Larvae of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) are an emerging animal model to study the innate immune response and biodegradation of plastic polymers. Both of these complex biological processes are likely impacted by the plasticity of host-microbe interactions, which remains understudied in lepidopterans. Consequently, we carried out 16S rRNA sequencing to explore the effect diet (natural, artificial) has on the bacterial assemblages of G. mellonella in different tissues (gut, fat bodies, silk glands) throughout development (eggs, six instar stages, adults). The microbiome was rich in diversity, with Proteobacteria and Firmicutes being the most represented phyla. Contrary to other lepidopterans, G. mellonella appears to possess a resident microbiome dominated by Ralstonia. As larvae progress through development, the bacterial assemblages become increasingly shaped by the caterpillar\'s diet. In particular, a number of bacteria genera widely associated with the G. mellonella microbiome (e.g., Enterococcus and Enterbacter) were significantly enriched on an artificial diet. Overall, these results indicate that the G. mellonella microbiome is not as simplistic and homogenous as previously described. Rather, its bacterial communities are drastically affected by both diet and ontogeny, which should be taken into consideration in future studies planning to use G. mellonella as model species.

The bacterial communities found in snow algae blooms have been described in terms of their 16S rRNA gene community profiles, but little information exists on their metabolic potential. Previously, we reported that several bacterial taxa are common across snow algae blooms in the southwestern mountains of the Coast Range in British Columbia, Canada. Here, we further this work by reporting a partial bacterial metagenome from the same snow algal microbiomes. Using shotgun metagenomic data, we constructed metagenomically assembled bacterial genomes (MAGs). Of the total 54 binned MAGs, 28 were bacterial and estimated to be at least 50% complete based on single copy core genes. The 28 MAGs fell into five classes: Actinomycetia, Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteroidia, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. All MAGs were assigned to a class, 27 to an order, 25 to a family, 18 to a genus, and none to species. MAGs showed the potential to support algal growth by synthesizing B-vitamins and growth hormones. There was also widespread adaptation to the low oxygen environment of biofilms, including synthesis of high-affinity terminal oxidases and anaerobic pathways for cobalamin synthesis. Also notable were the absence of N2 fixation, and the presence of incomplete denitrification pathways suggestive of NO signalling within the microbiome.

Several biochemical cycles are performed in natural wetlands (NWs) and constructed wetlands (CWs). Knowledge of microorganisms can be used to monitor the restoration of wetlands and the performance of wastewater treatment. The phylum Proteobacteria is the most abundant in NWs and CWs, which plays a role in nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) cycles, and in the degradation of organic matter. Other phyla were present at lower abundance. Archaea participate in methanogenesis, methane oxidation, and methanogenic N2 fixation. S and P cycles are also performed by other microorganisms, such as Chloroflexi and Nitrospirae. In general, there is more information about the N cycle, especially nitrification and denitrification. Processes where archaea participate (e.g., methane oxidation and methanogenic N2 fixation) remain unclear, and several of these microorganisms have not been isolated so far. In this study, we used 16S rDNA or functional genes. The use of functional genes provides information to monitor specific microbial populations, and 16S rDNA is more suitable for taxonomic classification. In addition, several Candidatus microorganisms have not been isolated to date. However, their metabolic roles in the biochemical cycle of wetlands have been described.

Bacterial resistance has become one of the most serious public health problems, globally, and drug repurposing is being investigated to speed up the identification of effective drugs. The aim of this study was to investigate the repurposing of escitalopram oxalate and clonazepam drugs individually, and in combination with the antibiotics ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms and to evaluate the potential chemical nuclease activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, fractional inhibitory concentration index, and tolerance level were determined for each microorganism tested. In vitro antibacterial activity was evaluated against 47 multidrug-resistant clinical isolates and 11 standard bacterial strains from the American Type Culture Collection. Escitalopram oxalate was mainly active against Gram-positive bacteria, and clonazepam was active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. When associated with the two antibiotics mentioned, they had a significant synergistic effect. Clonazepam cleaved plasmid DNA, and the mechanisms involved were oxidative and hydrolytic. These results indicate the potential for repurposing these non-antibiotic drugs to treat bacterial infections. However, further studies on the mechanism of action of these drugs should be performed to ensure their safe use.

The genital microbiota actively participates in women\'s reproductive health. Indeed, a genital dysbiosis (microbial imbalance associated with adverse effects on host health) can lead to vaginal infections (such as mycoses or bacterial vaginosis). Recent data reported that genital dysbiosis (e.g. vaginal or endometrial) was associated with fewer chances of live births in assisted reproductive technologies (ART), via decreased pregnancy rates and an increased risk of miscarriages. The presence or diversity of certain bacterial strains (in particular Gardenellavaginalis, Proteobacteria, Lactobacillusjensenii, Lactobacilluscrispatus or Atopobiumvaginae) within the genital microbiota seem to be associated with the outcomes of ART cycles, suggesting new approaches to improve ART results. In this review, we aim at presenting the state of art on the association between the female genital microbiota and ART success. The diagnostic and therapeutic approaches (i.e. probiotics, antibiotic therapy and transplantation of vaginal microbiota) in the management of patients with altered microbiota will also be discussed. The confirmation of these data in the coming years could significantly improve the management of infertile patients in ART with a more personalized approach partially based on the female genital microbiotic profile.

Vegetation dynamics are known to influence belowground microbial community diversity and ecosystem processes in wetlands. However, the knowledge on microbe-microbe interactions in response to vegetation changes is scarce. In this study, we investigated how bacterial and fungal community composition, as well as bacterial-fungal community interactions, altered along a vegetation gradient in the Poyang Lake wetland. Surface soil and sediment samples were collected from three vegetation zones: dense, sparse, and naked. Vegetation zones differed in terms of dominant plant species, plant diversity, and vegetation coverage. Using Illumina MiSeq sequencing and network analysis of bacteria 16S rRNA and fungal ITS genes, we found that both bacterial and fungal community profiles varied according to vegetation conditions; in particular, the dense vegetation zone facilitated higher microbial abundance and a greater fungi to bacteria ratio. Co-occurrence analysis revealed that fungi-bacteria interactions were strong on vegetated zones, especially in the dense vegetation zone. However, a weak fungi-bacteria association was observed in the naked zone. Our results indicated that aboveground vegetation may act as a hotspot for organic matter accumulation, microbial growth, and microbe-microbe interactions, whereas fungi and bacteria prefer to distribute into niches based on their own nutritional preferences and functional specificity in bare ground.

Over the past two decades, the importance of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) as regulatory molecules has become apparent in all three domains of life (archaea, bacteria, eukaryotes). In fact, sncRNAs play an important role in the control of gene expression at both the transcriptional and the post-transcriptional level, with crucial roles in fine-tuning cell responses during internal and external stress. Multiple pathways for sncRNA biogenesis and diverse mechanisms of regulation have been reported, and although biogenesis and mechanisms of sncRNAs in prokaryotes and eukaryotes are different, remarkable similarities exist. Here, we briefly review and compare the major sncRNA classes that act post-transcriptionally, and focus on recent discoveries regarding the ribosome as a target of regulation and the conservation of these mechanisms between prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

OBJECTIVE: To describe severe malaria cases with bacterial infection.
METHODS: We conducted a prospective, descriptive and analytical study over 8 months.
RESULTS: 15 of the 86 severe malaria cases had bacterial infections: enteritis (7 cases), urinary tract infection (4 cases), meningitis (4 cases), pneumonia (cases), sepsis (1 case), and sinusitis (1 case). Convulsions, jaundice, abnormal bleeding, pulmonary edema were more frequent in patients with associated infections. The average number of leukocytes and CRP were significantly higher in patients with bacterial infection. The mean parasite density was higher in patients without bacterial infection (56,362/mm3 vs. 239,162.2 ± 3326/mm 3 ± 7175.3). Lethality was higher in patients with bacterial infection (20% versus 16.9%).
CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial infections are common in severe malaria and may influence the prognosis.
OBJECTIVE: Décrire les cas de paludisme grave avec infection bactérienne associée.
UNASSIGNED: Etude prospective, descriptive et analytique sur 8 mois.
UNASSIGNED: Parmi les 86 cas de paludisme grave, 15 avaient des infections bactériennes: Entérite (7 cas), Infections urinaires (4 cas), méningites (4 cas), pneumopathies (cas), septicémie (1 cas), sinusite (1 cas). Les convulsions, l\'ictère, le saignement anormal, l\'œdème pulmonaire étaient plus fréquents chez les patients présentant des infections associées. Le nombre de leucocytes moyen et la CRP était significativement plus élevé chez les patients avec infection bactérienne. La densité parasitaire moyenne était plus élevée chez les patients sans infection bactérienne (56362/mm3 ± 239162,2 Vs 3326/mm3 ±7175,3). La létalité était plus élevée chez les patients avec infection bactérienne (20% contre 16,9%).
CONCLUSIONS: Les infections bactériennes ne sont pas rares au cours du paludisme grave et peuvent en influencer le pronostic.

Although alkaloids are frequent in the poison glands of ants of the genus Aphaenogaster, this is not the case for A. iberica. Hypothesizing that in the genus Aphaenogaster, alkaloids are produced by symbiotic bacteria, except for A. iberica, we treated an experimental lot of both A. iberica and a \'classical\' Aphaenogaster species, A. senilis, with an antibiotic. Compared to workers from a control lot, this treatment reduced considerably alkaloid production in A. senilis, whereas A. iberica did not react to the treatment. Furthermore, the treatment induced an increase in cuticular hydrocarbon quantities in A. senilis, but not in A. iberica. An analysis of the ant microbiota will be the next step to confirm our hypothesis.

In this study, the abundance and composition of prokaryotic communities associated with the inner tissue of fruiting bodies of Suillus bovinus, Boletus pinophilus, Cantharellus cibarius, Agaricus arvensis, Lycoperdon perlatum, and Piptoporus betulinus were analyzed using culture-independent methods. Our findings indicate that archaea and bacteria colonize the internal tissues of all investigated specimens and that archaea are prominent members of the prokaryotic community. The ratio of archaeal 16S rRNA gene copy numbers to those of bacteria was >1 in the fruiting bodies of four out of six fungal species included in the study. The largest proportion of archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences belonged to thaumarchaeotal classes Terrestrial group, Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotic Group (MCG), and Thermoplasmata. Bacterial communities showed characteristic compositions in each fungal species. Bacterial classes Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacilli, and Clostridia were prominent among communities in fruiting body tissues. Bacterial populations in each fungal species had different characteristics. The results of this study imply that fruiting body tissues are an important habitat for abundant and diverse populations of archaea and bacteria.