Current Research in Microbial Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Bacterial diversity and biomarkers screening of station and carriage surface in Shanghai metro system, China","authors":"Lijun Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaojing Li ,&nbsp;Lisha Shi ,&nbsp;Yi Zheng ,&nbsp;Yichen Ding ,&nbsp;Tao Yuan ,&nbsp;Shuangqing Hu ,&nbsp;Jian Chen ,&nbsp;Ping Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100374","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100374","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Mass transit environments, such as the metro, can facilitate the spread of bacteria between humans and their surroundings. These environments are particularly important for human health due to their potential for spreading pathogens and their impact on large populations. To gain a deeper understanding of bacterial distribution in subways, it is essential to identify variables that affect bacterial composition and microorganisms that are probably harmful to human heath.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing on surface samples from 5 subway stations in Shanghai, China, during the warm(summer), cold(winter) and transition(autumn) seasons. Bacteria community features across the three seasons were distinguished using random forest classification analyses, followed by in-depth diversity analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Significant differences were observed in surface bacterial communities across seasons. Highly abundant bacterial groups were generally ubiquitous. Among these highly abundant families and genera, some were unique to surface samples. Notably, the phyla <em>Firmicutes, Proteobacteria,</em> and <em>Actinobacteria</em> were predominant, with total abundances of 32.87 %, 29.41 %, and 16.31 %, respectively. Alpha diversity indices were statistically significant (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) among different seasons, with autumn exhibiting significantly higher alpha diversity metrics compared to summer and winter. Beta diversity analysis revealed significant compositional dissimilarities and distinct clustering patterns among the three seasons (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). An analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) test results indicated significant differences in bacterial patterns at the phylum, class, order, family, genus levels among the seasons (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Random forest classification analyses identified the top 24 bacterial taxa at the genus level across seasons in the metro system.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>We provided a direct comparison of surface bacterial microbiomes, and a comprehensive survey of seasonal variation in subways using culture-independent methods. Our findings reveal differences in both diversity and abundance of certain taxa across seasons, with 24 top indicator bacterial genera identified. This work serves as a reference for understanding the composition and dynamics of bacterial communities and for biomarker screening in subways, a crucial public space in our increasingly urbanized and interconnected world.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100374"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143705521","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":"Microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes as rising threats: Their interaction represents an urgent environmental concern","authors":"Chen Hongjin ,&nbsp;Saeed ur Rahman ,&nbsp;Asad Rehman ,&nbsp;Abid Ali Khan ,&nbsp;Muhammad Khalid","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100447","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100447","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs) have been reported to be emerging contaminant of different environmental niches like air, soil, and water. When exposed to these environments, MPs interact with already existing antibiotics to create combined pollution that can harm organisms. MPs have garnered significant attention in academic circles due to their ability to adsorb antibiotics. This review article explores different dimensions of MPs, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and the interplay between MPs, antibiotics, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), emphasizing their interconnection with soil and water pollution. It also summarizes the mechanisms behind the interaction between antibiotics and MPs, detailing various physical and chemical interactions. Additionally, it outlines the pathways through which MPs and ARGs complexes spread, offering insights for future research and solutions to tackle compound pollution. The article concludes by providing targeted strategies to mitigate the environmental and public health risks posed by MP-associated ARG transmission, highlighting the need for integrated pollution control, advanced monitoring techniques, and stricter regulatory policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100447"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144704756","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 lung microbiome in patients with HIV complicated with community-acquired pneumonia: a cross-sectional pilot study","authors":"Yang Song ,&nbsp;Xinmin Xu ,&nbsp;Mengjiao Xie ,&nbsp;Jing Tao ,&nbsp;Huiling Jin ,&nbsp;Yang Liu ,&nbsp;Li Liu ,&nbsp;Xiaohui Song ,&nbsp;Shuang Meng ,&nbsp;Io Hong Cheong ,&nbsp;Yajie Wang ,&nbsp;Qiang Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100480","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100480","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The composition of lung flora in HIV-combined community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) populations may be associated with the duration and severity of the disease. Additionally, a correlation may exist between lung flora balance and the body's autoimmune status. However, the number of studies in this area is limited. Therefore, we collected alveolar lavage fluid from 110 HIV-positive CAP patients at Beijing Ditan Hospital. We preliminarily explored the lung flora of this population using 16S amplicon analysis, and found some clues about the relationship between flora and immune status by comparing the flora of two groups of people with different immune status.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We found that the lung microbiome of HIV patients with CAP exhibited a \"high-level aggregation–low-level dispersion\" pattern across taxonomic hierarchies, this was characterised by dominant taxa at higher classification levels and dispersed, low-abundant taxa at lower levels. Microbial diversity in the AIDS group (CD4⁺ counts &lt; 200 cells/μL) was marginally lower than in the HIV group, but the difference was not statistically significant. The AIDS group exhibited increased relative abundances of pathogenic taxa (<em>Gammaproteobacteria, Fusobacteriia</em>) and decreased relative abundances of symbiotic taxa (<em>Bacilli, Cyanobacteriia</em>). LEfSe revealed significant enrichment of oral- and gut-associated microbial communities in the HIV group, as opposed to pathogen-enriched communities in the AIDS group. Microbial network analysis showed enhanced modularization in the AIDS group, with reduced clustering coefficients and network density, indicating destabilized microbial communities. Immune collapse appeared to drive a shift from cooperative hub-based to competitive modular microbial structures.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Immune status profoundly influenced the composition and function of the pulmonary microbiome in HIV infection. AIDS patients exhibited pathogen-dominated, less stable microbial communities. These findings provided foundational insights into interactions among HIV, CAP, and the pulmonary microbiome, and informed the development of microbiome-targeted interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100480"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145219096","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":"Plant-microbe interactions: PGPM as microbial inoculants/biofertilizers for sustaining crop productivity and soil fertility","authors":"Bibek Laishram ,&nbsp;Okram Ricky Devi ,&nbsp;Rinjumoni Dutta ,&nbsp;T. Senthilkumar ,&nbsp;Girish Goyal ,&nbsp;Dinesh Kumar Paliwal ,&nbsp;Narinder Panotra ,&nbsp;Akhtar Rasool","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100333","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100333","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant-microbe interactions play pivotal roles in sustaining crop productivity and soil fertility, offering promising avenues for sustainable agricultural practices. This review paper explores the multifaceted interactions between plants and various microorganisms, highlighting their significance in enhancing crop productivity, combating pathogens, and promoting soil health. Understanding these interactions is crucial for harnessing their potential in agricultural systems to address challenges such as food security and environmental sustainability. Therefore, the introduction of beneficial microbes into agricultural ecosystems by bio-augmentation reduces the negative effects of intensive, non-sustainable agriculture on the environment, society, and economy, into the mechanisms underlying the application of plant growth promoting microbes as microbial inoculants/biofertilizers; their interactions, the factors influencing their dynamics, and the implications for agricultural practices, emerging technologies and strategies that leverage plant-microbe interactions for improving crop yields, soil fertility, and overall agricultural sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100333"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11743900/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143013097","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":"Pathogenic effects of Streptococcus oralis intestinal colonization on bladder health in mice","authors":"Natsuno Nakamura ,&nbsp;Kota Iioka ,&nbsp;Hirobumi Morisaki ,&nbsp;Nobuo Okahashi ,&nbsp;Mie Kurosawa ,&nbsp;Haruka Fukamachi ,&nbsp;Shohei Matsui ,&nbsp;Takahiro Funatsu ,&nbsp;Hirotaka Kuwata ,&nbsp;Momoe Itsumi","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100375","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100375","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Streptococcus oralis</em>, a commensal oral <em>Streptococcus</em>, is known as an early colonizer of the tooth surface and causes opportunistic infections, such as bacterial endocarditis. However, its pathogenicity remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the pathogenicity of <em>S. oralis in vivo</em> using a mouse model. To establish <em>S. oralis</em>-colonized mice, germ-free mice were orally infected with <em>S. oralis</em>. After colonization was confirmed, these infected mice were bred, and their offspring were used as <em>S. oralis</em>-colonized mice. <em>S. oralis</em> was detected only in the intestine of these mice, which exhibited soft stools but no significant inflammation in the examined tissues. Interestingly, <em>S. oralis</em>-colonized mice showed higher urination frequency. Bladder tissue analysis in <em>S. oralis</em>-colonized mice revealed atrophy, edema, fibrosis, and epithelial denudation. RNA sequencing analysis of the bladder in <em>S. oralis</em>-colonized mice indicated higher expression of genes related to chronic inflammation and extracellular matrix organization, and lower expression of genes related to anti-oxidative stress. In this study, we revealed that the commensal bacterium <em>S. oralis</em> induces chronic inflammation and fibrosis in the bladder of mice by intestinal colonization. Hence, our findings indicate that <em>S. oralis</em> has the potential to affect distal tissue beyond the oral cavity, potentially possessing a pathogenic factor involved in non-bacterial cystitis. This study highlights the potential impact of <em>S. oralis</em> on the urinary system of mice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100375"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143684348","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":"Novel peptide inhibitor for the Chikungunya virus nsP2 protease: Identification and characterization","authors":"Mohammadamin Mastalipour ,&nbsp;Ian Gering ,&nbsp;Mônika Aparecida Coronado ,&nbsp;Jorge Enrique Hernández González ,&nbsp;Dieter Willbold ,&nbsp;Raphael Josef Eberle","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100376","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100376","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an emerging pathogen affecting populations worldwide, with rapidly increasing infection rates. CHIKV, an arbovirus of the alphavirus genus, is predominantly found in tropical regions and transmitted by <em>Aedes</em> mosquitoes. Climate change has accelerated the global spread of these vectors, leading to outbreaks in non-tropical regions, including parts of Europe. The absence of antiviral therapies and the potential for co-infections with other viruses make CHIKV a significant public health concern. CHIKV replication relies on nsP2 cysteine protease activity to cleave its viral polyprotein into functional nonstructural and structural proteins. Targeting the nsP2 protease represents a promising strategy for antiviral therapy development. In this study, phage display was used to screen a library of peptides for potential binders of the target protease. Biophysical and biochemical analyses of the identified peptides assessed their inhibitory potential. Among the six identified peptides (named as P1–P6), four demonstrated inhibitory effects on the nsP2 protease (nsP2^pro). Peptide P1 exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 4.6 ± 1.9 µM, and a low cytotoxicity. The secondary structure analysis through CD spectroscopy and homology modelling revealed that P1 adopts an alpha-helical conformation. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations enabled us to investigate the dynamics of the nsP2^pro active site and molecular docking was employed to predict the orthosteric binding mode of P1, providing insights into protein-peptide interaction. These findings underscore the potential of peptide P1 as a lead compound for further investigation in the context of CHIKV research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100376"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143632171","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":"Morphogenesis and mechanical properties of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens biofilms: a comparative study of rough and smooth morphotypes","authors":"Emmanuelle Baudu ,&nbsp;Eric Raspaud ,&nbsp;Catherine Fontagné-Faucher ,&nbsp;Yassine Nait Chabane ,&nbsp;Claire-Emmanuelle Marcato-Romain","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100403","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100403","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</em>, a Gram-positive, endospore-forming bacterium, is ubiquitously found in diverse environments. Its resilience in harsh conditions and biofilm-forming capabilities make it a promising candidate for various agricultural applications. <em>B. amyloliquefaciens</em> can also colonize the air-liquid interface by producing pellicles. Despite its potential, the characterization of <em>B. amyloliquefaciens</em> biofilms remains underexplored. We investigated colony expansion and pellicle formation kinetic, followed by an analysis of the mechanical properties of the latter. This work focused on <em>B. amyloliquefaciens</em> strain L-17, which produced two morphotypes on agar plate: 1) a <strong>rough</strong> (R) morphotype exhibiting quick colony expansion and 2) a <strong>smooth</strong> (S) morphotype with a slower but extended colony expansion. The morphogenesis model of pellicle formation proposed in the literature for <em>Bacillus subtilis</em> was applicable to <em>B. amyloliquefaciens</em>, with few modifications for the smooth morphotype, which needed a longer period to spread over the surface. Mature pellicles were visually homogeneous and heterogeneous for R and S, respectively. Surprisingly, (i) their deformability by stretching was heterogeneous for the former and homogeneous for the latter; (ii) R produced a stiff pellicle whereas the entire smooth pellicle showed an elastic response.</div><div>Taken together, results of this study confirmed that the existence of two distinct morphotypes within the same strain offers a unique opportunity to study the diversity of behaviors in <em>B. amyloliquefaciens</em>, providing insights into its potential applications in agriculture and beyond. Moreover, they led to the hypothesis that surfactant production and flagella expression are differentiating factors between both morphotypes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100403"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941001","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":"Comprehensive antibiotic resistome comparison of Escherichia coli from irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis","authors":"Xuan Wu ,&nbsp;Guorong Chen ,&nbsp;Lu Yang ,&nbsp;Zexun Lv ,&nbsp;Yige Wu ,&nbsp;Chuncai Liang ,&nbsp;Yizhu Chen ,&nbsp;Bing Shao ,&nbsp;Yanli Zhang ,&nbsp;Hui Li","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100398","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100398","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The emergence of multidrug-resistant <em>Escherichia coli</em> (MDR <em>E. coli</em>), particularly enteropathogenic <em>E. coli</em>, is closely associated with therapeutic interventions for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical practice. However, a comprehensive characterization of their resistome differences remains limited. Exploring their resistance profiles and virulence gene repertoires is crucial for informing improved treatment strategies and controlling the dissemination of MDR <em>E. coli</em> in healthcare settings. Here, we analyzed 70 <em>E. coli</em> strains isolated from a single-center, case-control cohort enrolled between 2022 and 2023 at a tertiary care hospital in Beijing, China. Through integrated phenotypic and genomic approaches, we investigated their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns and transmission dynamics. These strains exhibited high resistance to sulfonamides (34.3 %) and fluoroquinolones (32.9 %) in general. Incremental trends in β-lactam resistance were observed in the IBS-D and UC groups compared to the HC group, reflecting both phenotypic resistance and the presence of ESBL genes. Significant intergroup differences in the prevalence of β-lactam resistance gene <em>bla</em>_TEM-1B, rifamycin resistance gene <em>ARR-3</em>, and ExPEC-related nutritional/metabolic factors (e.g. <em>chuA, chuU, iroD, iroE, kpsM</em>) were observed. Notably, the co-existence of <em>bla</em>_CTX−M-55 and <em>tet</em>(X4) was first identified in IBS-D patients. The emergence of high-risk ST10, ST1193, and ST131 clones occurred in IBS-D and UC patients. Positive correlations were observed between the number of antibiotic resistance genes, virulence factor genes, and antibiotic usage history. This study underscores escalating AMR and virulence trends across patient groups and highlights the urgent need for tailored antimicrobial stewardship in managing IBS-D and UC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100398"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143928566","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":"Genomic dataset of eighteen Burkholderia pseudomallei strains isolated from clinical and environmental settings in Malaysia","authors":"Noreafifah Semail ,&nbsp;Nik Mohd Noor Nik Zuraina ,&nbsp;Yasmin Khairani Muhammad Ismadi ,&nbsp;Azian Harun ,&nbsp;Ismail Aziah ,&nbsp;Zakuan Zainy Deris","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100397","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100397","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Burkholderia pseudomallei</em> is a highly infectious bacterium responsible for melioidosis, a systemic disease prevalent in Northern Australia and Southeast Asia. Melioidosis is a community-acquired infectious disease caused by <em>B. pseudomallei</em>, which thrives in tropical regions.</div><div>This study presents the complete genome sequences of 18 <em>B. pseudomallei</em> isolates from clinical and environmental settings in Kelantan, Malaysia. Clinical isolates were characterized based on patient outcomes: recovery <em>(n=</em>6), relapse <em>(n=</em>4), and death due to melioidosis <em>(n=</em>6), with two environmental isolates that were obtained from soil samples. Draft genome sequences of the isolates were generated using Illumina HiSeq sequencing technology.</div><div>The 18 <em>B. pseudomallei</em> genomes have an average length of 7,823, 977 bp (7,587,408-8,243,305 bp), an average GC content of 67.4%, with a mean N50 length and contigs of 47,798 bp and 2,882, respectively. RAST identified an average of 9,671 CDS and 64 RNAs per genome. A total of 144 virulence genes were identified across the dataset, including <em>bim</em>A<em>, bip</em>D<em>, bop</em>A<em>, hcp,</em> and <em>vgr</em>G genes. Antimicrobial resistance gene detection revealed a predicted resistance profile involving the <em>bla</em>OXA-59 gene, conferring resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, present in all 18 genomes. MLST profiles revealed ST54 as the most common sequence type, corresponding to isolates USM003, USM010, USM011, USM013, and USM014. The 18 draft genomes also showed a close phylogenetic relationship with other genomes from Southeast Asia.</div><div>In summary, the complete genome sequences of 18 <em>B. pseudomallei</em> isolates have been elucidated and provide a valuable resource to investigate the genetic diversity and virulence profiles of <em>B. pseudomallei</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100397"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143928567","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":"Limited clonality but widespread plasmid sharing of ESBL-producing E. coli between humans and the environment of northeastern Slovenia","authors":"Leon Maric ,&nbsp;Sandra Janezic ,&nbsp;Camilla Wiuff Coia ,&nbsp;Louise Roer ,&nbsp;Maja Rupnik","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100408","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100408","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing <em>Escherichia coli</em> is a critical antimicrobial-resistant pathogen. While well-studied in humans and animals, its presence in the environment remains underexplored. This study analyses the genotypes and plasmid composition of ESBL-producing <em>E. coli</em> from human and environmental sources in Northeastern Slovenia. Freshwater and sediment samples were collected bimonthly during one year at ten sites, including rivers, lakes, and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influents. Human isolates were collected during the same period and geographic area. Whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatic analyses were conducted to evaluate genetic relatedness, antimicrobial resistance genes, and plasmid composition. Among 414 sequenced isolates (230 human, 184 environmental), 108 multilocus sequence types (MLST-ST) were identified, with 20 STs shared between sources. Core-genome MLST (cgMLST) revealed 59 clonal clusters, six of which included both human and environmental isolates. The dominant ESBL gene was <em>bla</em>_CTX−M-15 (59 % of all ESBL isolates), and 54 % of all ESBL isolates carried ESBL genes on plasmids. Plasmid cluster AA474, found across different sources, STs, and locations, was linked to multiple ESBL genes, suggesting a key role in resistance dissemination. Despite shared STs, ESBL genes, and plasmids between humans and the environment, cgMLST analysis indicated limited clonal spread. This suggest that transmission between humans and the environment remains restricted and is more often linked to spread of plasmids than of strains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100408"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144154360","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}