Microorganisms最新文献

{"title":"In Vitro Screening of Short Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptides Toward Food-Relevant Microorganisms: Antifungal Activity and Molecular Docking Analysis.","authors":"Marselle Marmo do Nascimento Silva, Aline F Miller Gavin Humphreys, Maria Alice Zarur Coelho, Filipe Smith Buarque","doi":"10.3390/microorganisms14092088","DOIUrl":"10.3390/microorganisms14092088","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Food spoilage and foodborne microorganisms remain major challenges for food safety and preservation, stimulating the search for alternative antimicrobial agents compatible with minimally processed and clean-label products. In this study, six short synthetic peptides containing arginine, or both lysine and arginine residues, were evaluated as potential antimicrobial agents against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Salmonella enterica</i>, and <i>Candida albicans</i>. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by broth microdilution, and molecular docking was performed against <i>C. albicans</i> lanosterol 14α-demethylase to provide molecular-level insights. None of the peptides inhibited <i>S. enterica</i> within the tested concentration range, indicating limited activity against the Gram-negative bacterium. Peptides 1, 3, 5, and 6 inhibited <i>S. aureus</i> only at relatively high concentrations, with MIC values between 1598.7 and 1782.0 µmol L^-1, without confirmed bactericidal activity. In contrast, peptide 4, FEFKFEFKGGGRGDS, was the only sequence active against <i>C. albicans</i>, showing an MIC of 19.93 µmol L^-1. However, no minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was obtained within the tested concentration range, indicating that the observed antifungal effect should be interpreted as inhibitory rather than confirmed fungicidal activity. Docking analysis was consistent with this experimental trend, as peptide 4 exhibited the most favorable predicted binding energy, -8.4 kcal mol^-1, and established predicted contacts with catalytic site of ERG11, including Lys143, Arg381, His468, Arg469, and Cys470. These findings indicate that antimicrobial activity was strongly sequence- and microorganism-dependent. Peptide 4 represents a promising antifungal lead sequence for further optimization and validation in food-relevant systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":18667,"journal":{"name":"Microorganisms","volume":"14 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13609430/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062660","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":"Microbe-Derived Antimicrobial Peptides: Immunomodulation and Gut Microbiota Homeostasis.","authors":"Yanyan Jia, Jiahao Du, Ke Ding, Guyue Li, Chengshui Liao","doi":"10.3390/microorganisms14092093","DOIUrl":"10.3390/microorganisms14092093","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are key components of the innate immune system across a wide range of organisms. In addition to their direct antimicrobial activity, AMPs exert immunomodulatory effects that differ from those of conventional antibiotics. This review summarizes recent evidence on the roles of microbe-derived AMPs in regulating immune cell function, including neutrophil activation and NET formation, macrophage polarization, and lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation. It also examines their organ-specific roles, particularly in intestinal immunity through reinforcement of the intestinal barrier, maintenance of gut microbiota homeostasis, and promotion of sIgA secretion. Together, their direct antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities support the therapeutic potential of microbe-derived AMPs against drug-resistant infections, cancer, and inflammatory conditions. We synthesize recent evidence on the modulation of innate and adaptive immunity by microbe-derived AMPs. This review provides an integrated framework for understanding how microbe-derived AMPs orchestrate immune defense across cellular, tissue, and systemic levels, with implications for therapeutic development against infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":18667,"journal":{"name":"Microorganisms","volume":"14 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13609794/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062650","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":"Viral Reactivation in Immunocompetent Critically Ill Patients.","authors":"Konstantinos Mantzarlis, Asimina Valsamaki, Demosthenes Makris, Antonios Katsounas, Chiara Fanelli, Slavica Kvolik, Hakan Erdem, Despoina Koulenti, On Behalf Of The Esgcip","doi":"10.3390/microorganisms14092090","DOIUrl":"10.3390/microorganisms14092090","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The course of critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit very often may be complicated by viral infections. Latent viruses may reactivate in 'apparently' immunocompetent critically ill patients as consequence of inflammatory and immune dysregulation secondary to critical illness. Evidence suggests that reactivation correlates with worse clinical outcomes, including increased mortality. Highly sensitive molecular diagnostic techniques have enhanced the ability to detect viral pathogens, but still consensus definitions for reactivation and subsequently the discrimination between reactivation and overt infection in critically ill patients are lacking. Despite the progress in detecting viral pathogens, their role in clinical outcomes is obscured. Furthermore, the role of antiviral therapy, either prophylactically/preemptively or as treatment after virus detection, has to be further investigated. The question of whether reactivation is the cause or a surrogate marker of underlying severity of illness has not yet been fully elucidated.</p>","PeriodicalId":18667,"journal":{"name":"Microorganisms","volume":"14 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13609356/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062818","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":"Stress-Induced Metabolic Reprogramming in the Green Microalga <i>Chlorella</i> sp. SLA-04.","authors":"Calvin L C Goemann, Huyen Bui, Sandra Rincon Miranda, Adrienne D Arnold, Ross P Carlson, Sridhar Viamajala, Robin Gerlach, Blake Wiedenheft","doi":"10.3390/microorganisms14092092","DOIUrl":"10.3390/microorganisms14092092","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microalgae thrive in diverse and often challenging environments by coordinating metabolic and physiological responses to environmental stress, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these adaptations remain incompletely understood. Here, we combined physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic analyses to investigate the response of the green microalga <i>Chlorella</i> sp. SLA-04 to nitrogen depletion and high-alkalinity growth. Nitrogen depletion redirected carbon toward carbohydrate and lipid storage and was accompanied by coordinated transcriptional changes that suppressed photosynthesis while activating TAG biosynthetic and degradative pathways. The coordinated induction of lipid biosynthetic and degradative pathways is consistent with a model in which TAG synthesis and turnover help maintain redox homeostasis during nutrient stress. In contrast, high-alkalinity growth altered fatty-acid composition and was associated with transcriptional changes involving ion transport, membrane remodeling, and osmotic adaptation. Alkaline growth also altered the expression of mobile genetic elements and genes associated with RNA-mediated genome surveillance, suggesting that adaptation to high pH extends beyond central metabolism. Together, these findings provide a system-level view of how coordinated physiological and transcriptional responses enable <i>Chlorella</i> sp. SLA-04 to adapt to nutrient limitations and high-alkalinity growth.</p>","PeriodicalId":18667,"journal":{"name":"Microorganisms","volume":"14 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13609647/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062757","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 Vaginal Microbiota and Female Infertility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Hanyue Zheng, Dengyan Qi, Mengjie Zhao, Yushu Wu, Jiechen Yin, Bei Wang, Xiang Hong","doi":"10.3390/microorganisms14092094","DOIUrl":"10.3390/microorganisms14092094","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Vaginal dysbiosis may contribute to female infertility, but evidence on specific microbiota patterns remains inconsistent. This meta-analysis updates the epidemiological evidence linking vaginal dysbiosis to reduced female fertility, with a particular focus on low-<i>Lactobacillus</i> vaginal microbiota (LL-VMB), bacterial vaginosis (BV), intermediate microbiota, and Community State Type (CST) subtypes. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library from inception to 21 July 2025. We included observational studies that compared vaginal microbiota status with infertility outcomes in women of reproductive age. The primary exposure factors investigated were LL-VMB, BV, intermediate microbiota, and specific CST subtypes. Data were screened and extracted by two independent researchers. Thirty-one studies were included, with twenty-three eligible for meta-analysis. Evidence certainty was rated as very low. Compared with the control group, LL-VMB (OR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.59-2.95) and BV (OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.54-3.06) were significantly associated with increased infertility risk. Intermediate microbiota showed no significant association. Exploratory network meta-analysis suggested potential variations in infertility risk among CST subtypes. Future large-scale, longitudinal, and multi-omics investigations must elucidate the mechanisms linking specific microbiota structures to reduced fertility.</p>","PeriodicalId":18667,"journal":{"name":"Microorganisms","volume":"14 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608893/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062624","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":"Treatment Patterns and Clinical Outcomes in Children with <i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</i> Infections.","authors":"Carly Mitchell, Tania Thomas, Angelica Rivera-Agosto, Gustavo R Alvira-Arill, Ashlan J Kunz Coyne, Stephen A Thacker, Krutika Mediwala Hornback, Taylor Morrisette","doi":"10.3390/microorganisms14092087","DOIUrl":"10.3390/microorganisms14092087","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</i> is an opportunistic, multidrug-resistant pathogen commonly associated with respiratory and bloodstream infections. Owing to extensive intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance and limited pediatric-specific evidence, contemporary management relies heavily on extrapolation from adult data, underscoring the need to better characterize real-world treatment practices and outcomes in children. This was a retrospective, observational cohort that included hospitalized patients < 18 years of age with a positive <i>S. maltophilia</i> culture who received active antimicrobial therapy, excluding cases determined by the treating provider to represent colonization. Outcomes assessed included in-hospital mortality, adverse drug effects, and clinical success rates using descriptive statistics. Forty pediatric patients (median [IQR] age of 2.7 [0.7-7.9] years) were included. Respiratory infections accounted for 77.5% of cases, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim monotherapy was the most common treatment regimen (70.0%). Five patients (12.5%) experienced in-hospital mortality, three patients (7.5%) experienced adverse effects related to treatment, and all patients exhibited clinical success. Larger, multicenter observational and prospective studies are warranted to strengthen evidence-based therapeutic approaches for pediatric patients with <i>S. maltophilia</i> infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":18667,"journal":{"name":"Microorganisms","volume":"14 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13609359/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062703","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":"Ecological Management of Crown Gall-Affected Soils: Pathogen Reservoirs, Disease-Suppressive Microbiomes, and Helper Consortia.","authors":"Yaojie Shi, Yuewei Wu, Chao Li, Yuzhu Song","doi":"10.3390/microorganisms14092089","DOIUrl":"10.3390/microorganisms14092089","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Crown gall remains difficult to manage because pathogenic agrobacteria can persist in soil, rhizosphere niches, infected roots, plant residues, and propagative materials, while repeated wounding creates new infection sites. This review examines how these reservoirs interact with soil and plant-associated microbiota to shape disease recurrence. Crown gall-specific studies show that gall and graft-union communities are spatially structured and identify pathogen competition, opine use, and virulence-related functions as processes that may shape disease-associated microbial assemblages. Evidence from better-characterized suppressive soils further identifies niche occupation, resource competition, bacterial-fungal interactions, and community stability as mechanisms worth testing in crown gall systems. Sanitation, wound protection, and single-strain biocontrol remain central to preventive management in nurseries and perennial production systems, whereas microbiome-based approaches remain complementary and experimental. Evaluation of locally adapted microbial consortia should consider pathogen rebound in infection-relevant niches, persistence of protective microorganisms, functional activity, new gall incidence, soil conditions, and non-target effects. Distinguishing crown gall-specific evidence from cross-pathosystem inference will help define testable mechanisms and appropriate criteria for field evaluation.</p>","PeriodicalId":18667,"journal":{"name":"Microorganisms","volume":"14 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13609791/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062672","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":"Yeast Culture Alleviates High-Concentrate Diet-Induced Rumen Fermentation Disturbances and Modulates the Rumen Microbiota and Metabolome in Lambs.","authors":"Mingqiang Niu, Feifei Yang, Jiangfeng Fan, Shuru Cheng","doi":"10.3390/microorganisms14092091","DOIUrl":"10.3390/microorganisms14092091","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study evaluated whether yeast culture (YC) supplementation could alleviate rumen disturbances induced by a high-concentrate diet in lambs. Forty-five three-month-old Du × Han F1 male lambs were assigned to control (CON), high-concentrate (HC), or HC supplemented with 0.5% YC groups (<i>n</i> = 15 each) for 60 days; six lambs per group were sampled for serum biochemistry, rumen fermentation, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and untargeted metabolomics. Compared with CON, HC markedly reduced rumen pH (6.55 vs. 5.52) and the acetate-to-propionate ratio (2.67 vs. 1.31), whereas YC increased these values to 6.32 and 2.35, respectively (<i>p</i> < 0.05). YC also increased acetate and butyrate concentrations and reduced propionate relative to HC, while serum ALT returned to a level comparable to CON. YC partially reversed these fermentation changes and restored serum ALT to CON-comparable levels. YC also increased the Shannon index relative to HC and showed features relative to CON. LEfSe identified <i>g__Mitsuokella</i>, <i>g__Megasphaera_A_38685</i>, <i>g__Succiniclasticum</i>, <i>g__Parafannyhessea</i>, and <i>g__CAG-269</i> as candidate YC-responsive genera. Metabolomics identified 188 and 436 differential metabolites in CON versus HC and HC versus YC, respectively, mainly involving amino acid and cofactor metabolism. Several metabolites shifted toward CON levels, and correlation analysis linked candidate genera and metabolites with rumen fermentation and selected serum biochemical parameters. Overall, 0.5% YC partially alleviated high-concentrate diet-induced rumen acidification and was associated with improved microbial and metabolic homeostasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":18667,"journal":{"name":"Microorganisms","volume":"14 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13609779/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062775","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":"Development and Protective Evaluation of an O18-CRM197 Glycoconjugate Candidate Preparation Against APEC O18 Challenge in SPF Chickens.","authors":"Tingfan Zhu, Jing Yuan, Kangmei Feng, Hairui Bai, Caihong Yan, Yang Yang, Aijian Qin, Wenjie Jin","doi":"10.3390/microorganisms14092082","DOIUrl":"10.3390/microorganisms14092082","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Avian pathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i> (APEC) is an important cause of colibacillosis in poultry, and increasing antimicrobial resistance has highlighted the need for alternative preventive strategies. This study aimed to develop an O18-cross-reacting material 197 (O18-CRM197) glycoconjugate vaccine candidate using an <i>Escherichia coli</i>-based protein glycan coupling technology (PGCT) platform and to evaluate its immunogenicity and preliminary protective performance in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. A CLM24-derived production host, Y03, was generated by sequential deletion of <i>lpxM</i>, <i>zwf</i>, and <i>gldA</i> using a CRISPR/Cas9- and λ-Red-mediated genome editing system. An O18 O-polysaccharide expression plasmid and a co-expression plasmid encoding PglB and a modified CRM197 carrier protein were introduced into Y03 for in vivo glycoconjugate production. Western blotting showed high-molecular-weight signals recognized by both anti-CRM197 antibody and anti-O18 serum, supporting production of an O18-CRM197 glycoconjugate candidate. Immunization with the adjuvanted purified candidate induced O18-specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses in SPF chickens. After homologous APEC O18 challenge at 1 × 10⁹ colony-forming units (CFU)/bird, immunized chickens showed reduced gross lesion scores and bacterial burdens in blood and organs, with the 50 μg dose showing more consistent protective performance than the 30 μg dose. These findings provide preliminary evidence that the adjuvanted purified O18-CRM197 candidate preparation has immunogenicity and protective potential against homologous APEC O18 challenge.</p>","PeriodicalId":18667,"journal":{"name":"Microorganisms","volume":"14 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13609538/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062631","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":"Correction: Falagas et al. Resistance of Uropathogens to Tebipenem: An Analysis of the Evidence from In Vitro Antimicrobial Susceptibility Studies. <i>Microorganisms</i> 2026, <i>14,</i> 726.","authors":"Matthew E Falagas, Christina-Maria Asimotou, Dimitrios S Kontogiannis, Laura T Romanos, Panagiota Poziou, Iva D Tzvetanova","doi":"10.3390/microorganisms14092081","DOIUrl":"10.3390/microorganisms14092081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Due to an oversight by the Editorial Office, Figure 1 in the original publication [...].</p>","PeriodicalId":18667,"journal":{"name":"Microorganisms","volume":"14 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13609599/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062598","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}