spectrum of human pathologies, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), metabolic dysfunction, and enteric infections. Finally, this review discusses emerging therapeutic strategies targeting the modulation of intestinal fucosylation and its downstream physiological consequences, with particular emphasis on personalized approaches informed by host genetic determinants-most notably <i>FUT2</i> secretor status.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1926158"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13539564/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886847","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":"Association between physical activity level and gut microbiota profiles in individuals with subthreshold depression: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Meihua Su, Jiahui Jin, Fengxun Lin, Shihui Yang, YingYing Diao, Zange Lin","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1887394","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1887394","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Subthreshold depression (SD) represents a subclinical state between mental health and major depressive disorder (MDD) and is associated with a high prevalence and substantial risk of progression to MDD. Physical activity (PA) has been proposed to exert antidepressant effects through modulation of the gut-brain axis. However, the association between PA level and gut microbiota profiles in individuals with SD remains poorly understood.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a cross-sectional observational study. Stratified random sampling was used to screen full-time undergraduates aged 18-25 years at Jimei University for subthreshold depression. Following initial screening with the CES-D and secondary screening with a structured clinical interview, the HAMD-17, and the BDI-II, 122 participants were enrolled. Participants were assigned by IPAQ short form to low (<i>n</i> = 46), moderate (<i>n</i> = 47), and high (<i>n</i> = 29) physical activity groups. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed as maximal oxygen uptake estimated by a submaximal Astrand-Rhyming cycle ergometer test. Fecal samples were subjected to 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 sequencing; α-diversity, β-diversity, differential genera, and keystone species were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No significant differences in α-diversity or β-diversity were observed among the three PA groups (<i>P</i> > 0.05). However, distinct taxonomic signatures were identified. The low-PA group was enriched in potentially pro-inflammatory taxa, including <i>Streptococcaceae</i> and <i>Eggerthella</i> (<i>P</i> < 0.05), whereas the moderate-PA group exhibited increased abundance of butyrate-producing genera, including <i>Roseburia</i> and <i>Lachnospiraceae_UCG-010</i> (<i>P</i> < 0.05). The high-PA group showed significant enrichment of Dorea (<i>P</i> < 0.05). <i>Faecalibacterium</i> exhibited the highest Structural Keystoneness (Ks) within the microbial co-occurrence network, and its relative abundance was positively associated with VO₂max. Moreover, Median (Ks) was strongly correlated with MAD (Ks) (ρ = 0.602, <i>P</i> < 0.001), indicating that the ecological importance of high-keystone taxa is highly context dependent.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although PA level was not significantly associated with overall gut microbial diversity in college students with SD, it was closely associated with the differential distribution of specific functional genera. These findings provide novel evidence supporting the role of PA-related microbial remodeling in SD and may facilitate the development of microbiota-targeted interventions that mimic exercise-induced benefits.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1887394"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13538118/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886763","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 profiles and potential biomarkers in pre-pubertal females with ADHD.","authors":"Guanjun Bao, Suxian Tan, Yiming An, Ye Luo","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1894383","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1894383","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder with significant sex differences in diagnostic rates; males being diagnosed more frequently than females. Gut microbiota alterations may contribute to ADHD via the microbiota-gut-brain axis. However, previous microbiota studies have predominantly used male or mixed-gender samples, neglecting females with distinct clinical and hormonal profiles. The pre-pubertal period is critical for both neurodevelopment and microbiota maturation. This study investigates gut microbiota characteristics in pre-pubertal females with ADHD to identify sex-specific biomarkers and candidate targets for future investigation.</p><p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>This study aimed to characterize gut microbiota profiles in pre-pubertal females with ADHD using 16S rRNA sequencing, and to identify differentially abundant taxa and potential biomarkers through LEfSe and MetagenomeSeq analyses.</p><p><strong>Methods and materials: </strong>Pre-pubertal female ADHD patients (DSM-5 diagnosed, drug-naïve) were recruited from Quzhou Third Hospital. Fecal DNA was extracted, the 16S rRNA gene amplified by PCR, and libraries sequenced on the Revio platform. Bioinformatics analysis included diversity assessment and differential abundance analysis using MetagenomeSeq and LEfSe methods.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Alpha-diversity analysis revealed reduced community evenness (lower Shannon and Simpson indices) but preserved species richness (comparable Chao1) in the ADHD group. Beta-diversity analysis showed significant group differences for both Weighted and Unweighted UniFrac (PERMANOVA, <i>P</i> < 0.01), with a larger effect size for Unweighted UniFrac, suggesting that rare taxa may substantially contribute to community alterations. MetagenomeSeq identified <i>Verrucomicrobiota</i> as the only significantly elevated phylum in ADHD. LEfSe distinguished 26 differential taxa, with cross-validation designating <i>Ruminococcus</i> (enriched in ADHD) and <i>Coprobacillus</i> (depleted in ADHD) as candidate biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Pre-pubertal females with ADHD exhibited reduced gut bacterial evenness with preserved richness, characterized by higher <i>Ruminococcus</i> and lower <i>Coprobacillus</i>, suggesting lineage-specific reshuffling rather than wholesale species loss. These findings implicate gut microbiota community alterations in ADHD pathogenesis via the microbiota-gut-brain axis.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1894383"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13540380/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886802","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}