{"title":"The Lost Kingdom: commensal protists in the gut microbiota.","authors":"Elias R Gerrick, Michael R Howitt","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2025.01.008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2025.01.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The gut microbiota critically influences many aspects of host biology, from nutrient acquisition to immunological function, and is integral to metazoan life. While most microbiome research has focused on bacteria, the intestinal microbiota encompasses a diverse constellation of microorganisms, including viruses, fungi, archaea, and protists. Among these microbes, commensal protists have been particularly neglected, to the point that their status as true members of the microbiota remained contentious. However, findings over the past decade revealed that commensal protists, particularly those in the Parabasalia phylum (parabasalids), perform keystone roles within the intestinal ecosystem. Emerging evidence highlights how parabasalids dramatically impact host immunity, gut microbiome ecology, and host susceptibility to both infectious and inflammatory diseases. In this review, we discuss the recent discoveries of the varied and powerful roles of commensal parabasalids in the intestinal microbiota and outline the challenges and opportunities in this burgeoning new area of the microbiome field.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143426335","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":"H<sub>2</sub>S regulation of a host-microbe interaction.","authors":"Kelsie M Nauta, Nicholas O Burton","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2025.01.012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2025.01.012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>It is often difficult to identify the molecular mechanisms that underlie interactions between species. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system,Patange et al. recently demonstrated that H<sub>2</sub>S mediates interactions between C. elegans and Actinobacteria.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143366063","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}
Trends in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-12-22DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.11.008
Guy D Eslick, Alfred C Y Tay, Li Zhang, Barry J Marshall
{"title":"The 22nd International Workshop on Campylobacter, Helicobacter, and Related Organisms (CHRO) 2024.","authors":"Guy D Eslick, Alfred C Y Tay, Li Zhang, Barry J Marshall","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.11.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.11.008","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"133-136"},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142882599","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}
Trends in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-11-21DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.10.006
Susan L Fink
{"title":"Reference errors in microbiology literature: 'pyroptosis' and others.","authors":"Susan L Fink","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.10.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.10.006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>References in the published microbiology literature provide the foundation for current scientific knowledge within the field. However, reference errors can occur, as discussed here, including an illustrative example on the origin of the term 'pyroptosis'.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"145-146"},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11798686/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142693697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2025-01-04DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.12.004
Rachael Dangarembizi, Jennifer Claire Hoving, David R Boulware, Arnaldo Lopes Colombo, Nelesh P Govender, Rita Oladele, Vu Quoc Dat, Ilan S Schwartz, Gordon D Brown
{"title":"AIDS-related mycoses: advances, challenges, and future directions.","authors":"Rachael Dangarembizi, Jennifer Claire Hoving, David R Boulware, Arnaldo Lopes Colombo, Nelesh P Govender, Rita Oladele, Vu Quoc Dat, Ilan S Schwartz, Gordon D Brown","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.12.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.12.004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fungal infections are a major contributor to mortality for people with HIV/AIDS. Recently, researchers, clinicians, industry experts, and policymakers convened for the triennial AIDS-Related Mycoses Meeting to address critical gaps in the management of AIDS-related mycoses. Delegates highlighted several scientifically driven milestones that have significantly reduced fungal-related deaths, and the need to address outstanding challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and research.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"141-144"},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142932783","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}
Trends in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.09.003
Jennifer M DeBruyn, Sarah W Keenan, Lois S Taylor
{"title":"From carrion to soil: microbial recycling of animal carcasses.","authors":"Jennifer M DeBruyn, Sarah W Keenan, Lois S Taylor","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.09.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.09.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Decomposer microbial communities are gatekeepers in the redistribution of carbon and nutrients from dead animals (carrion) to terrestrial ecosystems. The flush of decomposition products from a carcass creates a hot spot of microbial activity in the soil below, and the animal's microbiome is released into the environment, mixing with soil communities. Changes in soil physicochemistry, especially reduced oxygen, temporarily constrain microbial nutrient cycling, and influence the timing of these processes and the fate of carrion resources. Carcass-related factors, such as mass, tissue composition, or even microbiome composition may also influence the functional assembly and succession of decomposer communities. Understanding these local scale microbially mediated processes is important for predicting consequences of carrion decomposition beyond the hot spot and hot moment.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"194-207"},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142366592","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}
Trends in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-10-31DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.09.010
Alexander D Williams, Vivian W Leung, Julian W Tang, Nishimura Hidekazu, Nobuhiro Suzuki, Andrew C Clarke, David A Pearce, Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam
{"title":"Ancient environmental microbiomes and the cryosphere.","authors":"Alexander D Williams, Vivian W Leung, Julian W Tang, Nishimura Hidekazu, Nobuhiro Suzuki, Andrew C Clarke, David A Pearce, Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.09.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.09.010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this review, we delineate the unique set of characteristics associated with cryosphere environments (namely, ice and permafrost) which present both challenges and opportunities for studying ancient environmental microbiomes (AEMs). In a field currently reliant on several assumptions, we discuss the theoretical and empirical feasibility of recovering microbial nucleic acids (NAs) from ice and permafrost with varying degrees of antiquity. We also summarize contamination control best practices and highlight considerations for the latest approaches, including shotgun metagenomics, and downstream bioinformatic authentication approaches. We review the adoption of existing software and provide an overview of more recently published programs, with reference to their suitability for AEM studies. Finally, we summarize outstanding challenges and likely future directions for AEM research.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"233-249"},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142564026","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}
Trends in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-09-05DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.08.006
Yi Liu, Claudia Blanco-Toral, Gerald Larrouy-Maumus
{"title":"The role of cyclic nucleotides in bacterial antimicrobial resistance and tolerance.","authors":"Yi Liu, Claudia Blanco-Toral, Gerald Larrouy-Maumus","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.08.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.08.006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nucleotide signalling molecules - mainly cyclic 3',5'-adenosine phosphate (cAMP), bis-(3',5')-cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP), and bis-(3',5')-cyclic diadenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP) - contribute to the regulation of cellular pathways. Numerous recent works have focused on the involvement of these cyclic nucleotide phosphates (cNPs) in bacterial resistance and tolerance to antimicrobial treatment. Indeed, the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a rising global threat to human health, while the rise of antimicrobial tolerance underlies the development of AMR and long-term infections, placing an additional burden on this problem. Here, we summarise the current understanding of cNP signalling in bacterial physiology with a focus on our understanding of how cNP signalling affects AMR and antimicrobial tolerance in different bacterial species. We also discuss additional cNP-related drug targets in bacterial pathogens that may have therapeutic potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"164-183"},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142146320","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":"Bridging the gap: pathway programs for inclusion and persistence in microbiology.","authors":"Archana Anand, Adam Arkin, Faith Dukes, Catherine Mageeney, Harshini Mukundan, Vivek Mutalik","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.12.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.12.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microbiology plays an important role in most sectors. Future progress in critical areas requires diverse workforce development. We outline a pathway program that aims to provide equitable exposure to high-impact research experiences and course-based instruction to provide crucial training in growing areas of microbiology (phage discovery, synthetic biology and data science/AI).</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"137-140"},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143012342","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}
Trends in MicrobiologyPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-09-25DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.08.004
Marleny García-Lozano, Hassan Salem
{"title":"Microbial bases of herbivory in beetles.","authors":"Marleny García-Lozano, Hassan Salem","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.08.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.08.004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The ecological radiation of herbivorous beetles is among the most successful in the animal kingdom. It coincided with the rise and diversification of flowering plants, requiring beetles to adapt to a nutritionally imbalanced diet enriched in complex polysaccharides and toxic secondary metabolites. In this review, we explore how beetles overcame these challenges by coopting microbial genes, enzymes, and metabolites, through both horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and symbiosis. Recent efforts revealed the functional convergence governing both processes and the unique ways in which microbes continue to shape beetle digestion, development, and defense. The development of genetic and experimental tools across a diverse set of study systems has provided valuable mechanistic insights into how microbes spurred metabolic innovation and facilitated an herbivorous transition in beetles.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"151-163"},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142354529","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}