Pub Date : 2024-06-18DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.04.001
Talia Backman, Hernán A. Burbano, Talia L. Karasov
Phage tail-like bacteriocins (tailocins) are protein complexes produced by bacteria with the potential to kill their neighbors. Widespread throughout Gram-negative bacteria, tailocins exhibit extreme specificity in their targets, largely killing closely related strains. Despite their presence in diverse bacteria, the impact of these competitive weapons on the surrounding microbiota is largely unknown. Recent studies revealed the rapid evolution and genetic diversity of tailocins in microbial communities and suggest that there are constraints on the evolution of specificity and resistance. Given the precision of their targeted killing and the ease of engineering new specificities, understanding the evolution and ecological impact of tailocins may enable the design of promising candidates for novel targeted antibiotics.
{"title":"Tradeoffs and constraints on the evolution of tailocins","authors":"Talia Backman, Hernán A. Burbano, Talia L. Karasov","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.04.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2024.04.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Phage tail-like bacteriocins (tailocins) are protein complexes produced by bacteria with the potential to kill their neighbors. Widespread throughout Gram-negative bacteria, tailocins exhibit extreme specificity in their targets, largely killing closely related strains. Despite their presence in diverse bacteria, the impact of these competitive weapons on the surrounding microbiota is largely unknown. Recent studies revealed the rapid evolution and genetic diversity of tailocins in microbial communities and suggest that there are constraints on the evolution of specificity and resistance. Given the precision of their targeted killing and the ease of engineering new specificities, understanding the evolution and ecological impact of tailocins may enable the design of promising candidates for novel targeted antibiotics.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141552916","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}
Pub Date : 2024-06-12DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.008
Matthew R Nitschke, David Abrego, Corinne E Allen, Carlos Alvarez-Roa, Nadine M Boulotte, Patrick Buerger, Wing Yan Chan, Wladimir A Fae Neto, Elizabeth Ivory, Bede Johnston, Luka Meyers, Catalina Parra V, Lesa Peplow, Tahirih Perez, Hugo J Scharfenstein, Madeleine J H van Oppen
The heat tolerance of corals is largely determined by their microbial photosymbionts (Symbiodiniaceae, colloquially known as zooxanthellae). Therefore, manipulating symbiont communities may enhance the ability of corals to survive summer heatwaves. Although heat-tolerant and -sensitive symbiont species occur in nature, even corals that harbour naturally tolerant symbionts have been observed to bleach during summer heatwaves. Experimental evolution (i.e., laboratory selection) of Symbiodiniaceae cultures under elevated temperatures has been successfully used to enhance their upper thermal tolerance, both in vitro and, in some instances, following their reintroduction into corals. In this review, we present the state of this intervention and its potential role within coral reef restoration, and discuss the next critical steps required to bridge the gap to implementation.
{"title":"The use of experimentally evolved coral photosymbionts for reef restoration.","authors":"Matthew R Nitschke, David Abrego, Corinne E Allen, Carlos Alvarez-Roa, Nadine M Boulotte, Patrick Buerger, Wing Yan Chan, Wladimir A Fae Neto, Elizabeth Ivory, Bede Johnston, Luka Meyers, Catalina Parra V, Lesa Peplow, Tahirih Perez, Hugo J Scharfenstein, Madeleine J H van Oppen","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The heat tolerance of corals is largely determined by their microbial photosymbionts (Symbiodiniaceae, colloquially known as zooxanthellae). Therefore, manipulating symbiont communities may enhance the ability of corals to survive summer heatwaves. Although heat-tolerant and -sensitive symbiont species occur in nature, even corals that harbour naturally tolerant symbionts have been observed to bleach during summer heatwaves. Experimental evolution (i.e., laboratory selection) of Symbiodiniaceae cultures under elevated temperatures has been successfully used to enhance their upper thermal tolerance, both in vitro and, in some instances, following their reintroduction into corals. In this review, we present the state of this intervention and its potential role within coral reef restoration, and discuss the next critical steps required to bridge the gap to implementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141470972","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}
Pub Date : 2024-06-12DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.007
Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh, Beth A Rousseau
Dysregulation of the constitutive heterochromatin machinery (HCM) that silences pericentromeric regions and endogenous retroviral elements in the human genome has consequences for aging and cancer. By recruiting epigenetic regulators, Krüppel-associated box (KRAB)-associated protein 1 (KAP1/TRIM28/TIF1β) is integral to the function of the HCM. Epigenetically silencing DNA genomes of incoming herpesviruses to enforce latency, KAP1 and HCM also serve in an antiviral capacity. In addition to gene silencing, newer reports highlight KAP1's ability to directly activate cellular gene transcription. Here, we discuss the many facets of KAP1, including recent findings that unexpectedly connect KAP1 to the inflammasome, reveal KAP1 cleavage as a novel mode of regulation, and argue for a pro-herpesviral KAP1 function that ensures transition from transcription to replication of the herpesvirus genome.
{"title":"KAP1/TRIM28 - antiviral and proviral protagonist of herpesvirus biology.","authors":"Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh, Beth A Rousseau","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dysregulation of the constitutive heterochromatin machinery (HCM) that silences pericentromeric regions and endogenous retroviral elements in the human genome has consequences for aging and cancer. By recruiting epigenetic regulators, Krüppel-associated box (KRAB)-associated protein 1 (KAP1/TRIM28/TIF1β) is integral to the function of the HCM. Epigenetically silencing DNA genomes of incoming herpesviruses to enforce latency, KAP1 and HCM also serve in an antiviral capacity. In addition to gene silencing, newer reports highlight KAP1's ability to directly activate cellular gene transcription. Here, we discuss the many facets of KAP1, including recent findings that unexpectedly connect KAP1 to the inflammasome, reveal KAP1 cleavage as a novel mode of regulation, and argue for a pro-herpesviral KAP1 function that ensures transition from transcription to replication of the herpesvirus genome.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141318403","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}
Pub Date : 2024-06-05DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.005
Khalimat Murtazalieva, Andre Mu, Aleksandra Petrovskaya, Robert D Finn
The biological interplay between phages and bacteria has driven the evolution of phage anti-defence systems (ADSs), which evade bacterial defence mechanisms. These ADSs bind and inhibit host defence proteins, add covalent modifications and deactivate defence proteins, degrade or sequester signalling molecules utilised by host defence systems, synthesise and restore essential molecules depleted by bacterial defences, or add covalent modifications to phage molecules to avoid recognition. Overall, 145 phage ADSs have been characterised to date. These ADSs counteract 27 of the 152 different bacterial defence families, and we hypothesise that many more ADSs are yet to be discovered. We discuss high-throughput approaches (computational and experimental) which are indispensable for discovering new ADSs and the limitations of these approaches. A comprehensive characterisation of phage ADSs is critical for understanding phage-host interplay and developing clinical applications, such as treatment for multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
{"title":"The growing repertoire of phage anti-defence systems.","authors":"Khalimat Murtazalieva, Andre Mu, Aleksandra Petrovskaya, Robert D Finn","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The biological interplay between phages and bacteria has driven the evolution of phage anti-defence systems (ADSs), which evade bacterial defence mechanisms. These ADSs bind and inhibit host defence proteins, add covalent modifications and deactivate defence proteins, degrade or sequester signalling molecules utilised by host defence systems, synthesise and restore essential molecules depleted by bacterial defences, or add covalent modifications to phage molecules to avoid recognition. Overall, 145 phage ADSs have been characterised to date. These ADSs counteract 27 of the 152 different bacterial defence families, and we hypothesise that many more ADSs are yet to be discovered. We discuss high-throughput approaches (computational and experimental) which are indispensable for discovering new ADSs and the limitations of these approaches. A comprehensive characterisation of phage ADSs is critical for understanding phage-host interplay and developing clinical applications, such as treatment for multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141284858","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}
Pub Date : 2024-06-04DOI: 10.1016/s0966-842x(24)00121-5
No Abstract
无摘要
{"title":"Subscription and Copyright Information","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/s0966-842x(24)00121-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/s0966-842x(24)00121-5","url":null,"abstract":"No Abstract","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141256969","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}
Pub Date : 2024-06-04DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.006
Michael L Pepke, Søren B Hansen, Morten T Limborg
Recent studies of dynamic interactions between epigenetic modifications of a host organism and the composition or activity of its associated gut microbiota suggest an opportunity for the host to shape its microbiome through epigenetic alterations that lead to changes in gene expression and noncoding RNA activity. We use insights from microbiota-induced epigenetic changes to review the potential of the host to epigenetically regulate its gut microbiome, from which a bidirectional 'epigenome-microbiome axis' emerges. This axis embeds environmentally induced variation, which may influence the adaptive evolution of host-microbe interactions. We furthermore present our perspective on how the epigenome-microbiome axis can be understood and investigated within a holo-omic framework with potential applications in the applied health and food sciences.
{"title":"Unraveling host regulation of gut microbiota through the epigenome-microbiome axis.","authors":"Michael L Pepke, Søren B Hansen, Morten T Limborg","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recent studies of dynamic interactions between epigenetic modifications of a host organism and the composition or activity of its associated gut microbiota suggest an opportunity for the host to shape its microbiome through epigenetic alterations that lead to changes in gene expression and noncoding RNA activity. We use insights from microbiota-induced epigenetic changes to review the potential of the host to epigenetically regulate its gut microbiome, from which a bidirectional 'epigenome-microbiome axis' emerges. This axis embeds environmentally induced variation, which may influence the adaptive evolution of host-microbe interactions. We furthermore present our perspective on how the epigenome-microbiome axis can be understood and investigated within a holo-omic framework with potential applications in the applied health and food sciences.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141262218","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}
Pub Date : 2024-06-04DOI: 10.1016/s0966-842x(24)00118-5
No Abstract
无摘要
{"title":"Advisory Board and Contents","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/s0966-842x(24)00118-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/s0966-842x(24)00118-5","url":null,"abstract":"No Abstract","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141259597","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}
Pub Date : 2024-06-01Epub Date: 2023-11-15DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.10.009
Fabian Beeckman, Laure Annetta, Mario Corrochano-Monsalve, Tom Beeckman, Hans Motte
Nitrification is a key microbial process in the nitrogen (N) cycle that converts ammonia to nitrate. Excessive nitrification, typically occurring in agroecosystems, has negative environmental impacts, including eutrophication and greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrification inhibitors (NIs) are widely used to manage N in agricultural systems by reducing nitrification rates and improving N use efficiency. However, the effectiveness of NIs can vary depending on the soil conditions, which, in turn, affect the microbial community and the balance between different functional groups of nitrifying microorganisms. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of NIs, and how this is affected by the soil microbial communities or abiotic factors, is crucial for promoting sustainable fertilizer practices. Therefore, this review examines the different types of NIs and how abiotic parameters can influence the nitrifying community, and, therefore, the efficacy of NIs. By discussing the latest research in this field, we provide insights that could facilitate the development of more targeted, efficient, or complementary NIs that improve the application of NIs for sustainable management practices in agroecosystems.
{"title":"Enhancing agroecosystem nitrogen management: microbial insights for improved nitrification inhibition.","authors":"Fabian Beeckman, Laure Annetta, Mario Corrochano-Monsalve, Tom Beeckman, Hans Motte","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2023.10.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2023.10.009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nitrification is a key microbial process in the nitrogen (N) cycle that converts ammonia to nitrate. Excessive nitrification, typically occurring in agroecosystems, has negative environmental impacts, including eutrophication and greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrification inhibitors (NIs) are widely used to manage N in agricultural systems by reducing nitrification rates and improving N use efficiency. However, the effectiveness of NIs can vary depending on the soil conditions, which, in turn, affect the microbial community and the balance between different functional groups of nitrifying microorganisms. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of NIs, and how this is affected by the soil microbial communities or abiotic factors, is crucial for promoting sustainable fertilizer practices. Therefore, this review examines the different types of NIs and how abiotic parameters can influence the nitrifying community, and, therefore, the efficacy of NIs. By discussing the latest research in this field, we provide insights that could facilitate the development of more targeted, efficient, or complementary NIs that improve the application of NIs for sustainable management practices in agroecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"590-601"},"PeriodicalIF":15.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136399399","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}
Pub Date : 2024-06-01Epub Date: 2024-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.12.007
Curtis Deutsch, Keisuke Inomura, Ya-Wei Luo, Ying-Ping Wang
Biological N2 fixation sustains the global inventory of nitrogenous nutrients essential for the productivity of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Like most metabolic processes, rates of biological N2 fixation vary strongly with temperature, making it sensitive to climate change, but a global projection across land and ocean is lacking. Here we use compilations of field and laboratory measurements to reveal a relationship between N2 fixation rates and temperature that is similar in both domains despite large taxonomic and environmental differences. Rates of N2 fixation increase gradually to a thermal optimum around ~25°C, and decline more rapidly toward a thermal maximum, which is lower in the ocean than on land. In both realms, the observed temperature sensitivities imply that climate warming this century could decrease N2 fixation rates by ~50% in the tropics while increasing rates by ~50% in higher latitudes. We propose a conceptual framework for understanding the physiological and ecological mechanisms that underpin and modulate the observed temperature dependence of global N2 fixation rates, facilitating cross-fertilization of marine and terrestrial research to assess its response to climate change.
{"title":"Projecting global biological N<sub>2</sub> fixation under climate warming across land and ocean.","authors":"Curtis Deutsch, Keisuke Inomura, Ya-Wei Luo, Ying-Ping Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2023.12.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2023.12.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biological N<sub>2</sub> fixation sustains the global inventory of nitrogenous nutrients essential for the productivity of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Like most metabolic processes, rates of biological N<sub>2</sub> fixation vary strongly with temperature, making it sensitive to climate change, but a global projection across land and ocean is lacking. Here we use compilations of field and laboratory measurements to reveal a relationship between N<sub>2</sub> fixation rates and temperature that is similar in both domains despite large taxonomic and environmental differences. Rates of N<sub>2</sub> fixation increase gradually to a thermal optimum around ~25°C, and decline more rapidly toward a thermal maximum, which is lower in the ocean than on land. In both realms, the observed temperature sensitivities imply that climate warming this century could decrease N<sub>2</sub> fixation rates by ~50% in the tropics while increasing rates by ~50% in higher latitudes. We propose a conceptual framework for understanding the physiological and ecological mechanisms that underpin and modulate the observed temperature dependence of global N<sub>2</sub> fixation rates, facilitating cross-fertilization of marine and terrestrial research to assess its response to climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"546-553"},"PeriodicalIF":15.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139542576","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}
Pub Date : 2024-06-01Epub Date: 2024-03-22DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.03.007
Mengxiong Wu, Tao Liu, Jianhua Guo
Methane-dependent denitrification links the global nitrogen and methane cycles. Since its initial discovery in 2006, this process has been understood to involve a division of labor between an archaeal group and a bacterial group, which sequentially perform nitrate and nitrite reduction, respectively. Yao et al. have now revised this paradigm by identifying a Methylomirabilis bacterium capable of performing methane-dependent complete denitrification on its own.
{"title":"Revisiting methane-dependent denitrification.","authors":"Mengxiong Wu, Tao Liu, Jianhua Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.03.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.03.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Methane-dependent denitrification links the global nitrogen and methane cycles. Since its initial discovery in 2006, this process has been understood to involve a division of labor between an archaeal group and a bacterial group, which sequentially perform nitrate and nitrite reduction, respectively. Yao et al. have now revised this paradigm by identifying a Methylomirabilis bacterium capable of performing methane-dependent complete denitrification on its own.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"526-528"},"PeriodicalIF":15.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140194641","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}