Current Research in Microbial Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Gut microbial diversity and candidate keystone taxa in Indian tribes: Insights across lifestyle-ecological continuum and health associations","authors":"Sahid Afrid Mollick,&nbsp;Gin Khan Khual,&nbsp;Ankita Ghosh,&nbsp;Shiv Kumar Patel,&nbsp;Subhra Bhattacharyya,&nbsp;Chandra Sekhar Roy,&nbsp;Anwesh Maile,&nbsp;Hampapathalu Adimurthy Nagarajaram,&nbsp;Moajungla Longkumer,&nbsp;Mopada Nani Babu,&nbsp;Anup Raj Kundapur,&nbsp;Saloni Uniyal,&nbsp;Arna Chattterjee,&nbsp;Maitrayee Mitra,&nbsp;Mithun Sikdar,&nbsp;B.P. Urade,&nbsp;Venugopal N. Pulamaghatta","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100650","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100650","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the critical role of the gut microbiome in host physiology and health, it remains poorly characterized in Indigenous populations undergoing rapid acculturation. This study presents high-resolution, whole-genome metagenomic profiling of gut microbiota from five Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of Southern India, Irula, Jenu Kuruba, Kurumba, Chenchu, and Konda Savara, spanning distinct ecological zones and cultural transitions. Using an ecology–lifestyle continuum framework, we investigated taxonomic and functional diversity with a focus on identifying computationally inferred candidate keystone taxa, defined by their association with variation in community ordination structure. A leave-one-taxon-out ordination framework identified 121 candidate keystone taxa, many of which were population-specific and have not been widely reported. Functional analyses revealed a conserved core of metabolic pathways, including glycolysis and folate biosynthesis, alongside group-specific enrichment in xenobiotic degradation, amino acid biosynthesis, mucin metabolism, and lipid processing, associated with differences in dietary and environmental exposures across populations. Large-scale disease-association mapping (n = 5,625) linked 50 candidate keystone taxa to 14 conditions, with 44 associated with health and 6 with disease. While <em>Fusicatenibacter saccharivorans</em> and <em>Alistipes shahii</em> were enriched in healthy states, <em>Ruminococcus gnavus, Bifidobacterium longum, Flavonifractor plautii</em>, and <em>Blautia wexlerae</em> were enriched in disease-associated profiles. Cross-cohort validation against an independent set of traditional metagenomes (n = 119) further showed that a subset of Indian tribal core candidate keystone taxa was consistently identified across geographically distinct populations, with partial conservation of community associations and health associations, indicating reproducible context-dependent microbial association patterns across traditional populations. Alpha diversity was highest in minimally acculturated groups, with higher degrees of acculturation associated with reduced microbial diversity and greater enrichment of disease-associated taxa. Overall, this study provides a context-aware framework for understanding gut microbiome dynamics in culturally transitioning populations, emphasizing the conservation of microbial heritage and informing population-specific microbiome-based interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100650"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148730014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Erratum to ‘Isolation and Characterization of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria from Cacti Root under Drought Condition’ [Current Research in Microbial Sciences Volume 8, 2025, 100319]","authors":"Kumar Shreshtha,&nbsp;Aman Prakash,&nbsp;Prashant Kumar Pandey,&nbsp;Arun Kumar Pal,&nbsp;Jyotsna Singh,&nbsp;Pooja Tripathi,&nbsp;Debasis Mitra,&nbsp;Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal,&nbsp;Sergio de los Santos-Villalobos,&nbsp;Vijay Tripathi","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100621","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100621","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100621"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148730654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tn4401/Tn7247 transposon-derived structures driving the cross-transmission of blaKPC among plasmids and chromosomes in clinical carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa","authors":"Shiyu Chen ,&nbsp;Xinmiao Jia ,&nbsp;Haotian Gao ,&nbsp;Ying Zhu ,&nbsp;Zongping Li ,&nbsp;Peiyao Jia ,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Liu ,&nbsp;Wei Yu ,&nbsp;Xiaobing Chu ,&nbsp;Qian Zhang ,&nbsp;Qiwen Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100563","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100563","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbapenem-resistant <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> (CRPA) harboring <em>bla</em>_KPC gene poses a formidable clinical challenge. However, the distribution and horizontal transfer mechanisms of <em>bla</em>_KPC in CRPA have not been systematically elucidated. We collected 1,063 clinical CRPA isolates from 30 provincial administrative regions in China, among which 79 carried <em>bla</em>_KPC. In addition, 35,607 public <em>P. aeruginosa</em> genome sequences were acquired, among which 1,141 harbored <em>bla</em>_KPC. Detailed analysis of the <em>bla</em>_KPC genetic contexts in the combined dataset of the 1,220 <em>P. aeruginosa</em> genomes revealed that 10.4 % (174/1,680) of the <em>bla</em>_KPC genes were located on chromosomes, which were primarily identified in ST282 isolates (79/174, 45.4 %), mostly collected in the United States. In contrast, plasmid-located <em>bla</em>_KPC genes were predominantly detected in ST463 isolates, mainly collected in China. Furthermore, our analysis frequently identified Tn<em>4401</em>-like (e.g., Tn<em>4401a</em>, Tn<em>4401b</em>, and IS<em>6100</em>_ΔTn<em>4401b</em>) and Tn<em>7247</em>-like (e.g., IS<em>26</em>_ΔTn<em>7247</em>_IS<em>26</em>, IS<em>6100</em>_ΔTn<em>7247</em>) transposable elements carrying intact <em>bla</em>_KPC, accounting for 36 % (562/1,559) and 59.7 % (930/1,559) of the cases, respectively. These two elements exhibited strikingly distinct geographic distribution and chromosome/plasmid localization preference. Tn<em>4401</em>-like elements were predominantly found in the Americas and were chromosome-located in 23.3 % (131/562) of the cases. In contrast, Tn<em>7247</em>-like elements were prevalent in China and the chromosome-located proportion was only 3.5 % (33/930). Among the chromosome-located <em>bla</em>_KPC genes, 13/174 were identified within integrative and mobilizable elements (IMEs). These findings offered new insights into the horizontal transmission mechanisms of <em>bla</em>_KPC in CRPA, indicating that complete Tn<em>4401</em>, as well as chimeric structures formed by IS<em>26/</em>IS<em>6100</em> and truncated Tn<em>7247</em>, played a major role in the dissemination of <em>bla</em>_KPC among clinical CRPA isolates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100563"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147277307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mercury-driven fungal endophytic community and the role of endophytes in rice grain mercury accumulation","authors":"Liangzhou Zhao ,&nbsp;Jinzhao Song ,&nbsp;Haiyan Hu ,&nbsp;James F. White Jr ,&nbsp;Xiuling Ji ,&nbsp;Surendra Kumar Gond ,&nbsp;Baolin Wang ,&nbsp;Haiyan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100525","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100525","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rice, a staple food for over half of the global population, is an important dietary source of methylmercury (MeHg) due to its high accumulation capacity. Endophytes are known to impact host plants heavy metals (HMs) accumulation, conversely, HMs can alter host plants endophytics communities. However, the specifically addressing mercury-rice endophytic fungal system remains limited. In the present study, the fungal endophytic community of rice from Hg-contaminated and uncontaminated sites were investigated by Illumina sequencing, and its role on rice grains MeHg accumulation was evaluated through pot experiments. Results showed that soil Hg concentration significantly restructured rice fungal endophytic communities, and higher Hg concentration decreased the richness and diversity of fungal endophytes, and the effect differed with tissues and development stages. The endophytic community in grains was distinct from roots, stalks and leaves, enriching specific rare species while reducing others ubiquitous in the vegetative tissues. Pot experiments identified some specific endophytes that significantly modulated grain Hg accumulation. Two <em>Epicoccum nigrum</em> strains (DHJ7, FZT214) reduced grain MeHg by 44.67 % and 48.79 %, respectively (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), whereas <em>Phoma herbarum</em> (CSJ51, CHJ4) increased grain MeHg or total mercury (THg) by 50.1 %-51.35 % and 77.39 %-81.81 %, respectively (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, 62.5 % of the tested isolates (16) enhanced rice yield, while <em>Mucor</em> sp. DHJ19 and <em>Ceratorhiza</em> sp. CHJ27 improved production by 72.6 %–80.5 % compared to controls. These findings highlight promising fungal endophytes for mitigating grain Hg contamination and improving yield. Future work should elucidate the mechanisms governing the selective enrichment of grain endophytes to deepen understanding of plant-endophyte interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100525"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"TseVF-TsiVF, a novel bacteriolytic effector-immunity pair of Vibrio fluvialis VflT6SS2, provides a fitness advantage in microbial competition","authors":"Yu Han,&nbsp;Yue Xiao,&nbsp;Yuanming Huang,&nbsp;Zhe Li,&nbsp;Ran Duan,&nbsp;Xiaorui Li,&nbsp;Kunkun Wang,&nbsp;Saisen Ji,&nbsp;Biao Kan,&nbsp;Weili Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100552","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100552","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Vibrio fluvialis</em> (<em>V. fluvialis</em>) is a halophilic Gram-negative bacterium regarded as an emerging pathogen that can cause severe cholera-like diarrhea and various extraintestinal infections. Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) are nano-weapons used by bacteria to deliver toxic effectors into host cells or antagonize competitors. VflT6SS2 of <em>V. fluvialis</em> is involved in bacterial pathogenicity and competitive environmental survival. Previously, we have identified some regulatory factors of VflT6SS2 and a pesticin domain-containing effector, TssI2. Here we reported a novel effector-immunity pair of VflT6SS2, namely Tse^VF-Tsi^VF, the homologs of which are widely distributed in <em>Vibrio</em>. Tse^VF mediates killing effect toward co-existing bacteria while Tsi^VF confers protection against Tse^VF. Tse^VF biologically functions in the periplasmic space and its C-terminal region (residues 965–1141), which adopts a helix-turn-helix fold composed of eight helices and fully accounts for the bactericidal activity. Periplasmic expression of Tse^VF965–1141 compromises the integrity of the cell membrane, leading to the leakage of cellular contents, and two highly conserved residues W1056 and W1091, are important for the bactericidality. The membrane-disrupting function of Tse^VF was further supported by its interaction with phosphate lipid phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphocholine. The immunity Tsi^VF directly binds to and neutralizes Tse^VF toxicity through its TPR-like domain. The C terminus of TssI2_b specifically mediates the loading or secretion of Tse^VF. In conclusion, our study identified a new class of T6SS pore-forming effector-immunity pair Tse^VF-Tsi^VF and revealed its molecular function and secretion mechanism in <em>V. fluvialis</em>, further enhancing our understanding of the diverse effectors of T6SS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100552"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Differences in gut microbiota composition are an important reason for lower serum p-cresol sulfate levels in anuric peritoneal dialysis patients compared to hemodialysis patients","authors":"Min Lu ,&nbsp;Shulan Guo ,&nbsp;Zhaoying Nie ,&nbsp;Ji Ji ,&nbsp;Yimei Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaotian Jiang ,&nbsp;Lin Zhang ,&nbsp;Bo Xiang ,&nbsp;Weiwei Wu ,&nbsp;Jun Ji ,&nbsp;Jianzhou Zou ,&nbsp;Xiaoqiang Ding ,&nbsp;Xiaofang Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100548","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100548","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) accumulate toxic metabolites that contribute to severe clinical complications. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) exhibit distinct capacites for toxin clearance. Furthermore, the gut microbiota plays a significant role in toxin generation and is modulated by dialysis modality. This study aimed to compare gut microbiota composition and serum metabolite profiles between PD and HD patients, and to investigate their association with uremic toxin production.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This single-center, cross-sectional study included 100 anuric ESKD patients (50 PD and 50 HD) matched for age, gender, and dialysis duration. Fecal and serum samples were collected and analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and non-targeted metabolomics. To validate the gut microbiota-serum metabolite relationship, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed in germ-free CKD mice.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>No significant differences in alpha diversity were observed between PD and HD groups (all indices <em>P</em> &gt; 0.05), but beta diversity analysis revealed distinct gut microbial compositions (ANOSIM <em>R</em> = 0.093, <em>P</em> = 0.001), with PD patients showing higher abundance of opportunistic pathogens and lower abundance of beneficial bacteria. Non-targeted metabolomics identified 314 significantly different metabolites between the two groups, including significantly lower levels of p-cresyl sulfate (PCS) in PD patients (PD:19.16(7.24,53.83), HD:70.21(26.75,96.79), <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001), with altered metabolic pathways such as tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine metabolism. FMT experiments in CKD germ-free mice confirmed higher serum PCS levels in HD recipients than in PD recipients (PD:30,456.02±4598.39, HD:45,025.00±4513.59, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), supporting the role of gut microbiota in toxin production.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>PD and HD patients show distinct gut microbiota and serum metabolite profiles, with notably lower PCS levels in PD patients. These differences are associated with variations in gut microbiota. Animal experiments provide additional evidence suggesting a potential causal relationship. Modulating gut microbiota may represent a promising therapeutic approach to decrease uremic toxin production in dialysis patients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100548"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The antivirulence effect of 5-iodoindole on Vibrio splendidus AJ01 towards Apostichopus japonicus","authors":"Zhi Wu ,&nbsp;Yina Shao ,&nbsp;Shanshan Zhang ,&nbsp;Chenghua Li","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100540","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100540","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Vibrio splendidus</em> AJ01 is the primary pathogen of <em>Apostichopus japonicus</em>, resulting in huge economic losses. In the present study, we found that 5-iodoindole exhibits a remarkable protective effect on <em>A. japonicus</em>, the survival rate of which can be improved to 93.75%. To explore the impact of 5-iodoindole on <em>V. splendidus</em> AJ01, bacterial growth and virulence factors were determined. Results showed that 5-iodoindole significantly decreased swimming motility, hemolytic activity and protease activity but had minimal effect on the overall growth of the bacterium. Furthermore, a differentially expressed protein was downregulated and identified as elongation factor thermo unstable protein (EF-Tu) via SDS-PAGE combined with LC-MS/MS. Moreover, 5-iodoindole had impact on a large number of genes at RNA level, such as genes related to two-component system, ABC transporters, flagella, and chemotaxis. In addition, 20 µM 5-iodoindole could upregulated the mRNA level of immune related genes in <em>A. japonicus</em>, including IL-17, VEGF and MMP1. Our results indicated 5-iodoindole protect <em>A. japonicus</em> through a two-pronged approach: not only inhibiting bacterial virulence but also enhancing the host's immunity. This not only addresses the limitations of traditional indole but also provides a green alternative to antibiotics for protecting <em>A. japonicus</em> from infections caused by <em>V. splendidus</em> AJ01.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100540"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revealing unexplored bacterial and fungal variability in interconnected Antarctic brines","authors":"Maria Papale ,&nbsp;Ciro Sannino ,&nbsp;Dario Battistel ,&nbsp;Gianmarco Mugnai ,&nbsp;Luigimaria Borruso ,&nbsp;Angelina Lo Giudice ,&nbsp;Benedetta Turchetti ,&nbsp;Maurizio Azzaro ,&nbsp;Pietro Buzzini ,&nbsp;Mauro Guglielmin","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Subsurface Antarctic brines represent highly selective habitats shaped by extreme physicochemical conditions. Here, the microbial communities of three hypersaline brines (B2, BCR, BCM) from Boulder Clay, Northern Victoria Land, which differ in salinity, pH, trace elements, and glaciological context, have been characterized. High-throughput sequencing was used to reveal that each brine hosts distinct bacterial and fungal assemblies, shaped by local environmental filters. Despite their proximity and some connectivity, microbial communities showed strong taxonomic differentiation and habitat-associated structuring, with significant divergence in diversity and indicator taxa. B2, the most saline, hosted halotolerant bacteria and many unclassified fungi, indicating strong selection and the presence of under-sampled lineages. BCM, enriched by lithogenic input, was dominated by cold-adapted yeasts, while BCR, affected by glacial meltwater, had higher microbial diversity and was dominated by terrestrial taxa.</div><div>This is the first study integrating microbial, geochemical, and geomorphological data across interconnected Antarctic brines, highlighting how fine-scale environmental heterogeneity and filtered connectivity shape microbial differentiation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100538"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925386","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A plant-derived antimicrobial peptide with multiple mechanisms of action exhibiting antibacterial and antibiofilm activities comparable to or superior to polymyxin B","authors":"Mohamad Anas Al Bouni ,&nbsp;Rui M. Lima ,&nbsp;Sándor Jenei ,&nbsp;Hilda Tiricz ,&nbsp;Edit Tímár ,&nbsp;Ildikó Domonkos ,&nbsp;Éva Kondorosi ,&nbsp;Gabriella Endre","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100535","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100535","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics in the fight against multidrug-resistant pathogens. Here, we characterize the antibacterial properties and molecular mode of action of the C-terminal fragment of the <em>Medicago truncatula</em> nodule-specific cysteine-rich peptide NCR169 (NCR169C_17–38). This peptide exhibits strong bactericidal activity against a broad panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, including members of the ESKAPE group (<em>Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli)</em>. NCR169C_17–38 acted rapidly by permeabilizing bacterial membranes and causing severe morphological damage, outperforming polymyxin B in the rate of membrane disruption. The peptide bound selectively to anionic bacterial lipids such as cardiolipin and displayed remarkable thermal and storage stability. Moreover, NCR169C_17–38 effectively inhibited biofilm formation and eradicated pre-formed biofilms of <em>Acinetobacter baumannii</em> even at sub-MBC concentration (3.2 μM), a feature not observed for polymyxin B. Transcriptomic analysis of <em>E. coli</em> exposed to sublethal peptide doses revealed a global shutdown of bacterial metabolic and genetic functions, with 450 of 503 differentially expressed genes being downregulated. Strong repression of genes involved in translation, energy production, and cell envelope biosynthesis was accompanied by upregulation of stress- and rescue-related genes linked to membrane repair, ion transport, and oxidative stress responses. Together, these results demonstrate that NCR169C_17–38 exerts multifaceted antimicrobial effects - disrupting membranes, binding nucleic acids, and inducing transcriptional collapse - while maintaining its stability and biocompatibility. Together with its previously established antifungal activity and lack of mammalian cytotoxicity, NCR169C_17–38 represents a compelling candidate for development as a next-generation antimicrobial agent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100535"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Smolstatin1, a unique cystatin-like stefin of Sphaerospora molnari, is essential for parasite development","authors":"Pavla Bartošová-Sojková ,&nbsp;Tamás Dobai ,&nbsp;Jiří Kyslík ,&nbsp;Petra Havlíčková ,&nbsp;Marie Vancová ,&nbsp;Maria Amparo Picard-Sánchez ,&nbsp;Syed Shariq Nazir Qadiri ,&nbsp;Larissa Almeida Martins ,&nbsp;Veronika Urbanová ,&nbsp;Anush Kosakyan ,&nbsp;Tomáš Bílý ,&nbsp;Deepika Kale ,&nbsp;Jan Kotál ,&nbsp;Justin T. H. Chan ,&nbsp;Tomáš Korytář ,&nbsp;Jost Ludwig ,&nbsp;Ivana Kutá Smatanová ,&nbsp;Astrid S. Holzer ,&nbsp;Daniel Sojka","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100611","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100611","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stefins, members of the cystatin superfamily, regulate cysteine proteases, yet their roles in early-branching metazoans remain poorly defined. Here, we characterize Smolstatin1, a cystatin-like stefin from the myxozoan <em>Sphaerospora molnari</em>, a common carp pathogen. Phylogenetic analysis places Smolstatin1 within a monophyletic clade of myxozoan cystatin-like stefins that groups with homologues from foodborne flukes and canonical metazoan stefins. Smolstatin1 is expressed throughout intrapiscine development, is upregulated during sporogony, and localizes to membrane-bound compartments and the blood-stage surface. Recombinant Smolstatin1 inhibits parasite and host cysteine proteases, with strongest activity toward cathepsin L-like enzymes and weaker activity against legumain, while showing negligible effects on serine proteases. RNAi-mediated knockdown reduces parasite motility and alters cell integrity, suggesting a role in parasite fitness and development. Structural analysis reveals an unusual domain-swapped dimer. Although antigenic, Smolstatin1 vaccination does not protect fish from infection. Together, these findings identify Smolstatin1 as a key protease regulator and expand our understanding of cystatin evolution and function.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100611"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148178232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}