Current Research in Microbial Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Comparative genomics of Aspergillus nidulans and section Nidulantes","authors":"Sebastian Theobald ,&nbsp;Tammi Vesth ,&nbsp;Jane L. Nybo ,&nbsp;Jens C. Frisvad ,&nbsp;Inge Kjærbølling ,&nbsp;Stephen Mondo ,&nbsp;Kurt LaButti ,&nbsp;Sajeet Haridas ,&nbsp;Robert Riley ,&nbsp;Alan A. Kuo ,&nbsp;Asaf A. Salamov ,&nbsp;Jasmyn Pangilinan ,&nbsp;Anna Lipzen ,&nbsp;Maxim Koriabine ,&nbsp;Mi Yan ,&nbsp;Kerrie Barry ,&nbsp;Alicia Clum ,&nbsp;Ellen K. Lyhne ,&nbsp;Elodie Drula ,&nbsp;Ad Wiebenga ,&nbsp;Mikael R. Andersen","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100342","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100342","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Aspergillus nidulans</em> is an important model organism for eukaryotic biology and the reference for the section <em>Nidulantes</em> in comparative studies. In this study, we <em>de novo</em> sequenced the genomes of 25 species of this section. Whole-genome phylogeny of 34 <em>Aspergillus</em> species and <em>Penicillium chrysogenum</em> clarifies the position of clades inside section <em>Nidulantes</em>. Comparative genomics reveals a high genetic diversity between species with 684 up to 2433 unique protein families. Furthermore, we categorized 2118 secondary metabolite gene clusters (SMGC) into 603 families across Aspergilli, with at least 40 % of the families shared between <em>Nidulantes</em> species. Genetic dereplication of SMGC and subsequent synteny analysis provides evidence for horizontal gene transfer of a SMGC. Proteins that have been investigated in <em>A. nidulans</em> as well as its SMGC families are generally present in the section <em>Nidulantes</em>, supporting its role as model organism. The set of genes encoding plant biomass-related CAZymes is highly conserved in section <em>Nidulantes</em>, while there is remarkable diversity of organization of MAT-<em>loci</em> both within and between the different clades. This study provides a deeper understanding of the genomic conservation and diversity of this section and supports the position of <em>A. nidulans</em> as a reference species for cell biology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100342"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11787670/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143081425","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":"Genetic diversity of single-celled microorganism Blastocystis sp. and its associated gut microbiome in free-ranging marine mammals from North-Western Mediterranean Sea","authors":"Marianna Marangi ,&nbsp;Sonia Boughattas","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100349","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100349","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Blastocystis</em> sp. is frequently identified in humans and several animal hosts exhibiting a wide genetic diversity. Within One Health perspective, data on <em>Blastocystis</em> sp. distribution and its circulating subtypes (STs) from the terrestrial environment are available, while those from the marine environment remain still scare. A genetic and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis were conducted over the period 2022–2024 by screening fecal samples from four different species of free-ranging marine mammals (sperm, fin, long-finned pilot and Cuvier's beaked whales) circulating within North-Western Mediterranean Sea. 10 out of 43 fecal samples (23.2 %) were found positive to <em>Blastocystis</em> sp. using molecular tools. A predominance of zoonotic subtype ST3 among different species of marine mammals as well as the presence of ST1 allele 4 subtype and even untypable subtype within the fin whale specimen was reported. Moreover, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria within the different <em>Blastocystis</em>-carrier marine mammal species as well the identification of Archaebacteria from Methanomethylophilaceae family within the fin whale isolate were detected by Illumina V3-V4 generated data. The present survey presents new insights regarding <em>Blastocystis</em> sp. prevalence and its circulating zoonotic ST1-ST3 subtypes from the marine environment, as well as its associated gut microbiome, providing hence baseline data for a better understanding of the associated risk and to prevent human and marine ecosystem exposure to these anthropogenic microorganisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100349"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143105137","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":"The endophytic fungus Cosmosporella sp. VM-42 from Vinca minor is a source of bioactive compounds with potent activity against drug-resistant bacteria","authors":"Ting He ,&nbsp;Xiao Li ,&nbsp;Rosario del Carmen Flores-Vallejo ,&nbsp;Ana-Maria Radu ,&nbsp;Jan Maarten van Dijl ,&nbsp;Kristina Haslinger","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100390","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100390","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Medicinal plants serve as valuable resources for the isolation of endophytic fungi. <em>Vinca minor</em> is a well-known producer of important vinca alkaloids and emerges as a promising source of endophytic fungi with antibacterial potential and biosynthetic capacity. In this study, we isolated an endophytic fungus from <em>V. minor</em> and identified it as <em>Cosmosporella</em> sp. VM-42<em>.</em> To date, relatively little is known about this fungal genus. The ethyl acetate extract of this isolate selectively inhibited Gram-positive bacteria, such as methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (MSSA and MRSA). Therefore, we isolated the most abundant compound from the crude extract and identified it as nectriapyrone with MIC and MBC values ranging from 125 to 62.5 µg/mL against MSSA and MRSA strains. We further sequenced and annotated the 39.07 Mb genome of the isolate, revealing that it encodes 9842 protein-coding genes, including 415 genes for carbohydrate-active enzymes and various biosynthetic gene clusters. Our untargeted metabolomic analysis shows that the fungus produces various secondary metabolites, including cyclodepsipeptides, dimeric naphtho-γ-pyrones, and macrolactones, which are known to have antifungal and antibacterial activities. In addition, we used small-molecule epigenetic modulators to activate the expression of silent biosynthetic gene clusters to broaden the chemical profile of <em>Cosmosporella</em> sp. VM-42<em>.</em> Taken together, we provide a first systematic analysis of <em>Cosmosporella</em> sp. VM-42, and our results show that it is a promising source of compounds with pharmacological potential against drug resistant bacteria.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100390"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843828","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":"First report of potentially microcystin-producing Microcystis in the Dominican Republic","authors":"Alfaniris Vargas Fernandez ,&nbsp;Patri Ramírez Ramirez ,&nbsp;Iris García Cruz ,&nbsp;Claudia Reyes Gutierrez ,&nbsp;Adrián Gutiérrez Cepeda ,&nbsp;Alexander Valdez Disla ,&nbsp;Roel Alejandro Chávez Luzania ,&nbsp;Sergio de los Santos Villalobos ,&nbsp;Pedro Leao ,&nbsp;Vitor Vasconcelos","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100389","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100389","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>When the amount of nutrients in water bodies increases, cyanobacteria tend to proliferate rapidly in freshwater lakes and reservoirs, which can trigger cyanobacterial blooms. This increases the risk of cyanotoxin generation in water sources intended for human consumption, crop irrigation, and livestock. This study focused on identifying the presence of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in the Valdesia reservoir, which supplies drinking water to approximately 4 million people in Santo Domingo, Azua, San Cristóbal, San José de Ocoa, and Peravia in the Dominican Republic. Morphological observation suggested the presence of the genus <em>Microcystis</em>, which was confirmed by amplification and sequencing of two fragments of the 16S rRNA gene, as well as a fragment of the <em>mcyA</em> gene involved in encoding microcystins. This is the first report to highlight the urgent need to establish continuous monitoring of potentially microcystins-producing <em>Microcystis</em> sp. in this important reservoir, to implement appropriate water management measures to prevent their negative impact on public health and the environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100389"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143851667","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":"“Reflexions on the role, diversity, conservation and management of the genetic microbial resources in Agriculture”","authors":"María del Pilar Rodríguez Guzmán ,&nbsp;Ismael Fernando Chávez Díaz ,&nbsp;Lily Xochilt Zelaya Molina","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100365","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100365","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100365"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143519312","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":"Environmental biocontamination by SARS-CoV-2 Virus in the hospital setting","authors":"M Espejo Mambié ,&nbsp;D San Jose-Saras ,&nbsp;C Bischofberger Valdés ,&nbsp;C Díaz-Agero Pérez ,&nbsp;JC Galán Montemayor ,&nbsp;L Martínez-García ,&nbsp;M Abreu Di-Berardino ,&nbsp;P Moreno-Nunez ,&nbsp;J Vicente-Guijarro ,&nbsp;J.M Aranaz-Andrés","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100355","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100355","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Demonstrating the capability to isolate biological material from the environment was fundamental to supporting any transmission route. Various and inconsistent methodologies have been used to address this issue; however, the debate in scientific societies about the possibility of airborne transmission as a source of SARS-CoV-2 spread remained open.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To analyze SARS-CoV-2 contamination in the air and on surfaces in a hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study involved air and surface sampling in the emergency, hospitalization, and intensive care unit areas of the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital. A consistent methodology was used for all samples, and clinical and environmental parameters and characterization of each location were recorded.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 234 samples were collected, comprising 160 surface samples and 74 air samples, of which 6.84 % tested positive (13/160 surface samples and 3/74 air samples). High-contact surfaces had the highest proportion of positive samples (12/13). All positive air samples were identified within 2 m of patients who had recently developed symptoms (&lt;5 days). High dependency and elevated temperatures seemed to indicate a higher risk of environmental biocontamination. Additionally, there was a higher risk of contamination in the intensive care units than in the hospitalization or emergency units.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100355"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143241125","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":"Multiple influences on cyanobacterial abundance and diversity in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Economic Circle and nearby areas of China","authors":"Wei Wang,&nbsp;Hanjie Huang,&nbsp;Kangxu Zhao,&nbsp;Junping Lv,&nbsp;Xudong Liu,&nbsp;Shulian Xie,&nbsp;Jia Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100400","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100400","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the frequency and duration of cyanobacterial blooms, which has attracted widespread attention from all sectors of society. However, the processes and pathways leading to the formation of cyanobacterial blooms are largely stochastic, and a targeted quantitative model incorporating multiple drivers is required. A series of fieldwork and analytical procedures were conducted on 11 lakes in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and neighboring regions. The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of location, climate, habitat, metabolism and biology on the abundance of cyanobacteria. The findings indicated that location factors exerted an indirect influence on cyanobacterial density, with a calculated effect size of −0.001. This observation is consistent with the documented prevalence of cyanobacterial bloom outbreaks, suggesting that cyanobacterial abundance is not directly associated with location. Furthermore, the water environment (0.35 indirect and −0.37 direct effects) and climatic conditions (−0.2 indirect and 0.16 direct effects) had significant direct and indirect effects on cyanobacterial cell densities. It was also determined that high nutrients and high temperatures remained the basis for promoting cyanobacterial blooms. It is noteworthy that the microbial community exerted a substantial inhibitory effect on the proliferation of the cyanobacterial community (1.13 direct inhibitory effect). It is hypothesized that the negative effect is derived from two primary sources: the competition for ecological niches by organisms exhibiting similarity, and the direct inhibitory effect of certain bacteria on the growth of cyanobacteria, a negative correlation between acidobacteriota, bacteroide and a variety of cyanobacteria was observed in our study. The effect of specific bacteria is found to be significantly negatively correlated with the prevalence of a wide range of cyanobacteria, which is consistent with the results of many extant studies. These extant studies indicate that the formation of cyanobacterial communities is primarily influenced by microorganisms in the environment. The results of this study will provide new and complementary evidence on the mechanisms of cyanobacterial bloom occurrence and development and the design of management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100400"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143928568","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":"Screening and discovery of an antiviral candidate inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 envelope (2-E) channel","authors":"Han Zhang ,&nbsp;Shuxin Shi ,&nbsp;Lujia Sun ,&nbsp;Shuangqu Li ,&nbsp;Yan Zhang ,&nbsp;Ziyue Li ,&nbsp;Jingjing Hou ,&nbsp;Pingan Li ,&nbsp;Jingshan Shen ,&nbsp;Xi Cheng ,&nbsp;Shibo Jiang ,&nbsp;Zhaobing Gao ,&nbsp;Xinling Wang ,&nbsp;Xiangrui Jiang ,&nbsp;Bingqing Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100409","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100409","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The SARS-CoV-2-encoded 2-E channel is critical in the viral life cycle and pathogenesis. By facilitating viral replication, it promotes the dysregulation of inflammatory pathways, leading to cytokine storm, and triggers DNA damage response (DDR), thus exacerbating disease progression. The 2-E channel, a viroporin, is a promising antiviral target. However, the lack of specific inhibitors and effective screening methods has hindered therapeutic exploitation of the 2-E channel. To address this gap, we report on a fluorescence-based screening assay that targets the 2-E channel activity, resulting in the identification of potential inhibitory molecules. After performing both electrophysiological studies and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analyses, we identified the top-ranked candidate, TPN10518, as a pore-blocking inhibitor of the 2-E channel. TPN10518 binds to a hydrophobic pocket in the C-terminal vestibule of the 2-E channel, thereby inhibiting its activity. Functional evaluation showed that TPN10518 exhibits significant antiviral efficacy <em>in vitro</em>, while, at the same time, effectively protecting against 2-E channel-mediated host damage and suppressing cytokine storm caused by dysregulated homeostasis of inflammatory pathways <em>in vivo</em>. Therefore, our work introduces a screening method for targeting 2-E channels, establishes the 2-E channel as a viable therapeutic target against SARS-CoV-2, and identifies TPN10518 as a promising antiviral candidate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100409"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144189334","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":"Cell wall polysaccharide alters the surface electric potential of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota and enhances acid tolerance","authors":"Kosuke Kato,&nbsp;Madoka Nakamura,&nbsp;Masaki Serata,&nbsp;Takekazu Okumura","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100430","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100430","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>LCPS-1 is a cell wall polysaccharide (CWPS) of <em>Lacticaseibacillus paracasei</em> (formerly <em>Lactobacillus casei</em>) strain Shirota (LcS). LCPS-1 enhances the acid tolerance of LcS; however, the mechanism of action remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate how LCPS-1 enhances LcS growth and survivability under acidic conditions. When cultured in media acidified with hydrochloric, lactic, or acetic acid, wild-type LcS showed significantly more growth than an LCPS-1-deficient mutant strain (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01), indicating that LCPS-1 confers enhanced protection against proton (<em>H</em>⁺) stress. Wild-type LcS also exhibited a significant 73–83 % reduction (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) in negative surface potential compared to that of the mutant. Additionally, wild-type LcS showed significantly more growth than the mutant (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) in the presence of cupric oxide, which releases bactericidal Cu²⁺ ions. In contrast, wild-type LcS was slightly more susceptible than the mutant to lethal concentrations of hydroxide ions. These findings suggest that LCPS-1 modulates the surface electric potential of LcS cells, thereby influencing the interaction strength between the cell walls and environmental ions, ultimately altering the tolerance of the cells to ionic stress factors. These findings provide crucial insights into the role of CWPSs in modulating the surface electric potential of microorganisms, which affects microbial interactions with environmental ions. This enhanced understanding of CWPS function enables the development of more resilient probiotic strains, potentially improving their efficacy in various industrial and therapeutic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100430"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144534316","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 Jarman–Bell principle revisited: Gut microbiota facilitate body size-dependent nutritional strategies in herbivores","authors":"Peng Zheng ,&nbsp;Peng Ding ,&nbsp;Wei-Zhen Gao ,&nbsp;Xi Chen ,&nbsp;Lei Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100508","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100508","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Body size is a key determinant of nutritional strategies in herbivores, yet the role of gut microbiota in mediating these strategies remains insufficiently explored. To address this gap, we examined two sympatric ungulates of contrasting body sizes in an arid ecosystem—red deer (<em>Cervus elaphus</em>, large-bodied) and goitered gazelle (<em>Gazella subgutturosa</em>, small-bodied)—to test three predictions derived from the Jarman–Bell principle (JBP). We applied dietary DNA metabarcoding, plant nutritional profiling, and 16S rRNA sequencing of gut microbiota to assess how body size shapes macronutrient intake, microbial composition, and functional adaptations. Both species exhibited similar macronutrient ratios dominated by carbohydrates (∼88–90 %), supporting the nutritional balancing hypothesis. However, they differed in nutrient targets and microbial profiles: red deer consumed more non-structural carbohydrates and fats, with enriched gut microbial taxa (<em>Paludibacter, Turicibacter</em>) linked to energy metabolism, reflecting an energy maximization strategy. In contrast, goitered gazelles ingested more crude protein and harbored microbial taxa (<em>Prevotella)</em> associated with protein digestion, alongside immune-supporting microbes (<em>Butyricicoccus, Coprococcus</em>, and <em>Victivallis</em>), consistent with a protein maximization strategy. Red deer also demonstrated a greater microbial capacity for fiber degradation (<em>Fibrobacter, Ruminococcus albus</em>) and detoxification of plant secondary metabolites (<em>Clostridium, Desulfovibrio, Prevotella, Variovorax</em>). Functional pathway analysis revealed enrichment in lignocellulose and terpenoid metabolism, indicating an adaptation to low-quality forage. In contrast, goitered gazelles showed limited microbial associations with fiber or phytotoxin regulation, suggesting weaker microbial-mediated adaptation to low-quality diets. These results demonstrate that body size governs distinct nutritional strategies in sympatric herbivores, mediated through differential gut microbiota composition and function. Larger species, such as red deer, exhibit enhanced microbial capacity for fiber and toxin regulation, allowing them to utilize lower-quality forage more efficiently.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34305,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Microbial Sciences","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100508"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145519048","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}