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        <title>Frontiers in Microbiomes | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiomes</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Microbiomes | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-04-27T04:50:06.702+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1672092</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1672092</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Characterization of the gut microbiome of wild Peromyscus sonoriensis in New Mexico, USA]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Andrew M. Skidmore</author><author>Samuel M. Goodfellow</author><author>Robert A. Nofchissey</author><author>Limin Jiang</author><author>Jonathan Dunnum</author><author>Joseph A. Cook</author><author>Yan Guo</author><author>Ivana Mali</author><author>Steven B. Bradfute</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The microbiome is highly important to the physiologies of all multicellular organisms, particularly metazoans. However, the microbiomes of many wild animals remain understudied and poorly understood. Peromyscus mice are commonly used as models of adaptation, mental health, and human disease in biomedical research, and are also common in the environment across North America, frequently coming into close contact with humans. Additionally, Peromyscus sonoriensis are implicated as the primary reservoir for Sin Nombre hantavirus, a rare but severe disease of high morbidity and mortality in humans. Here we characterize the fecal microbiomes of 311 Peromyscus sonoriensis, the western deer mouse, collected from across New Mexico, USA, which will further their usefulness as models of disease and behavior as well as increase our understanding of their ecology. The animals used in this study are geographically diverse, collected from multiple ecoregions, and encompass mice of all ages and sexes. We sequenced the entire 16S rRNA gene in a PCR independent approach and characterized the microbiomes with Shannon entropy, Faith phylodiversity, and weighted UNIFRAC. We found that these mice have diverse microbiomes, with individuals varying in the presence and proportions of various identified bacteria. We analyzed the total population of mice according to age, sex, and trapping location, and found that trapping location was the only condition to significantly impact the microbiome. When the mice were subdivided by the location of collection, there were mild effects of age and sex. When comparing mice from archival museum storage, storage of samples in 95% ethanol resulted in significant alterations to the microbiome when compared to cryopreservation. Differential bacterial family presence was determined using ANCOMBC at the 0.05 significance threshold, and there were many differentially abundant families across all groups of mice. This data set can now be used as a reference for further research into the microbiomes of related Peromyscus species, enhance the use of P. sonoriensis as model laboratory animals, and as a source of novel research questions regarding the physiology of these rodents.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1717288</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1717288</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Understanding the human gut microbiome: from composition to disease association]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Muneerah Abdullah Alali</author><author>Amal Bakr Shori</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The human gut microbiota is critical for regulating host metabolism, immune responses, epithelial integrity, and systemic homeostasis, and disturbance has been linked to metabolic, inflammatory, and immune-mediated illnesses. Despite significant advances in microbiome research, the interpretation of gut microbiota-disease relationships is still limited by an overreliance on taxonomic profiling and observational study designs, which frequently overlook functional, strain-level, and mechanistic aspects of host-microbiota interactions. Growing research suggests that microbial functional capacity, metabolic activity, and ecological features such as resilience and functional redundancy are better markers of gut health than compositional measurements alone. Nonetheless, significant inter-individual variability, methodological heterogeneity, and dependence on fecal-based analysis continue to limit reproducibility and causal inference across studies. This review integrates current evidence on gut microbiota composition, functional features, and important influencing variables, while emphasizing mechanistic linkages between microbial dysbiosis and major human illnesses, filling significant conceptual gaps in modern microbiome research.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1782119</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1782119</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Uncovering leaf and root microbiomes of mangrove trees in French Guiana]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Mathilde Vigneron</author><author>Sébastien Halary</author><author>Sandrine Crochemore</author><author>Laetitia Plaisance</author><author>Nathalie Parthuisot</author><author>Yvan Bettarel</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Microorganisms are now widely acknowledged as essential contributors to the health and resilience of coastal environments. Yet, mangrove ecosystems, despite offering numerous ecological and economic services, remain relatively overlooked in microbial research. In this study, we examined the bacteriome of the rhizosphere and the phyllosphere of two mangrove tree species: Avicennia germinans and Rhizophora mangle. Both species were sampled along the banks of the Sinnamary estuary in French Guiana. Our results revealed notable differences in microbiome composition between the two organs and between the two tree species. On average, only 0.3% of ASVs were shared between the leaves and roots and 2.2% between A. germinans and R. mangle. The taxonomic differences were characterized mainly by the significant presence of Rhodothermia and Bacteroidia in the leaves and Cyanobacteria and Planctomycetia in the roots. Furthermore, our results showed that the root microbiome of both species was only weakly influenced by the surrounding water and sediment, with an average of less than 0.7% of ASVs shared. Finally, our study indicates a strong specificity in the bacterial communities of both the phyllosphere and rhizosphere and also raises questions regarding the near absence of Gammaproteobacteria in both the leaves and roots, which remain to be elucidated.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1815455</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1815455</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: The microbiome in cancer therapy response]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Elizabeth M. Park</author><author>Liza Makowski</author><author>Katherine L. Cook</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1734737</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1734737</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Gut microbiota composition correlates with PBMC microRNA expression following maximal exercise testing in endurance athletes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Guy Shalmon</author><author>Guy Shapira</author><author>Rawan Ibrahim</author><author>Ifat Israel-Elgali</author><author>Meitar Grad</author><author>Rani Shlayem</author><author>Ilan Youngster</author><author>Mickey Scheinowitz</author><author>Noam Shomron</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key post-transcriptional regulators that also take part in immune responses and recovery processes following exercise. While both gut microbiota composition and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-derived miRNAs are known to be influenced by endurance training, potential correlations between these two systems in athletes remain largely unexplored.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate correlations between gut microbiota composition and PBMC miRNA expression following a maximal exercise stress test in endurance athletes.MethodsFifty-eight participants (22 runners, 18 cyclists, and 18 controls) underwent maximal exercise testing, with blood samples collected pre- and post-maximal exercise stress test for small RNA sequencing of PBMCs. Baseline fecal samples were analyzed via 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize gut microbiota. Expression data of PBMC miRNAs and microbial taxonomic profiles were integrated to assess potential correlations.ResultsThirteen significant correlations (|r| = 0.41–0.51, p < 0.005) were identified between gut bacterial taxa known to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)—including Veillonella, Blautia, Coprococcus, Butyrivibrio, Propionibacterium, and Parabacteroides—and the expression of PBMC miRNAs following a maximal exercise test. The significantly expressed PBMC microRNAs included hsa-miR-545-3p, hsa-miR-126-3p, hsa-miR-1292-3p, hsa-miR-6805-5p, hsa-miR-3668, hsa-miR-196b-5p, hsa-miR-602, hsa-miR-324-5p, and hsa-miR-365a-3p, some of which are known to modulate inflammatory pathways and immune cell signaling.ConclusionThis is the first study demonstrating an association between resting gut microbiota composition and PBMC miRNA expression following maximal exercise stress test in endurance athletes. These findings raise the possibility of a complex association between gut microbial composition and PBMC miRNA expression in response to exercise. While causality cannot be inferred, the observed correlations suggest a candidate microbiota–miRNA that warrants further investigation in the context of exercise-induced immune regulation and recovery in athletes.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1777385</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1777385</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Gut microbiota and its association with gastrointestinal symptoms and pharmacological treatments in a sibling-matched cohort with autism spectrum disorder]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Florencia Peñalba</author><author>Andreina Guisande</author><author>Lucía Lamberti</author><author>Camila Rusiñol</author><author>Maite Irastorza</author><author>Florencia Konik</author><author>Claudio Iglesias</author><author>Paula Mendive</author><author>Gabriela Garrido</author><author>Andrés Parada</author><author>Nadia Riera</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder marked by difficulties in communication, social interaction, and restricted, repetitive behaviors. The gut microbiota has emerged as a key factor in the gut-brain axis relevant to ASD. We conducted a cross-sectional study comparing the gut bacterial composition of children with ASD (n=29) and their neurotypical siblings (NT, n=29). To minimize environmental and lifestyle confounders, all pairs were 4 to 10 years old and cohabiting in the same household in Uruguay. We used full-length 16S rRNA gene (V1–V9) sequencing with the latest R10.4.1 Oxford Nanopore Technologies chemistry, enabling high-resolution microbial characterization. While overall β-diversity did not differ significantly between the ASD and NT groups, we identified specific taxonomic shifts. The ASD group was enriched in taxa like Sellimonas, while the NT group showed enrichment of genera like Faecalibacterium and Coprococcus. Furthermore, we found GI symptoms to be significantly more prevalent in the ASD group and some bacterial genera associated with GI symptomatology. In addition, we explored the association of pharmacological treatments. Antipsychotic use was associated with reduced Akkermansia abundance, whereas melatonin and methylphenidate use were associated with the enrichment of Negativibacillus. This study provides novel insights into the gut microbiome of Uruguayan children with ASD, delineating the influence of GI symptoms and pharmacological load on microbial diversity and composition.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1779767</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1779767</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Synergistic analysis of genome-resolved metagenomics and language-based machine learning reveals hidden probiotic genomes in the Indian healthy human gut microbiome]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Arunmozhi Bharathi Achudhan</author><author>Reetumbhara Parthiban</author><author>Tejaswini Ramasubramanian</author><author>Kanchan Mukesh</author><author>Lilly M. Saleena</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe human gut microbiome plays an essential role in host physiology through metabolic activities such as micronutrient biosynthesis and maintenance of intestinal homeostasis. However, a substantial proportion of gut microorganisms remain uncultured, limiting the characterization of their functional roles and probiotic attributes. Genome-resolved metagenomics enables the recovery of microbial genomes directly from metagenomic data, facilitating the exploration of these uncultivated taxa.MethodsShotgun metagenomic datasets from healthy Indian individuals (n = 110) were analysed using the MuDoGer genome-resolved metagenomic workflow to reconstruct metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). MAGs were assessed according to MIMAG quality standards, taxonomically classified, and screened for probiotic characteristics using a machine learning-based prediction classifier. Biosynthetic pathways involved in B-complex vitamins and vitamin K production were identified through comparative genomic analysis.ResultsThe analysis reconstructed 901 MAGs, including 289 high-quality genomes. Taxonomic classification identified 10 bacterial phyla and 109 genera, with Bacillota (47%) and Bacteroidota (41%) dominating the gut microbiome. Probiotic prediction identified 45 candidate probiotic genomes, comprising 22 culturable and 23 unculturable species. The unculturable species Megasphaera sp000417505 (15 MAGs) was the most abundant predicted probiotic taxon. Comparative functional analysis showed a higher abundance of B-vitamin biosynthesis genes in unculturable genomes, whereas culturable genomes contained more vitamin K biosynthesis genes.DiscussionThese findings indicate that both culturable and uncultured gut microorganisms contribute to probiotic-associated functions and micronutrient biosynthesis. Integrating genome-resolved metagenomics with machine learning provides a powerful framework for identifying candidate next-generation probiotics from complex microbial communities.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1691965</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1691965</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Shared taxa but distinct communities: within-individual comparisons of oral, nasal, and urinary microbiomes in asymptomatic “healthy” females]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Sandra Jablonska</author><author>Alex Kula</author><author>Catherine Putonti</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Although microbial community compositions vary throughout the healthy human body, some taxa can be found to reside in multiple anatomical sites. Moreover, some microbiota that have been found to be interconnected, e.g., the gastrointestinal tract and the oral cavity, the female urinary tract and the vagina, the nose (specifically the nares) and the skin. Previously, the urinary microbiome has only been compared to proximal sites; however, several species that inhabit the asymptomatic female urinary tract are also found in distant communities, e.g., Streptococcus mitis, also found in the oral cavity, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, also found in the nares. This prompted our investigation of communities of the oral cavity, nares, and urinary tract, collected from the same individual. In this study, we profiled the oral, nasal, and urinary microbiomes of 26 self-identified “healthy” female participants using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The urinary microbiome was found to be distinct from the oral and nasal communities. Nevertheless, Actinomyces, Corynebacterium, Escherichia + Shigella, Lawsonella, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus were found to be present within communities of all three anatomical sites. Genera predominant within the oral and nasal communities were often low-abundant taxa within the urinary microbiome. To date, comparisons of the urinary microbiome to microbiomes of other anatomical sites is limited. The distinction between the urinary microbiome and that of the more distant oral and nasal site highlights the role that the environment plays in shaping these communities.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1735358</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1735358</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Maize leaf endosphere microbiome was affected by domestication and shows patterns consistent with microbial dysbiosis]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ilksen Topcu</author><author>Julio S. Bernal</author><author>Sanjay Antony-Babu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundWhether domestication, post-domestication spread, and breeding affected the maize leaf endosphere microbiota is poorly understood despite the well-known effects of those processes on the crop’s genetics and responses to the environment. We examined the leaf endosphere microbial communities associated with three plant groups (Zea mays): teosintes, maize landraces, and maize elite inbreds. The teosintes group included Balsas (Z. mays parviglumis) and perennial (Zea diploperennis) teosinte, and each maize (Z. mays mays) group included genotypes from Mexico and USA. We used 16S-V4 region amplicon sequencing of the leaf endophytic microbiota to infer how the microbial communities of inbred maize may have been shaped by the crop’s evolution, and whether they were affected by: (i) the transition from a perennial life history to an annual life history in the teosintes; (ii) domestication of maize from Balsas teosinte; (iii) northward spread of landrace maize from Mexico to the US; and (iii) breeding of landrace maizes to produce elite inbreds.ResultsThe leaf endophytic microbial community differed among the plant groups and genotypes, and was affected by domestication, as indicated by a decline in bacterial diversity and changes in microbial community structure between wild (teosinte) and domesticated (maize) Zea. While the microbial community structure was stringent and regulated in the teosintes, it was variable in the maize landraces and inbreds, as evidenced by greater distances to centroid based on Euclidean dissimilarity metric. This pattern was suggestive of microbial dysbiosis in the leaf endosphere associated with domestication and is consistent with predictions of the Anna Karenina principle. This finding marks the first evidence of dysbiosis associated with domestication. FAPROTAX predictions suggested that the teosintes may harbor microbial communities enriched in taxa associated with cellulolytic, chitinolytic, and nitrate respiration functions, while the maizes showed higher fermentation and nitrate reduction functions.ConclusionsOur results showed that the leaf endosphere microbial community structures in maize are consistent with alterations associated with dysbiosis. Our findings enhanced our understanding of the effects of anthropogenic processes including crop domestication, spread, and breeding on the leaf endosphere of elite maize cultivars, and may guide the development of evolutionarily-and ecologically sustainable biofertilizers and biocontrol agents.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1742803</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1742803</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Trichoderma combined with palm kernel shell biochar promotes root health and rhizosphere biodiversity in young oil palm seedlings infected with Ganoderma boninense]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Saran Anandan</author><author>Asgar Ali</author><author>Anurita Selvarajoo</author><author>Christina Vimala Supramaniam</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) contributes up to 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) in Malaysia. Long-term monoculture production reduced natural biodiversity and increased severe threat by Ganoderma boninense, a causal agent of basal stem rot (BSR) disease. BSR recorded projections of 860,610 hectares of plantations to be devastated by BSR by 2040. While disease management has prioritised good sanitation practices, Trichoderma spp. is a potential solution to combatting G. boninense. In this study, we determined the efficacy of Trichoderma spp. isolate 4A added to palm kernel shell (PKS) biochar (T-mix) to improve oil palm root health. Three-month-old seedlings were observed in control treatments, T1 to T4 and Trichoderma sp. treatments, T5 to 12 with Ganoderma added in T7,8, 11 and 12. Root development parameters such as root architecture, length, diameter, and surface area were observed every two months for six months. Root length of T5 (3.3 m) and T9 (4.4 m) was higher than no-treatment control, T1 (2.5 m) indicating Trichoderma sp. support of root health. T9 (T-mix) has significantly improved root architecture in root scan with denser and multiple root branches as while all other diseased oil palms exhibit stunted roots. The diameter of roots shows similar trend to root length of T9 roots with the highest reading at 5.4 mm. T11 showed the overall improved fungal biodiversity at 6 months post inoculation with potential disease suppressive effects against other common pathogens such as Fusarium sp. This study highlights a new perspective of Trichoderma spp. treatment with biochar to provide protection to growing young oil palm root health, beyond disease control, indicating a beneficial role for early application at seedling stage. For long term application, Trichoderma spp. combined with biochar support healthy fungal dynamics without over-dominating indigenous fungal inhabitants. This is the first study to highlight the role of combined Trichoderma spp. and biochar in influencing the root architecture and rhizosphere dynamics of a perennial oil palm at the seedling stage. Overall, this study presents an exciting opportunity to use a new Trichoderma sp.-biochar solution in the battle against G. boninense.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1653994</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1653994</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The prevalence and distribution of Acidobacteriota in the Nama Karoo of South Africa]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Janca Pieters</author><author>Tersia Andrea Conradie</author><author>Karin Jacobs</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The phylum Acidobacteriota is ubiquitous and a dominant bacterial group in arid lands, playing a crucial role in nutrient cycling and ecosystem functioning. This study explores Acidobacteriota in Southern African arid lands through two complementary approaches. A meta-analysis of 240 soil samples revealed relative abundances ranging from 0.008% to 39.1%, with pH identified as the primary driver of community variance. In addition, 96 bulk soil samples from the Nama Karoo were analyzed using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V1–V9). Acidobacteriota abundance ranged from 2.3% to 12.2%, with Subdivisions 3, 4, and 6 being the most dominant, while rare subdivisions, such as 2 and 9, showed location-specific distributions. Significant beta-diversity differences (p = 0.002) were linked to soil moisture, electrical conductivity, and nitrate availability, and some subdivisions exhibited correlations with organic carbon and nitrate. Co-occurrence patterns with Planctomycetota and Armatimonadota suggest potential biofilm formation and shared ecological niches. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of Acidobacteriota in Southern African arid lands, highlighting dominant and rare subdivisions, localized ecological associations, and the need for future work on their metabolic functions and adaptive strategies in arid ecosystems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1687978</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1687978</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Microbiota disparities in stool, oral swabs, and saliva between control and early-onset colorectal neoplasia groups: an exploratory analysis]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ji Eun Na</author><author>Tae Oh Kim</author><author>Yong Eun Park</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Background/aimThe increasing incidence of early-age-onset colorectal neoplasia (EAO-CRN) in individuals under 50 years old poses a global health concern. This study aimed to investigate the variations in the microbiota in individuals with EAO-CRN compared with a control group, utilizing stool, oral swab, and saliva samples.MethodsParticipants under 50 years of age provided stool, oral swab, and saliva samples. Colorectal neoplasia was classified into the serrated lesions and adenoma–carcinoma groups based on histology and compared with a control group without polyps. The alpha diversity and the taxonomic abundance differences were assessed using amplicon sequence variants obtained through 16S rRNA sequencing and matched taxonomy data.ResultsA total of 45 participants were included: 14 in the control, 13 in the serrated lesions, and 18 in the adenoma–carcinoma groups. Microbial analysis revealed no significant differences in the alpha diversity among the groups. However, the stool samples from the serrated lesions group had higher levels of the families Erysipelotrichaceae and Lachnospiraceae compared with the control group. Analysis of the oral swabs indicated relatively elevated levels of the family Streptococcaceae in both the serrated lesions and adenoma–carcinoma groups. In the saliva samples, the serrated lesions and adenoma–carcinoma groups showed higher levels of the family Lactobacillaceae, with the serrated lesions group also exhibiting elevated levels of the family Bifidobacteriaceae.ConclusionsThis study elucidates the microbiota changes associated with EAO-CRN, distinguishing between serrated lesions and adenoma–carcinoma groups using stool, oral swab, and saliva samples. These findings contribute to the understanding of the relationship between microbiota and colorectal neoplasia in the early-onset population.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1611702</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2026.1611702</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The influence of breast milk microbiota from HIV-infected women on infant gut microbiota colonization within the first two weeks of life]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Privilege Tendai Munjoma</author><author>Jacqueline Wyss</author><author>Arthur John Mazhandu</author><author>Sebastian Bruno Ulrich Jordi</author><author>Stephanie Christine Ganal-Vonarburg</author><author>Rutendo Zinyama-Gutsire</author><author>Leolin Katsidzira</author><author>Bahtiyar Yilmaz</author><author>Benjamin Misselwitz</author><author>Kerina Duri</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundThe human milk microbiota significantly contributes to the shaping of the infant gut microbiota during early life. Influenced by maternal factors such as birth mode, diet, and breastfeeding practices, these microbial communities are critical for infant health. We explored the effect of maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and breastfeeding practices on breast milk microbiota composition and its correlation with infant gut microbiota between 7 and 14 days postpartum.MethodsBreast milk and stool microbiota from 68 lactating HIV-infected and uninfected women and their 69 infants (including one set of twins) were characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Sociodemographic and clinical data were also collected.ResultsBreast milk microbiota was dominated by Streptococcus and Gemella, whereas the infant gut microbiota showed a co-occurrence of early colonizers such as Enterobacteriaceae_unclassified, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus. In contrast, maternal stool exhibited greater microbial diversity, enriched in Romboutsia and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1. Small, non-significant differences were observed in alpha diversity by maternal HIV status (Cohen’s d ≈ −0.38; 95% CI: −3.88 to 0.07), suggesting possible modest to no effects, even though p-values were not significant. Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 was more abundant in HIV-uninfected mothers. Infant HIV exposure and maternal antibiotic prophylaxis had no detectable effect on gut microbiota diversity or composition. Notably, positive correlations were observed between breast milk and infant gut taxa abundances, including Gemella (ρ = 0.33, p = 0.010) and Enterobacteriaceae_unclassified (ρ = 0.31, p = 0.016). SourceTracker analysis indicated that 31.5% of infant gut taxa were traceable to breast milk, with higher contributions in HIV-exposed infants (41%) compared with HIV-unexposed infants (25.6%).ConclusionThis study is among the first to investigate breast milk microbiota in the context of HIV infection in Zimbabwe. We demonstrated that maternal HIV infection and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis did not measurably alter breast milk or early infant gut microbiota composition. Despite limited statistical power to detect small-to-moderate effects, taxa-level correlations and microbial source tracking supported breast milk as a major contributor to early gut colonization. These results underscore breast milk–mediated microbial seeding in early life, while highlighting the need for larger longitudinal studies to define how maternal HIV status may subtly influence vertical microbial transfer.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1707779</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1707779</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Community assembly following disturbance in batch anaerobic digesters displays highly reproducible secondary succession and a shifting stochastic-deterministic balance]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Flor de María Guerrero-Toledo</author><author>Teodoro Espinosa-Solares</author><author>Guadalupe Hernández-Eugenio</author><author>David H. Huber</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The great diversity of anaerobic digestion (AD) microbiomes indicates high redundancy and flexibility in the assembly of the community. Moreover, AD microbiomes are frequently subjected to disturbances during start-up and operation that require (re)assembly. We tested the reproducibility of secondary succession and AD community assembly mechanisms using a pre-assembled microbiome that was subjected to intense disturbances. Microbiome diversity and functions were followed in replicate mesophilic batch digesters initiated with multiple stressors, including high feed-to-inoculum ratio and many foreign species. Three 10 L batch digesters were derived from a single long-term CSTR digester pre-adapted to poultry litter feedstock and operated in parallel. Physicochemical parameters (methane, acetate, propionate, butyrate, pH, N-NH3, COD) were measured. Metagenome samples were used to assess diversity and functions. Three performance phases were found along the successional gradient: (1) methane inhibition, (2) high methane production, and (3) low methane plateau. The inventory of species (>1600) remained nearly the same, however the relative abundance of species, families, and functions changed during each successional stage. Syntrophic bacteria peaked in abundance during the mid-succession, high methane stage. Succession of overall KEGG functions was highly similar although species and carbohydrate functions diverged during late succession, suggesting diversity of niche partitioning during degradation of recalcitrant organic matter. We estimated the relative contributions of stochastic and deterministic processes and found a shift in the balance during succession. Early succession was not dominated by either dispersal or selection while late succession was dominated by variable selection. In conclusion, methane production recovered following severe (non-lethal) disturbance in a pre-adapted digester microbiome through a reproducible community assembly pathway that shifted toward deterministic, variable selection over time.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1731851</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1731851</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Gut microbiota modulation to mitigate stress-induced functional changes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Ruoting Yang</author><author>Rasha Hammamieh</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1702198</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1702198</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Bile acids and gut microbiota: interactions and impacts on polycystic ovary syndrome]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Haiqing Qian</author><author>Jialing Tao</author><author>Lingli Shi</author><author>Haiyan Sun</author><author>Li Yang</author><author>Li juan Cui</author><author>Wenting Xu</author><author>Lihong Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted endocrine and metabolic disorder intricately associated with hyperandrogenism (HA), insulin resistance (IR), chronic inflammation, and obesity. The gut microbiota (GM) is considered a mature endocrine organ capable of exerting multiple effects by regulating bile acids (BAs) metabolism. Disruption of GM homeostasis can initiate various pathological processes, including metabolic disorders, endocrine imbalances, low-grade inflammation, and reduced insulin sensitivity, thereby providing novel avenues for research into the pathogenesis of PCOS. There is bidirectional signalling between the GM and BAs: the microbial community tightly regulates the metabolism and synthesis of BAs, while the BAs pool and its composition affect the diversity and homeostasis of intestinal microorganisms. Dysregulation of BAs metabolism mediated by the GM may constitute a crucial pathological link in the progression of PCOS. The objective of this review is to investigate the function of BAs as a signalling molecule bridging the GM and PCOS, to synthesise the current understanding of the roles of BAs and intestinal microorganisms in the pathogenesis of PCOS, and to explore new treatment strategies for PCOS further.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1701608</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1701608</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The gut–brain connection: microbes’ influence on mental health and psychological disorders]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Pegah Ataei</author><author>Hamidreza Kalantari</author><author>Tamara S. Bodnar</author><author>Raymond J. Turner</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The human gut microbiome has emerged as a pivotal modulator of brain function and mental health, acting through intricate bidirectional communication along the gut–brain axis. Mounting evidence suggests that microbial communities influence neurodevelopment, neurotransmission, and behavior via pathways involving the vagus nerve, immune signaling, and microbiota-derived metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and neurotransmitter precursors. This review critically examines the mechanistic underpinnings of microbiota–brain communication and evaluates current findings linking dysbiosis to psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and bipolar disorder. In addition, it assesses the therapeutic potential of microbiome-targeted interventions—such as probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and precision dietary modulation—in ameliorating neuropsychiatric symptoms. While the field holds considerable promise, limitations, including correlational study designs, small sample sizes, and a lack of standardized methodologies, underscore the need for rigorous, large-scale clinical trials. A deeper understanding of host–microbe interactions may catalyze a paradigm shift in psychiatric treatment, paving the way for novel, personalized microbiome-based therapeutics.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1676639</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1676639</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Multilevel selection theory informs context-dependent mycorrhizal functioning]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Anne M. Katula</author><author>Nancy Collins Johnson</author><author>V. Bala Chaudhary</author><author>Michelle E. Afkhami</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form widespread, ancient, and critically important symbioses with plants, but their functioning and beneficial effects are highly context-dependent. This variability stems from eco-evolutionary dynamics operating across multiple levels of biological organization (e.g., genes to holobionts), making generalizable predictions about mycorrhizal outcomes challenging. Multilevel selection theory (MLST), which posits that selection acts simultaneously on multiple levels of biological organization including in opposite directions, can serve as a powerful framework for interpreting this variability in mycorrhizal functional phenotypes. Here, we outline the key principles of MLST and explore how its application to AM fungal symbioses can improve our understanding of this ubiquitous symbiosis. We highlight how four levels of biological organization important to AM symbioses – genes, nuclei, spores, and holobionts – can serve as one or more units of selection under a tripartite framework for the units of selection. We then examine how ecological contexts, such as stress, spatial structure, and community composition, can modulate the balance of selective forces across levels, ultimately shaping the degree of cooperation among symbiotic partners. We conclude by proposing future research directions using MLST to generate deeper insights into the complexity and adaptability of this globally important symbiosis.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1505565</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1505565</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Microbial dysbiosis in melasma through community profiling]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yugandhar Reddy B.S</author><author>Chandraprabha Doraiswamy</author><author>Deepshikha Singh</author><author>Nagalakshmi Surendra</author><author>Aparna Damle</author><author>Maitreyee Dutta</author><author>Savitha Rajkumar</author><author>Brian Potterf</author><author>Arindam Roy</author><author>Bharat Cheviti</author><author>Tony Dadd</author><author>David Arnold</author><author>Sarah Paterson</author><author>Mukta Sachdev</author><author>Paul Van-Der Logt</author><author>Nirmala Nair</author><author>Nagasuma Chandra</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundThe complex ecosystem on skin comprising tens of thousands of microorganisms plays an important role in health and disease. The last decade in particular has witnessed a surge in microbiome research, which has been elucidating the role of the microbiota in numerous skin pathologies. Of relevance to the current study, are recent evidences implicating the microbiome in skin pigmentary conditions. Melasma is one such refractory, hyperpigmentary condition with a poorly understood pathogenesis. The present study was carried out to characterize the nature of microbial dysbiosis and its impact on microbial community structure in melasma subjects.ResultsThe clinical assessment of melasma carried out using biophysical, biochemical and biomarker-based measures confirmed significant changes in melasma lesions, most notably, those linked to redox, inflammation and barrier properties. A deep characterization of the skin microbiome in melasma from human face, indicated significant differences between lesional and peri-lesional areas. Of the 377 genera identified through an agglomeration of all OTUs at the Genus level through 16S rRNA sequencing, 344 were common, while 12 were unique to lesional and 21 unique in peri-lesional areas. A significant decrease was observed in alpha diversity in melasma lesion as compared to peri-lesion areas, with an accompanying decrease in number of interconnections among them. The differences in the microbiome also appeared to correlate with several clinical parameters, notably with the melasma severity measured through modified MASI (mMASI) scoring. The observed changes in both host and microbiome, point to a potential role for the latter in melasma pathogenesis.ConclusionsOur study indicates that there are significant differences in the microbiome between lesional and peri-lesional areas of melasma subjects, with associated changes in microbial community structures. Additionally, the observed changes were seen to correlate with measured clinical parameters. These findings provide the opportunity to further probe the nature of host and microbiome links that may underlie the phenotypic manifestation, as well as provide effective routes for managing this recalcitrant disorder.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1688681</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1688681</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Impact of DNA extraction techniques and sequencing approaches on microbial community profiling accuracy]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Polina Zoruk</author><author>Maxim Morozov</author><author>Vladimir Veselovsky</author><author>Aleksandra Strokach</author><author>Vladislav Babenko</author><author>Ksenia Klimina</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundQuality control in metagenomic data analysis is crucial for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of research results. Among the key steps in microbiome research, DNA extraction plays a critical role, as it directly determines DNA yield, integrity, and representation of microbial taxa.ResultsWe compared three commercial DNA extraction kits and our protocol specifically developed for the recovery of high molecular weight (HMW) DNA from complex microbial communities, using the ZymoBIOMICS Gut Microbiome Standard. The PureLin™ Microbiome DNA Purification Kit and our custom protocol provided superior recovery of DNA from Gram-positive bacteria, while the Wizard® kit and our protocol yielded HMW DNA suitable for long-read Oxford Nanopore sequencing. Among sequencing approaches, metagenomic sequencing on the Illumina platform provided the most accurate representation of the reference composition. However, all methods showed limited ability to detect taxa below 0.5% of relative abundance. Additionally, taxonomic classification based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data misclassified closely related species due to high gene homology, a limitation not observed with metagenomic approaches.ConclusionsOur study establishes that a customized DNA extraction protocol is optimal for comprehensive microbiome studies utilizing long-read sequencing technologies. We show that metagenomic sequencing outperforms 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing for species-level accuracy, providing a validated benchmark for future gut microbiome research.]]></description>
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