Gengxin Zuo , Yuxuan Han , Qingyan Dong , Wentian Lu , Congting Gao , Na Zhao , Shuanghe Liu , Guoquan Fan , Chongxi Liu , Wensheng Xiang
{"title":"Antifungal activity and mechanism of volatile organic compounds produced by Bacillus siamensis NEAU-ZGX24 against Botrytis cinerea","authors":"Gengxin Zuo , Yuxuan Han , Qingyan Dong , Wentian Lu , Congting Gao , Na Zhao , Shuanghe Liu , Guoquan Fan , Chongxi Liu , Wensheng Xiang","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Botrytis cinerea</em>, a highly destructive phytopathogenic fungi, infects the plant and fruit of many economically important crops, causing severe economic losses. Here, we obtained and characterized the endophytic <em>Bacillus siamensis</em> NEAU-ZGX24 from <em>Lonicera japonica</em> Thunb, exhibiting strong antagonistic function toward <em>B. cinerea</em>. While this strain produces the cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic iturin A, its primary antifungal effect is mediated through volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The VOCs dramatically suppressed <em>B. cinerea</em> mycelial development, spore germination, and sporulation while also reducing the susceptibility of tomato to fungal invasion. Pot experiments demonstrated that NEAU-ZGX24 effectively suppressed gray mold development in tomato plants. Moreover, the VOCs exhibited broad spectrum antifungal reaction toward multiple phytopathogens, with inhibition rates ranging from 60.11 % to 100 %. Transmission electron microscope observation a significant reduction in mitochondria within <em>B. cinerea</em> hyphae following VOC treatment. Transcriptomic data of <em>B. cinerea</em> under VOC stress revealed significant downregulation of genes associated with key carbohydrate metabolic pathways, including starch and sucrose breakdown, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, pyruvate metabolism, as well as the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry identified 14 NEAU-ZGX24-produced VOCs, among which pentanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, and ethyl heptanoate were identified as key antifungal compounds. These findings suggest that strain NEAU-ZGX24 has strong potential as a biocontrol agent to antagonize fungal pathogens in agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 128265"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144523189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comparative genomics and functional analysis of Rahnella sp. PCH160 revealed metal stress tolerance and plant growth-promotion traits","authors":"Tamanna , Vijay Kumar , Shamli Chandel , Samiksha Rana , Dharam Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128264","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128264","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heavy metals (HM) are rapidly emerging as the primary pollutants in agriculture, posing significant environmental and health concerns. Employing heavy metal tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for the remediation of HM-induced phytotoxicity is a sustainable and effective strategy. This study investigates a putative novel plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) <em>Rahnella</em> sp. PCH160, isolated from the Pangi-Chamba Himalayan region (PCH). Whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomics identified unique genes associated with heavy metal tolerance, phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, nitrogen fixation, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis. The bacterium exhibits exceptional tolerance to heavy metals, even under chemically defined medium, particularly copper (Cu<sup>2+</sup>) and nickel (Ni<sup>2+</sup>), as well as multiple plant growth-promoting traits. Additionally, PCH160 showed biocontrol potential through different enzymatic activities. Seed-based bioassays highlighted significant enhancements in root and shoot length and dry biomass under heavy metal stress. This research highlights the promising capabilities of <em>Rahnella</em> sp. PCH160 as both a biofertilizer and a biocontrol agent. There are limited reports of the positive impact of PGPR on plant growth and development in the Himalayan regions. However, to the best of our knowledge, tolerance of PGPR to heavy metals has not been characterized from higher-altitude regions. In conclusion, this study provides insights into sustainable agriculture practices in contaminated soils at high altitudes. It has also demonstrated that a PGPR isolated from the Pangi-Chamba Himalayan region has the potential to enhance plant growth and development in the presence of heavy metal stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 128264"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144522230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yingpin Liu , Rong Lu , Guangxiang Tian , Xiuping Li , Sihan Zhao , Lifen Luo , Chen Ye , Xinyue Mei , Shusheng Zhu , Min Yang
{"title":"Root-secreted saponins weaken soil disease suppression ability by shaping rhizosphere microbial communities in Panax notoginseng","authors":"Yingpin Liu , Rong Lu , Guangxiang Tian , Xiuping Li , Sihan Zhao , Lifen Luo , Chen Ye , Xinyue Mei , Shusheng Zhu , Min Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128263","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128263","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Root rot disease, driven by the soil-dwelling pathogen <em>Fusarium oxysporum</em>, poses a significant challenge due to its rapid re-establishment in the rhizosphere. Plant root exudates, particularly saponins, selectively influence microbial communities, complicating the sustainable control of this pathogen. This study explored how saponins secreted by <em>Panax notoginseng</em> roots affect the proliferation of <em>F. oxysporum</em> and the associated microbial community. Our results indicate that rhizosphere saponins selectively enrich <em>F. oxysporum</em> populations while suppressing beneficial microbial communities, such as <em>Saitozyma</em>, <em>Mortierella</em>, and <em>Streptomyces</em>, resulting in the disruption of the balance within the soil microbial ecosystem and a rise in the occurrence of root rot disease. The introduction of exogenous beneficial synthetic microbiota (<em>Saitozyma</em> + <em>Mortierella</em> + <em>Streptomyces</em>) promoted the growth of <em>P. notoginseng</em> and reduced the colonization of <em>F. oxysporum</em>, restored rhizosphere soil's disease-suppressive properties, effectively mitigating root rot disease. Taken together, our research underscores the importance of exogenous microbiota capable of degrading root exudates and antagonizing pathogens for the effective management of diseases originating from the soil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 128263"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Weiliang Zeng , Yao Sun , Jia Zhang , Zhuocheng Yao , Jianming Cao , Panjie Hu , Changrui Qian , Jian Li , Tieli Zhou
{"title":"Outer membrane protein A mediates Klebsiella pneumoniae penetration of the blood-brain barrier and induces bacterial meningitis","authors":"Weiliang Zeng , Yao Sun , Jia Zhang , Zhuocheng Yao , Jianming Cao , Panjie Hu , Changrui Qian , Jian Li , Tieli Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128262","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128262","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em> is an important meningeal pathogen. Penetration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a prerequisite for <em>K. pneumoniae</em> meningitis, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Our study found that outer membrane protein A (OmpA), a virulence factor of <em>K. pneumoniae</em>, facilitates BBB penetration and induces <em>K. pneumoniae</em> meningitis. Experimental results revealed that the mucoviscosity, biofilm formation, capsular polysaccharide production, serum resistance, <em>in vitro</em> competitiveness, and motarlity rates in <em>Galleria mellonella</em> were markedly reduced in an <em>ompA</em> deletion strain (FK3907 Δ<em>ompA</em>). In a mouse meningitis model, significant reductions in bacterial loads, mortality rate, clinical symptoms, and brain tissue damage were observed in mice infected with FK3907 Δ<em>ompA</em> compared to FK3907 (wild-type) and FK3907 Δ<em>ompA</em>+<em>ompA</em> strains. Furthermore, the wild-type strain demonstrated a markedly enhanced ability to disrupt the BBB both <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> compared to the FK3907 Δ<em>ompA</em> strain. This enhancement involved not only the rearrangement of F-actin in bEnd.3 cells but also the activation of an inflammatory cytokine storm. Importantly, the wild-type strain exhibited significantly enhanced adhesion, invasion, and intracellular proliferation within RAW264.7 cells. A wound healing assay indicated that wild-type strain promoted RAW264.7 cell migration. Collectively, we identified OmpA as a required virulence factor and essential pathogenic factor for <em>K. pneumoniae</em>. It promotes <em>K. pneumoniae</em> penetration BBB via transcellular pathway, trojan horse pathway, and pro-inflammatory pathway. Our study improves an in-depth understanding for <em>K. pneumoniae</em> penetration BBB from the perspective of bacterial-host interactions, highlighting OmpA as a potential target for intervention in <em>K. pneumoniae</em> meningitis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 128262"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cryosphere microbial communities as a reservoir of hidden risks to human and ecosystem’s health","authors":"Gabriella Caruso , Carmen Rizzo","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cold environments harbour a variety of psychrophilic microbes adapted to survive in a range of habitats, such as sea-ice, permafrost, rivers, surface and subglacial lakes, and lake brines. In polar environments, which are particularly sensitive to climate change, increasing temperatures and freezing-thawing phenomena of frozen substrates can lead to the release of cold-adapted microorganisms and also of non-psychrophilic species that have been trapped and preserved in ice for thousands to millions of years. Some of the dormant microorganisms can be reactivated, potentially threatening the eco-environment and human health. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on potential pathogenic and biosecurity risks associated with both psychrophilic and non-psychrophilic microorganisms released following permafrost and ice melting, addressing some case studies regarding the outbreak of infectious diseases. The potential impacts on public health underline the need for new strategies to prevent and manage new diseases caused by the release of ancient pathogens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 128261"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144329862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Obg-like ATPase Ola1 prevents excessive mitochondrial reactive oxygen species by inhibiting MAPK/Pmk1 signaling in fission yeast","authors":"Shuping Luo , Mengdan Zhu , Chuanhai Fu","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ola1 plays critical roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis by regulating the cell cycle, translation, and heat shock responses. Additionally, it modulates antioxidant responses and redox homeostasis, processes in which mitochondria are key contributors. However, the precise mechanism by which Ola1 modules mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) levels and the functional consequences of this regulation remain poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the absence of Ola1 leads to increased mtROS levels through the modulation of the MAPK/Pmk1 signaling pathway in the fission yeast <em>Schizosaccharomyces pombe</em>. We further establish that Ola1 physically interacts with both MAPK/Pmk1 and its upstream kinase Pek1 (MAPKK), thereby inhibiting MAPK/Pmk1 signaling. Moreover, we show that increased mtROS levels in cells lacking Ola1 promote nuclear localization of the stress-responsive transcription factor Hsf1 and upregulate Ssa1, the fission yeast homolog of mammalian Hsp70. Therefore, our findings uncover a previously uncharacterized role of Ola1 in modulating mtROS through the MAPK/Pmk1 signaling pathway and underscore the crucial function of Ola1 in stress response and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 128259"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144329863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sebastiano Conti Taguali , Rhea Pöter , Francesco Aloi , Clara Fernández-Trujillo , Alberto Acedo , Federico La Spada , Maria Giulia Li Destri Nicosia , Antonella Pane , Leonardo Schena , Santa Olga Cacciola
{"title":"Influence of environmental and agronomic variables on soil microbiome in citrus orchards: A comparative analysis of organic and conventional farming system","authors":"Sebastiano Conti Taguali , Rhea Pöter , Francesco Aloi , Clara Fernández-Trujillo , Alberto Acedo , Federico La Spada , Maria Giulia Li Destri Nicosia , Antonella Pane , Leonardo Schena , Santa Olga Cacciola","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Crop health and productivity depend on the structure and functionality of soil microbiota associated with the root system of plants. The agricultural policy of the European Union promotes organic farming systems to ensure environmental sustainability and food safety. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of organic farming on soil microbiome in citrus orchards. The soil microbiota of eight conventionally and seven organically managed commercial citrus orchards across eastern Sicily was characterised using Illumina sequencing and BeCrop® primers for PCR amplification. The structure (diversity and relative abundance) and functionality of soil bacterial and fungal communities depended primarily on the sampling site. Other variables influencing the soil microbiome included soil total carbon content, seasonality, rootstock genotype, soil tillage and irrigation system. The latter three exerted differential effects on either bacterial or fungal communities. Conversely, age and visible health status of the tree had negligible influence on both communities. The differences between organically and conventionally managed citrus orchards accounted for a significant proportion of the variability, indicating a relevant effect of the farming system on soil microbiome. Organically managed orchards compared to those managed conventionally exhibited higher microbial diversity and a unique composition of nutrient-cycling microbes. In particular, organic farming promoted beneficial microbial functions, such as nitrogen fixation and phosphorus solubilization. Findings provide insights into the dynamic and complex interactions between environmental variables and soil microbial communities in citrus orchards, confirming the potential of microbial diversity as an indicator of sustainability in agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 128260"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Staphylococcal exotoxins in ocular infection with focus on enterotoxins","authors":"Jiawei Shen, Muhammad Yasir, Mark Willcox","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128258","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128258","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (<em>S. aureus</em>) is one of principal etiological agents of bacterial keratitis, a blinding corneal infection. Traditional treatment strategies rely heavily on antibiotics. However, the overuse and injudicious use of these agents have significantly contributed to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains. Therefore, understanding the role of virulence factors in the disease is important for the design of new therapeutics. This review aims to explore and summarize current research on the role of Staphylococcal toxins, especially enterotoxins (SEs), in ocular infections. The relationship between SEs and ocular infections is reviewed, as are their genomic location and regulatory mechanisms. Current research suggests that SE genes are detected in ocular isolates, with a higher frequency of specific SE genes observed in ocular isolates compared to non-ocular isolates. Additionally, several SE genes have been confirmed to confer cytotoxicity and invasion ability to <em>S. aureus</em> in animal keratitis models. Despite the progress in this area, significant knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding the specific functions of SEs and the host response pathways. Addressing these questions may contribute to the development of effective preventive and therapeutic measures for eye damage caused by SEs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 128258"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144307907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Corrigendum regarding incomplete Conflict of Interest statements in previously published articles.","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128234","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2025.128234","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":" ","pages":"128234"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144294074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ran Zhang , Jialu Shi , Yan Xu , Siyu Yao , Vijaya Raghavan , Jin Wang
{"title":"The role of the oral microbiota in allergic diseases: Current understandings and future trends","authors":"Ran Zhang , Jialu Shi , Yan Xu , Siyu Yao , Vijaya Raghavan , Jin Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128254","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2025.128254","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Allergic diseases, including allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy, have become a growing global health concern and impose significant public health burdens. The oral microbiota, integral to the oral ecosystem, has emerged as a crucial factor associated with the pathogenesis and progression of various diseases, including allergic diseases. Studies have revealed significant distinctions in the oral microbial community structure between allergic patients and healthy counterparts, suggesting the potential pivotal role of the oral microbiota in the onset and development of allergic diseases. This review summarized the implications and the underlying mechanisms of the oral microbiota in allergic diseases, providing novel insights and potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 128254"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144221856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}