microbiota
Perspective | Host-Microbe BiologyBats Are an Untapped System for Understanding Microbiome Evolution in MammalsMammals evolved in a microbial world, and consequently, microbial symbionts have played a role in their evolution. An exciting new subdiscipline of metagenomics considers the ways in which microbes, particularly those found in the gut, have facilitated the ecological and phylogenetic radiation of mammals.
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyTongue Microbiota and Oral Health Status in Community-Dwelling Elderly AdultsAspiration of oral contents can lead to pneumonia, which is a major cause of death among elderly adults susceptible to swallowing impairments. Tongue microbiota are a dominant source of oral microbial populations that are ingested with saliva. This large-scale population-based study revealed variations in the tongue microbiota among community-dwelling elderly adults. The total bacterial density was independent of the conditions of teeth...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionAnti-HIV-1 Activity of Lactic Acid in Human Cervicovaginal FluidThe Lactobacillus-dominated vaginal microbiota is associated with a reduced risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Lactic acid is a major organic acid metabolite produced by lactobacilli that acidifies the vagina and has been reported to have inhibitory activity in vitro against bacterial, protozoan, and viral STIs, including HIV infections. However, the anti-HIV...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyMicrobiota Reconstitution Does Not Cause Bone Loss in Germ-Free MiceThe microbiota has been shown to be an important regulator of health and development. With regard to its effect on bone health, a previous study has suggested that gut microbes negatively impact bone density. However, we show here that this is not generalizable to all microbial communities and mouse strain backgrounds. Our results demonstrate that colonization of mice, both outbred and inbred strains, did not have a major impact on bone...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Gut Microbiota of Healthy Aged Chinese Is Similar to That of the Healthy YoungWe report the large-scale use of compositional data analysis to establish a baseline microbiota composition in an extremely healthy cohort of the Chinese population. This baseline will serve for comparison for future cohorts with chronic or acute disease. In addition to the expected difference in the microbiota of children and adults, we found that the microbiota of the elderly in this population was similar in almost all respects to...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyComparison of the Microbiota of Older Adults Living in Nursing Homes and the CommunityThe nose, throat, and skin over the subclavian and femoral veins are the body sites which harbor the bacteria which most commonly cause health care-associated infection. We assessed the effect of nursing home residence on the microbiota of these body sites in older adults. We found that the microbiota composition of the different body sites was similar between nursing home and community participants, but we identified differences in...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyButyrate Supplementation at High Concentrations Alters Enteric Bacterial Communities and Reduces Intestinal Inflammation in Mice Infected with Citrobacter rodentiumThe study findings provide evidence that administration of butyrate in a dose-dependent manner can improve the weight gain of infected mice, enhance clearance of the infection, reduce inflammation through altered cytokine expression, and enhance tissue repair and mucus secretion. Moreover, butyrate treatment also affected the abundance of bacterial populations in both noninflamed and inflamed intestines. Notably, this investigation...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceEffects of Exogenous Yeast and Bacteria on the Microbial Population Dynamics and Outcomes of Olive FermentationsFood fermentations are subject to tremendous selective pressures resulting in the growth and persistence of a limited number of bacterial and fungal taxa. Although these foods are vulnerable to spoilage by unintended contamination of certain microorganisms, or alternatively, can be improved by the deliberate addition of starter culture microbes that accelerate or beneficially modify product outcomes, the impact of either of those...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyInteractions of Respiratory Viruses and the Nasal Microbiota during the First Year of Life in Healthy InfantsRespiratory viral infections are very frequent in infancy and of importance in acute and chronic disease development. Infections with human rhinovirus (HRV) are, e.g., associated with the later development of asthma. We found that only symptomatic HRV infections were associated with acute changes in the nasal microbiota, mainly characterized by a loss of microbial diversity. Infants with more frequent symptomatic HRV infections had a...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyAntibiotic-Induced Alterations of the Gut Microbiota Alter Secondary Bile Acid Production and Allow for Clostridium difficile Spore Germination and Outgrowth in the Large IntestineAntibiotics alter the gastrointestinal microbiota, allowing for Clostridium difficile infection, which is a significant public health problem. Changes in the structure of the gut microbiota alter the metabolome, specifically the production of secondary bile acids. Specific bile acids are able to initiate C...