ISME communicationsPub Date : 2025-09-19eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf161
Chyrene Moncada, Carol Arnosti, Jan D Brüwer, Dirk de Beer, Gunter Wegener, Peter Stief, Marit R van Erk, Jürgen Titschack, Rudolf Amann, Katrin Knittel
{"title":"Seasonal and stable heterotrophic guilds drive Arctic benthic microbiome functioning across polar day and night.","authors":"Chyrene Moncada, Carol Arnosti, Jan D Brüwer, Dirk de Beer, Gunter Wegener, Peter Stief, Marit R van Erk, Jürgen Titschack, Rudolf Amann, Katrin Knittel","doi":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf161","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycaf161","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The remineralization of organic matter by benthic bacteria is an essential process in the marine carbon cycle. In polar regions, strong variation in daylength causes pronounced seasonality in primary productivity, but the responses of sedimentary bacteria to these fluctuations are not well understood. We investigated the seasonal dynamics of benthic bacterial communities from an Arctic fjord and found a partitioning of the communities into seasonally responsive and stable guilds. We separately analyzed the fractions of cells in the porewater and those loosely and firmly attached to sand grains through 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, cell counting, rate measurements, and geochemical analyses. The porewater and loosely attached bacterial communities showed a dynamic response in composition and activity, suggesting that they play a central role in benthic-pelagic coupling by responding rapidly to seasonal fluctuations in organic matter availability. In contrast, the majority of the firmly attached cells showed a more buffered response, as reflected, e.g. in the consistently high cell numbers of <i>Woeseiaceae</i>. This fraction is potentially key to maintaining baseline remineralization processes throughout the year, independent of fresh organic matter input. These findings provide a new mechanistic understanding of carbon cycling in Arctic surface sediments that may also apply beyond polar regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":73516,"journal":{"name":"ISME communications","volume":"5 1","pages":"ycaf161"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12503162/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145253945","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}
ISME communicationsPub Date : 2025-09-19eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf165
Shunan Zhao, Fangzhou Wang, Liuying Song, Shaoqing Zhu, Suo Liu, Kai Zhao, Ruiping Liu, Yu-You Li
{"title":"Interspecies electron transfer as one of key drivers of methanogenic consortia succession within quorum sensing regulation.","authors":"Shunan Zhao, Fangzhou Wang, Liuying Song, Shaoqing Zhu, Suo Liu, Kai Zhao, Ruiping Liu, Yu-You Li","doi":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf165","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycaf165","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Robust interspecies interactions are essential for efficient methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion. This study investigated the impact of quorum sensing (QS) enhancement on the succession of methanogenic communities during anaerobic digestion. The QS stimulation via exogenous N-acyl-homoserine lactones enhanced methane production by 18.8%-22.1%. Moreover, QS shaped microbial community succession toward a more deterministic assembly, selectively enriching key syntrophs (<i>Pelotomaculum</i>, <i>Smithella</i>), and methanogens (<i>Methanobacterium</i>, <i>Methanothrix</i>). Metagenomic analysis revealed that QS induced genes related to transcription, transport, and cofactor biosynthesis instead of directly regulating carbon metabolism. In this context, interspecies electron transfer emerges as a critical factor regulating interspecies interactions under QS regulation. Specifically, QS enhancement boosted redox mediator secretion, and the concentration of 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and phenazine increased by 7.8- and 4.8-fold, respectively. QS enhancement also induced higher abundance of c-type cytochromes. Moreover, the higher electron transfer coefficients were detected with 40.2%-89.9% increase. Further, QS also enhanced relative abundance of genes involved in Complex I/III and ferredoxin-dependent hydrogenases, promoting electron flow from syntrophs to methanogens. These effects induced higher relative abundance of genes associated with syntrophic propionate/butyrate oxidation and hydrogenotrophic/acetotrophic methanogenesis. Collectively, given that the similar regulation pathway is widely distributed in anaerobes, these findings identify QS as a critical ecological signal that drives functional microbial succession.</p>","PeriodicalId":73516,"journal":{"name":"ISME communications","volume":"5 1","pages":"ycaf165"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12503159/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145253950","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}
ISME communicationsPub Date : 2025-09-17eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf163
Loudon Herold, Bradley G Fitzgerald, Gwenno M E Leclercq, Matthew T Sorbara
{"title":"Strain-level variation controls nutrient niche occupancy by health-associated <i>Anaerostipes hadrus</i>.","authors":"Loudon Herold, Bradley G Fitzgerald, Gwenno M E Leclercq, Matthew T Sorbara","doi":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf163","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycaf163","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nutrient niche access by the gut microbiota impacts community assembly and dynamics, the production of host-benefiting short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and pathogen inhibition through colonization resistance. Furthermore, deciphering if and how niche access varies on a strain level will be important as individual strains of gut microbes are selected for inclusion in new live biotherapeutic products. Despite this, for many gut anaerobes, nutrient niche occupancy and impacts of strain variation remain unknown. Here, we examined nutrient niches of <i>Anaerostipes hadrus</i> (AH)<i>,</i> a butyrate-producing member of the <i>Lachnospiraceae</i> family. We found that AH isolates encode a carbohydrate metabolism gene repertoire that is distinct from other <i>Lachnospiraceae</i>. Furthermore, tested AH isolates show variation in carbohydrate-related genes between strains and large numbers of genes associated with horizontal gene transfer events. Functionally, we demonstrate that AH isolates exhibit strain-specific patterns of nutrient niche access that can be associated with the gain, loss, and disruption of gene clusters enabling specific carbohydrate metabolism. This strain-specific carbohydrate use drives variable SCFA production. Unexpectedly, strains exhibit differential preferences for carbohydrates, which alter SCFA profiles in environments with multiple possible nutrient niches available. Furthermore, when strains of AH interact in an environment with multiple nutrient niches available, strain-strain interactions result in varying SCFA profiles that extend beyond the additive effects of individual strain behavior. Altogether, these results demonstrate the importance of evaluating strain-level variation in the design of future live biotherapeutic products.</p>","PeriodicalId":73516,"journal":{"name":"ISME communications","volume":"5 1","pages":"ycaf163"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12503163/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145253939","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}
ISME communicationsPub Date : 2025-09-16eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf162
Karoline Jetter, Kunal Jani, Kerstin Wilhelm, Ulrike Stehle, Rostand R Chamedjeu, Christian U Riedel, Lena Wilfert, Patrick Schäfer, Simone Sommer
{"title":"Fertilization impacts microbiomes along the grassland trophic chain.","authors":"Karoline Jetter, Kunal Jani, Kerstin Wilhelm, Ulrike Stehle, Rostand R Chamedjeu, Christian U Riedel, Lena Wilfert, Patrick Schäfer, Simone Sommer","doi":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf162","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycaf162","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Agricultural grasslands are often managed intensively, influencing soil properties and microbial communities. These changes may, in turn, affect the microbiome of organisms across multiple trophic levels within the same habitat, and significant shifts in these communities can disrupt health and functionality along the entire trophic chain. This study investigates how fertilization affects microbial communities in multiple connected below- and above-ground trophic compartments of grassland ecosystems. We compared control grassland sites to those treated with organic fertilizers-biogas digestate, cow/horse manure, and pig slurry-using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and soil nutrient analysis. Shifts in microbial composition occurred in response to fertilization, with compartment-dependent effects. Changes were more pronounced in belowground compartments, with pig slurry fertilization exhibiting the most substantial impact. Overlapping bacterial genera detected among soil, roots, and higher trophic levels show the potential strong interactions across trophic levels shaping microbial communities. Pig slurry-derived microbial taxa were found in all compartments, but their low prevalence suggests an indirect effect of fertilization, primarily due to changes in nutrient availability. Compared to the control sites, pig slurry-fertilized sites showed proliferation of certain taxa, including <i>Clostridium, Ruminococcus</i> or <i>Lachnoclostridium</i>, particularly in the animal compartments. Our study highlights that the effects of fertilization permeate all trophic levels, with potential ecological and health implications aligned with the One Health framework.</p>","PeriodicalId":73516,"journal":{"name":"ISME communications","volume":"5 1","pages":"ycaf162"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12503161/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145253979","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}
ISME communicationsPub Date : 2025-09-16eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf153
Gaspard Rihm, Fabio Benedetti, Lucie Bittner
{"title":"Do trophic strategies shape biogeography and environmental niches? Marine dinoflagellates as a case study.","authors":"Gaspard Rihm, Fabio Benedetti, Lucie Bittner","doi":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf153","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf153","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Marine unicellular eukaryotes (protists) exhibit a wide spectrum of trophic strategies ranging from specialists (strict phototrophy or strict phagotrophy) to generalist (mixotrophy). Generalist strategies enable flexibility in nutrient sources, which impacts biogeochemical cycles, energy fluxes in planktonic food webs as well as species biogeography. Dinoflagellates exhibit specialist and generalist trophic strategies, making them a key group for studying the ecological success of trophic traits from a biogeographical perspective. Yet, our understanding of what drives their biogeography remains limited although they are a major component of planktonic communities. Here, we combine one of the largest environmental genomics databases with state-of-the-art species distribution modelling to test whether trophic dinoflagellate specialists exhibit distinct spatial distributions and abiotic drivers compared to generalists. Based on field observations alone, we find that dinoflagellate species show similar abundance and evenness patterns, regardless of their trophic strategies. However, our models reveal differences in environmental niches at the trait level: mixotrophy is favoured in tropical oligotrophic regions whereas strict phagotrophy is favoured in the productive high-latitudes. At the species level, mixotrophs show similar responses across gradients of nutrient availability, whereas species responses to abiotic gradients are more divergent within strict phagotrophs. The latter pattern is consistent with a trait scenario of multiple evolutionary convergences. We show that trophic classification effectively explains the distribution patterns and environmental responses of generalists but is less effective in capturing the diverse responses of specialists that could result from other factors (evolutionary history, biotic interactions, cell size).</p>","PeriodicalId":73516,"journal":{"name":"ISME communications","volume":"5 1","pages":"ycaf153"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12452278/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132812","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}
ISME communicationsPub Date : 2025-09-15eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf159
Kendra Turk-Kubo, Mar Benavides, Matthew M Mills, Sarah R Smith
{"title":"<i>Rhizosolenia</i> mat diatoms associate with nitrogen-fixing microbes.","authors":"Kendra Turk-Kubo, Mar Benavides, Matthew M Mills, Sarah R Smith","doi":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf159","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf159","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Some <i>Rhizosolenia</i> diatoms living in oligotrophic marine ecosystems are known to form large, conspicuous mats and are thought to be sources of new nitrogen to surface waters via vertical migration to the nitracline where subsurface nitrate is accessed for growth. These vertically migrating <i>Rhizosolenia</i> mats are chronically under sampled, and both the diatom species comprising the mats and the associated microbiome have not been characterized using modern molecular techniques. Here we present the first DNA-based analysis of <i>Rhizosolenia</i> mats collected in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. Using sequencing of 18S rRNA and <i>nifH</i> genes (a proxy for N<sub>2</sub> fixation capacity), we report on the molecular diversity of mat-forming <i>Rhizosolenia</i> species, which include two newly sequenced clades, and an assemblage of associated N<sub>2</sub>-fixing microorganisms that is distinct from the non-mat associated water column assemblage. Our findings advance knowledge of oligotrophic diatom diversity and challenge prevailing views of their nitrogen sources, suggesting these mats may obtain nitrogen through association-based N<sub>2</sub> fixation. Further work is needed to understand the nature of these associations, and whether <i>Rhizosolenia</i> mat communities are a significant unrecognized source of N<sub>2</sub>-fixation-derived new nitrogen to the oligotrophic surface waters.</p>","PeriodicalId":73516,"journal":{"name":"ISME communications","volume":"5 1","pages":"ycaf159"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12499774/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145245947","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}
ISME communicationsPub Date : 2025-09-10eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf140
Borja Aldeguer-Riquelme, Luis M Rodriguez-R, Konstantinos T Konstantinidis
{"title":"Differences in metagenome coverage may confound abundance-based and diversity conclusions and how to deal with them.","authors":"Borja Aldeguer-Riquelme, Luis M Rodriguez-R, Konstantinos T Konstantinidis","doi":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf140","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf140","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The importance of rarefying ecological or amplicon sequencing data to a standardized level of diversity coverage for reliable diversity comparisons across samples is well recognized. However, the importance of diversity coverage, i.e. the fraction of the genomic diversity of a sample sequenced, in comparative shotgun metagenomic studies remains frequently overlooked. Using both <i>in silico</i> and natural metagenomes from a wide range of environments, we demonstrate that uneven metagenome coverage can result in misleading biological conclusions, particularly for identifying differentially abundant features, i.e. groups of genes or genomes assigned to the same protein family or taxonomic rank, respectively, and for comparing diversity between samples. The main underlying cause is that not all members of a feature may be detectable, and thus counted, across such unevenly covered metagenomes depending on the sequencing effort applied and the underlying member-abundance curves. Unfortunately, 99.5% of previous comparative metagenomic studies have overlooked this metric, suggesting that their reported results might be misleading. We show that achieving high Nonpareil coverage (≥0.9), a metric that estimates metagenome diversity coverage, is the most reliable strategy to mitigate this issue. When high Nonpareil coverage is not achievable, such as for highly diverse and complex samples like soils, we show that standardizing (or subsampling) metagenomic datasets to the same Nonpareil coverage, rather than sequencing effort, prior to comparative analysis provides for more accurate results. We provide a set of practical recommendations and the corresponding Python scripts to help researchers to assess and standardize metagenome diversity coverage for their comparative analyses.</p>","PeriodicalId":73516,"journal":{"name":"ISME communications","volume":"5 1","pages":"ycaf140"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12477595/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145202184","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}
ISME communicationsPub Date : 2025-09-09eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf158
David Vázquez-Arias, Cristina Civantos, David Durán-Wendt, Adrián Ruiz, Rafael Rivilla, Marta Martín, Patricia Bernal
{"title":"The <i>Pseudomonas putida</i> type VI secretion systems shape the tomato rhizosphere microbiota.","authors":"David Vázquez-Arias, Cristina Civantos, David Durán-Wendt, Adrián Ruiz, Rafael Rivilla, Marta Martín, Patricia Bernal","doi":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf158","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf158","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacterial competition mechanisms drive microbial community dynamics across diverse ecological niches. The type VI secretion system (T6SS) represents a sophisticated nanomachine used by Gram-negative bacteria for contact-dependent elimination of competitors through the delivery of toxic effectors. While the T6SS has been well-documented in mammalian gut microbiota development, its role in shaping plant rhizosphere communities remains poorly understood despite the ecological importance of rhizosphere microbiota. This study investigates how the three <i>Pseudomonas putida</i> KT2440 T6SS clusters influence the tomato rhizosphere microbiota in agricultural soil. Through comprehensive <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> analyses, we demonstrate that while the K2/K3-T6SSs remain inactive under standard laboratory conditions, they become specifically functional in the presence of plant pathogens, suggesting an adaptive response to competitive pressure. Our experiments with T6SS-deficient mutants reveal that the <i>P. putida</i> T6SSs are important for effective rhizosphere colonization, with mutant strains showing significantly reduced colonization capabilities compared to wildtype strain in competitive soil environments. Most importantly, our data establish that the <i>P. putida</i> T6SSs directly shape the taxonomic diversity and community structure of the rhizosphere microbiota of tomato plants. These results place the T6SS as a critical factor driving the evolution of complex polymicrobial communities within the plant rhizosphere, paralleling its established role in the gut microbiota. This research advances our understanding of the ecological functions of the different T6SSs in <i>P. putida</i> and the molecular mechanisms underlying microbial community assembly in the rhizosphere. Thus, it offers valuable insights for agricultural applications involving beneficial microbes and plant health management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":73516,"journal":{"name":"ISME communications","volume":"5 1","pages":"ycaf158"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12482989/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145208543","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}
ISME communicationsPub Date : 2025-09-09eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf157
Esther Rubio-Portillo, Rebeca Arias-Real, Esther Rodríguez-Pérez, Lluis Bañeras, Josefa Antón, Asunción de Los Ríos
{"title":"Short-term virus-host interactions and functional dynamics in recently deglaciated Antarctic tundra soils.","authors":"Esther Rubio-Portillo, Rebeca Arias-Real, Esther Rodríguez-Pérez, Lluis Bañeras, Josefa Antón, Asunción de Los Ríos","doi":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf157","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycaf157","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Long-term chronosequence studies have shown that, as glaciers retreat, newly exposed soils become colonized through primary succession. To determine the key drivers of this process and their vulnerability to climate change, the short-term responses of these pioneering microbial communities also need to be elucidated. Here, we investigated how the taxonomic and functional structure of microbial communities, including viruses, changed over a 7-year period in an Antarctic glacier forefield. Using metagenomics and metatranscriptomics we assessed the influence of both abiotic and biotic factors on these communities. Our results revealed a highly heterogeneous bacteria-dominated microbial community, with <i>Pseudomonas</i> as the most abundant genus, followed by <i>Lysobacter</i>, <i>Devosia</i>, <i>Cellulomonas</i>, and <i>Brevundimonas</i>. This community exhibited the capacity for aerobic anoxygenic phototrophy, carbon and nitrogen fixation, and sulfur cycling, processes vital for survival in nutrient-poor environments. 52 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were recovered, representing both transient and cosmopolitan taxa, some of which were able to rapidly respond to environmental changes. A diverse and highly dynamic collection of lytic and temperate viruses was identified across all samples, with high clonal viral genomes typically detected in only one of the eight samples analyzed. Metatranscriptomic analyses confirmed the activity of lytic viruses, while prophage genomes featured much lower expression levels. Prophages appeared to influence host fitness through the expression of genes encoding membrane transporters. Additionally, the abundance of genes linked to antimicrobial compound synthesis and resistance, along with antiphage defense systems, highlights the importance of biotic interactions in driving microbial community succession and shaping short-term responses to environmental fluctuations.</p>","PeriodicalId":73516,"journal":{"name":"ISME communications","volume":"5 1","pages":"ycaf157"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507030/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145260016","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}
ISME communicationsPub Date : 2025-09-05eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf155
Jiancheng Chen, Edith Bai, Yuting Liang, Ziping Liu, Yaxin Ji, Tongtong Sun, Zhenxin Guo, Yingdong Huo, Shasha Liu, Björn Berg
{"title":"The origin and succession of the microbial community in decomposing litter.","authors":"Jiancheng Chen, Edith Bai, Yuting Liang, Ziping Liu, Yaxin Ji, Tongtong Sun, Zhenxin Guo, Yingdong Huo, Shasha Liu, Björn Berg","doi":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf155","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ismeco/ycaf155","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Litter decomposition is an important process of nutrient cycling and is primarily driven by microbes. However, whether the microorganisms in decomposing litter come from the phyllosphere or soil is still unclear. In this study, we collected litter of two dominant species in a temperate forest, <i>Fraxinus mandshurica</i> and <i>Pinus koraiensis</i> (newly shed, and decomposing litter in the early-stage and late-stage) and surrounding soil to approach this question. Our results suggested that in the early-stage of decomposition, phyllosphere bacteria utilized readily available substances, preempting the niche of soil bacteria, while soil fungi were able to invade the litter through hyphae and spores. These activities further modified the ecological niche in the decomposing litter, facilitating the subsequent entry of soil bacteria and fungi. The timing of soil microbial invasion was influenced by litter quality. In the low-quality litter, the resource limitation hindered the entry of soil microorganisms and consequently slowed down the decomposition process. These findings offer crucial insights for better understanding of the litter decomposition process during which substantial carbon is lost from the ecosystem.</p>","PeriodicalId":73516,"journal":{"name":"ISME communications","volume":"5 1","pages":"ycaf155"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12477604/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145202177","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}