Journal: Current Microbiology

Abbreviation

Curr Microbiol

Publisher

Springer

Journal Volumes

ISSN

0343-8651
1432-0991

Description

Filters

Reset filters

Search Results

Publications 1 - 4 of 4
  • Biotic Interactions in Soil are Underestimated Drivers of Microbial Carbon Use Efficiency
    Item type: Review Article
    Iven, Hélène; Walker, Tom W.N.; Anthony, Mark (2023)
    Current Microbiology
    Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE)—the balance between microbial growth and respiration—strongly impacts microbial mediated soil carbon storage and is sensitive to many well-studied abiotic environmental factors. However, surprisingly, little work has examined how biotic interactions in soil may impact CUE. Here, we review the theoretical and empirical lines of evidence exploring how biotic interactions affect CUE through the lens of life history strategies. Fundamentally, the CUE of a microbial population is constrained by population density and carrying capacity, which, when reached, causes species to grow more quickly and less efficiently. When microbes engage in interspecific competition, they accelerate growth rates to acquire limited resources and release secondary chemicals toxic to competitors. Such processes are not anabolic and thus constrain CUE. In turn, antagonists may activate one of a number of stress responses that also do not involve biomass production, potentially further reducing CUE. In contrast, facilitation can increase CUE by expanding species realized niches, mitigating environmental stress and reducing production costs of extracellular enzymes. Microbial interactions at higher trophic levels also influence CUE. For instance, predation on microbes can positively or negatively impact CUE by changing microbial density and the outcomes of interspecific competition. Finally, we discuss how plants select for more or less efficient microbes under different contexts. In short, this review demonstrates the potential for biotic interactions to be a strong regulator of microbial CUE and additionally provides a blueprint for future research to address key knowledge gaps of ecological and applied importance for carbon sequestration.
  • Stability of the maternal gut microbiota during late pregnancy and early lactation
    Item type: Journal Article
    Jost, Ted; Lacroix, Christophe; Braegger, Christian; et al. (2014)
    Current Microbiology
    Scarce research has been performed to assess whether the human maternal gut microbiota undergoes changes during the perinatal period. Therefore, in the present study, gut microbiota composition of seven healthy mothers(to-be) was assessed at different time points during the perinatal period (i.e. weeks 3–7 prepartum and days 3–6, 9–14, and 25–30 postpartum) using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and pyrosequencing, and was complemented by short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and calprotectin quantification using high-performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. qPCR revealed the predominance of members of the Firmicutes, Bacteroides, and Bifidobacterium without detectable changes over the perinatal period. Pyrosequencing supported these data in terms of microbiota stability for any population at any taxonomic level, although ratios of members of the Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes differed between the two methods. However, the number of operational taxonomic units observed by pyrosequencing was subjected to fluctuations and the relative abundance of Streptococcus decreased numerically postpartum (P = 0.11), which may indicate that aberrancies in subdominant populations occur perinatally. Furthermore, total fecal SCFA concentrations, particularly the branched-chain fatty acids isobutyrate and isovalerate, were higher than for non-pregnant subjects throughout the perinatal period. This suggests metabolic changes and increased energy extraction via proteolytic, in addition to saccharolytic fermentation, accompanied by low-grade inflammation based on fecal calprotectin levels. Our data show that the maternal gut microbiota remained stable over the perinatal period despite altered metabolic activity and low-grade inflammation; however, it remains to be confirmed whether changes preceded earlier during pregnancy and succeeded later postpartum.
  • Recognition of Host Proteins by Helicobacter Cysteine-Rich Protein C
    Item type: Journal Article
    Roschitzki, Bernd; Schauer, Stefan; Mittl, Peer R.E. (2011)
    Current Microbiology
  • The 2-Cys Peroxiredoxin-Deficient Listeria monocytogenes Displays Impaired Growth and Survival in the Presence of Hydrogen Peroxide In Vitro But Not in Mouse Organs
    Item type: Journal Article
    Kim, Kwang-Pyo; Hahm, Byoung-Kwon; Bunia, Arun (2007)
    Current Microbiology
Publications 1 - 4 of 4