{"title":"Amorphous-to-rodlet structural transition governs the interfacial functions of <i>Aspergillus oryzae</i> hydrophobin RolA.","authors":"Daiki Ida, Nao Takahashi, Yuki Terauchi, Takumi Tanaka, Akira Yoshimi, Hirotaka Kobayashi, Ken Miyazawa, Masaya Mitsuishi, Hiroshi Yabu, Keietsu Abe","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1807699","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1807699","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hydrophobins are low-molecular-weight biosurfactant proteins that coat the cell surface of filamentous fungi, making the surface hydrophobic and supporting morphogenesis. On conidia, hydrophobins self-assemble to form rod-shaped multimeric structures known as rodlets. Previously, we reported that hydrophobin RolA from the industrial fungus <i>Aspergillus oryzae</i> first forms an amorphous film at the air-water interface and then undergoes structural rearrangement to form a densely packed rodlet film. This raised the question of whether the amorphous film or the rodlet film is more important for the biological functions of RolA. In this study, to investigate the properties of amorphous films in comparison with those of rodlet films, we created RolA mutants with reduced hydrophobicity in the hydrophobic loop regions by substituting L137, L142, or both with the polar serine residues, thereby suppressing rodlet formation driven by hydrophobic interactions. Rodlet formation was suppressed in the mutants and was abolished in one of them. The amorphous state of RolA in the mutants enabled direct comparison of the properties of amorphous and rodlet film. We found that the rodlet film was more rigid than the amorphous film and had stronger surface activity and a greater capacity to change surface wettability. RolA altered the properties of <i>A. oryzae</i> conidia only when it was in the rodlet state. These findings highlight the functional versatility of RolA and show that its dynamic structural transitions directly modulate its function.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1807699"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13139150/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147836120","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}
Frontiers in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2026-04-21eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1801133
Milos Jovicevic, Jovana Kabic, Dusan Kekic, Vesna Kovacevic-Jovanovic, Zorica Vasiljevic, Olivera Hadzi-Simovic, Aleksandra Vukicevic Lazic, Suzana Laban-Nestorovic, Tamara Djordjevic, Anita Sente Zigmanovic, Tatjana Stojsic, Aleksandar Ilic, Lazar Ranin, Ina Gajic, Natasa Opavski
{"title":"Impact of sequential pediatric pneumococcal conjugate vaccination (PCV10/PCV13/PCV10) on serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance in invasive and non-invasive <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> isolates in Serbian children.","authors":"Milos Jovicevic, Jovana Kabic, Dusan Kekic, Vesna Kovacevic-Jovanovic, Zorica Vasiljevic, Olivera Hadzi-Simovic, Aleksandra Vukicevic Lazic, Suzana Laban-Nestorovic, Tamara Djordjevic, Anita Sente Zigmanovic, Tatjana Stojsic, Aleksandar Ilic, Lazar Ranin, Ina Gajic, Natasa Opavski","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1801133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1801133","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In Serbia, mandatory PCV immunization was introduced in 2018, following a sequential PCV10/PCV13/PCV10 schedule. This study aimed to assess changes in pneumococcal serotype distribution, vaccine serotype coverage, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and clonal dissemination of pediatric invasive and non-invasive isolates before and after PCV introduction.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 626 clinical pneumococcal isolates from children were analyzed, including 251 invasive (IPD) and 375 non-invasive (NIPD) isolates. Serotyping was performed using PCR and Quellung reactions, antimicrobial susceptibility testing followed EUCAST guidelines, and invasive isolates were further characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Serotype invasiveness ratios were evaluated in pre- (2010-2017) and post-PCV (2018-2024) periods.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Following PCV implementation, serotype coverage declined across all vaccines, most markedly for PCV10 (IPD: 67.7-35.6%; NIPD: 62.3-17.4%), with secondary reductions in PCV13, PCV15, and PCV20 coverage largely driven by the loss of PCV10 serotypes. The proportion of non-PCV20 serotypes rose from 7.2 to 22.9% in IPD and from 12.3 to 41.6% in NIPD, with NVTs being significantly more frequent in NIPD post-PCV period. Antimicrobial non-susceptibility decreased after PCV introduction, including significant reductions in penicillin and macrolide resistance in both IPD and NIPD isolates. Resistance levels remained higher among non-invasive isolates compared with invasive isolates. Multidrug resistance declined from 39.8 to 25.4% in IPD and from 61.0 to 29.5% in NIPD. MLST analysis showed broad clonal diversity, with ST473 and ST8144 predominating pre-PCV and ST1377 and ST320 post-PCV, together with the emergence of non-vaccine lineages and serotype switch in ST320 from 19F to 19A.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Mandatory PCV immunization in Serbia has led to substantial shifts in pneumococcal serotype distribution, resembling patterns observed in countries relying predominantly on PCV10. Also, a reduction in antimicrobial resistance and an increase in genetic diversity were observed, highlighting ongoing serotype replacement and the need for continued integrated surveillance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1801133"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13141683/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147836024","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}
Frontiers in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2026-04-21eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1783246
Jingyan Ji, Shunyi Tian, Han Zhang, Meiqing Yang, Zhengyang Song, Qian Zhang, Xiaoye Jin, Jiang Huang
{"title":"Microbial community variations in human salivary samples with different body mass index for forensic research: a pilot study.","authors":"Jingyan Ji, Shunyi Tian, Han Zhang, Meiqing Yang, Zhengyang Song, Qian Zhang, Xiaoye Jin, Jiang Huang","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1783246","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1783246","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Body mass index (BMI) is a crucial phenotypic feature with significant application value in forensic investigations; however, inferring BMI from forensic-related biological samples such as saliva remains challenging. In this study, saliva samples were collected and subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize microbial community composition, and BMI-associated microbial markers were screened using linear discriminant analysis effect size and the Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test. A random forest model was subsequently constructed to infer BMI categories based on the selected microbial markers. The results showed that twenty-two microbial taxa, including the genera Neisseria, Veillonella, Prevotella, Streptococcus, and Achromobacter, exhibited significantly different abundance distributions among BMI groups and could serve as BMI-associated microbial indicators. Principal coordinates analysis demonstrated a clear separation between normal-weight and overweight groups, and the random forest model accurately inferred BMI categories for most samples. These findings indicate that saliva-associated microbial markers have potential as valuable indicators for BMI inference, providing a promising tool for forensic research.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1783246"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13139067/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147836037","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}
Frontiers in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2026-04-21eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1853750
{"title":"Correction: Comparative analysis of ducks liver gene expressions infected with virulent or attenuated DHAV-3 reveals divergent host responses to viruses of different virulence.","authors":"","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1853750","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1853750","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1740464.].</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1853750"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13142899/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147835703","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}
Frontiers in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2026-04-21eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1838495
Houqiang Luo, Zhangzhou Shen, Yongli Jian, Meng Wang, Shuai Luo, Juan Wang, Li Nan, Li Tang, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Franck Carbonero
{"title":"Editorial: Unravelling the wildlife gut microbiome: the crucial role of gut microbiomes in wildlife conservation strategies.","authors":"Houqiang Luo, Zhangzhou Shen, Yongli Jian, Meng Wang, Shuai Luo, Juan Wang, Li Nan, Li Tang, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Franck Carbonero","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1838495","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1838495","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1838495"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13140858/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147835960","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":"Microbiota-immune crosstalk in the regulation of intestinal motility in constipation.","authors":"Zhengchao Pan, Tao Zhang, Zhetan Ren, Hongkun Zhang, Jing Wang, Yongxun Ma, Ru Man, Jirun Peng, Yongduo Yu","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1828926","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1828926","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Constipation is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder with a complex pathogenesis. Traditional studies have primarily explained its development in terms of reduced intestinal motility or impaired defecatory coordination; however, these mechanisms alone cannot fully account for the multifactorial pathological processes underlying the condition. In recent years, increasing attention has been directed toward the roles of intestinal microbial dysbiosis and alterations in immune homeostasis in the development of constipation. The gut microbiota continuously interacts with the intestinal immune system through its structural components, metabolic products, and secreted molecules. These interactions modulate the mucosal immune microenvironment and participate in the regulation of intestinal motility by influencing the enteric nervous system, interstitial cells of Cajal, and smooth muscle function. Conversely, the immune system can reshape the composition and spatial distribution of the gut microbiota through mechanisms such as the mucosal barrier, immunoglobulin A, and antimicrobial peptides, thereby forming a bidirectional regulatory network. Accumulating evidence suggests that during the onset and progression of constipation, microbial dysbiosis, shifts in immune homeostasis, and abnormalities in intestinal motility may evolve through a progressively amplifying dynamic process, ultimately establishing a self-sustaining chronic cycle. In addition, microbiota-targeted interventions-including probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation-have demonstrated potential benefits in improving stool frequency and stool consistency in several clinical studies. However, the immunological mechanisms underlying these effects remain relatively underexplored. This review systematically summarizes the molecular mechanisms by which gut microbiota-immune interactions regulate intestinal motility. By integrating current evidence on disease progression and clinical studies, we propose a conceptual model of the \"microbiota-immune-motility regulatory axis,\" aiming to provide a new perspective for understanding the pathogenesis of constipation and for optimizing microbiota-based therapeutic strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1828926"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13139074/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147836010","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}
Frontiers in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2026-04-20eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1798786
Huimin Ning, Li Qin, Chaoqun Wang, Kai Zhou, Tiantian Wang, Qiang Feng, Wenyang Wang
{"title":"A rapid detection system for core virulence and resistance genes in hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> using multiplex fluorescence PCR-capillary electrophoresis.","authors":"Huimin Ning, Li Qin, Chaoqun Wang, Kai Zhou, Tiantian Wang, Qiang Feng, Wenyang Wang","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1798786","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1798786","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Infections caused by hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (hvKp) have increased in clinical settings, yet rapid methods for integrated virulence-serotype-resistance profiling remain underdeveloped. In this study, we developed a multiplex fluorescence PCR-capillary electrophoresis (MPCE) system for the rapid and simultaneous detection of core genetic markers in hvKp. Specifically, the MPCE assay detected 16 genetic markers: five virulence genes (<i>iucA</i>, <i>iroB</i>, <i>peg344</i>, <i>rmpA</i>, and <i>rmpA2</i>), two major capsular serotype genes (K1 and K2), seven resistance genes (<i>bla</i> <i>KPC</i>, blaNDM, <i>bla</i> <i>CTX-M</i>, <i>bla</i> <i>SHV</i>, <i>bla</i> <i>OXA-23</i>, <i>bla</i> <i>OXA-48</i> and <i>mcr-1</i>), and two internal controls. Amplicons were subsequently analyzed via capillary electrophoresis and GeneMapper software. As a result, the MPCE system simultaneously detected all 16 targets in 152 min, demonstrating single-base resolution that enabled precise discrimination between closely related amplicons. Moreover, the assay achieved a limit of detection of 10<sup>2</sup> copies/μL, exhibited excellent repeatability, and showed no cross-reactivity against a panel of non-target pathogens. Furthermore, clinical validation confirmed its strong concordance with next-generation sequencing (<i>κ</i> = 0.659-1.000). Therefore, the MPCE-based assay provides a high-throughput, sensitive, and specific platform that enables simultaneous profiling of virulence and resistance genes for the comprehensive genotyping of hvKp. It represents a valuable tool for enhancing antimicrobial resistance surveillance and epidemiological investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1798786"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13136247/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147836050","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 vaginal microbiota diversity by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing.","authors":"Menglu Chen, Jinling Li, Hetao Chen, Adilai Tuerxun, Mengfen Mao, Jiahui Song, Boya Li, Yaonan Mo, Xiandun Zhai","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1777216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1777216","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study employed high-throughput sequencing to analyze the diversity of vaginal microbiota in healthy women of reproductive age, thereby establishing a foundational dataset that may inform future forensic applications such as individual identification.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cohort of 100 healthy reproductive-age women meeting the inclusion criteria was enrolled. Vaginal secretion samples were collected, after which microbial DNA was extracted and assessed for quality using agarose gel electrophoresis. The V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was subsequently amplified with universal primers and subjected to Illumina high-throughput sequencing for comprehensive microbial analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sequencing analysis revealed that the five most predominant genera in the female vaginal microbiota were <i>Lactobacillus</i>, <i>Gardnerella</i>, <i>Prevotella</i>, <i>Serratia</i>, and <i>Atopobium</i>. Cluster analysis of the 100 samples classified them into five major clusters, further delineated into eight subtypes, ranging from absolute dominance of <i>Lactobacillus</i> to dominance of non-<i>Lactobacillus</i> bacteria. Analysis of influence factors showed that microbial diversity was positively associated with age, higher in urban compared to suburban participants, and lower in pregnant versus non-pregnant women. The 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing of vaginal microbiota exhibited distinct inter-group clustering, with <i>Lactobacillus</i> identified as a core candidate marker for vaginal secretions.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The compositional profile of the vaginal microbiota exhibited variations associated with individual characteristics such as age range and geographic region. This study provides a foundational description of vaginal microbiota composition in this cohort. Such foundational data are a necessary first step toward exploring potential future applications in forensic science, though direct inference of individual characteristics is not supported by the current dataset.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1777216"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13138041/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147836114","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":"Advances in the evolution of antibiotic resistance risks in hospital wastewater and multibarrier control strategies.","authors":"Zhankun Zhu, Jinfeng Shu, Yaoqin Zhang, Ying Gao, Kehong Lou, Guosheng Gao","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1789579","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1789579","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Since it is imbued with antibiotics, resistant bacteria, and their resistance genes, hospital waste has transformed post-medical \"tail water\" into a global epicenter of connected ecological and health emergencies. By considering a \"gap identification, risk tracking, and barrier rebuilding\" framework and integrating 10 years of worldwide evidence, we first reveal how four mutually reinforcing deficits: absent primary treatment units, static design, aging infrastructure, and a hollowed-out workforce-perpetually overload small-scale facilities, unleashing high loads of antibiotics and antibiotics resistance genes (ARGs). We then follow ng/L residues along the \"outfall-sediment-zooplankton-fish\" continuum, showing how horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and mutational evolution processes restructure microbial communities, suppress algal photosynthesis and fish reproduction, and ultimately amplify threats to biodiversity and human health throughout the food web. To address the paradox that treatment does not equate to safety, we advance a multibarrier portfolio: (i) implement proactive retrofitting of equipment to confer inherent operational flexibility; (ii) process-stage adsorption-biodegradation hybrids that curtail selective pressure; and (iii) a harmonized, end-line monitoring network coupled with bioindicators to pinpoint ARG hotspots. Complementary measures, including regional pooled maintenance, microcredential training, green finance incentives, and a global data-sharing platform, shift the governance paradigm from end-of-pipe removal to life-cycle risk management, offering a replicable, technoinstitutional roadmap to overcome the pollution-resistance feedback loop.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1789579"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13136165/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147836066","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}
Frontiers in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2026-04-20eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1802485
Amit Ranjan, Cheng Guo, Thomas Briese, William Donovan, Vishal Kapoor, Alamelu Chandrasekaran, Mahesh M Mansukhani, Gregory J Berry, W Ian Lipkin
{"title":"BCS2.0: a capture sequencing platform for rapid differential diagnosis of bacterial infections and antimicrobial resistance.","authors":"Amit Ranjan, Cheng Guo, Thomas Briese, William Donovan, Vishal Kapoor, Alamelu Chandrasekaran, Mahesh M Mansukhani, Gregory J Berry, W Ian Lipkin","doi":"10.3389/fmicb.2026.1802485","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1802485","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The \"Golden Hour\" is the period immediately after trauma, stroke or a cardiac event when rapid intervention is critical to reducing morbidity and mortality. The same principle should also apply to infectious diseases. Rapid, sensitive detection of infectious agents, enabling targeted interventions, has the potential to reduce mortality, morbidity, and costs of infectious diseases, and to decrease the inappropriate use of antibiotics that drives the evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Probes were designed to represent the MetaPhlAn4 database covering 894 known or potential pathogenic bacterial species, 16S rRNA sequences from the SILVA database comprising 1,325 potentially pathogenic bacterial species, genes in the Virulence Factor Database and antimicrobial resistance determinants in the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database. Target sequences were tiled with 120 nucleotide probes distributed at 60 nt intervals and clustered at 99% sequence identity. Performance measures included limits of detection (LOD) and assay reproducibility in plasma and urine using contrived and clinical samples.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Analytical validation using 20 bacterial strains in contrived plasma and urine samples confirmed an LOD of 5 colony-forming units per milliliter and detection of mixed infections. Results obtained with urine and blood cultures were concordant with Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI), and Blood Culture Identification (BCID) assays.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>BCS2.0 enables sensitive detection of bacterial species and AMR genes and has the potential to expedite rapid, efficient infectious disease management.</p>","PeriodicalId":12466,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Microbiology","volume":"17 ","pages":"1802485"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13136086/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147836058","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}