scholarly journals Vaginal Microbiota of Adolescent Girls Prior to the Onset of Menarche Resemble Those of Reproductive-Age Women

mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roxana J. Hickey ◽  
Xia Zhou ◽  
Matthew L. Settles ◽  
Julie Erb ◽  
Kristin Malone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Vaginal Microbiota ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Gardnerella Vaginalis ◽  
Bacterial Composition ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

ABSTRACTPuberty is an important developmental stage wherein hormonal shifts mediate the physical and physiological changes that lead to menarche, but until now, the bacterial composition of vaginal microbiota during this period has been poorly characterized. We performed a prospective longitudinal study of perimenarcheal girls to gain insight into the timing and sequence of changes that occur in the vaginal and vulvar microbiota during puberty. The study enrolled 31 healthy, premenarcheal girls between the ages of 10 and 12 years and collected vaginal and vulvar swabs quarterly for up to 3 years. Bacterial composition was characterized by Roche 454 pyrosequencing and classification of regions V1 to V3 of 16S rRNA genes. Contrary to expectations, lactic acid bacteria, primarily Lactobacillus spp., were dominant in the microbiota of most girls well before the onset of menarche in the early to middle stages of puberty.Gardnerella vaginaliswas detected at appreciable levels in approximately one-third of subjects, a notable finding considering that this organism is commonly associated with bacterial vaginosis in adults. Vulvar microbiota closely resembled vaginal microbiota but often exhibited additional taxa typically associated with skin microbiota. Our findings suggest that the vaginal microbiota of girls begin to resemble those of adults well before the onset of menarche.IMPORTANCEThis study addresses longitudinal changes in vaginal and vulvar microbial communities prior to and immediately following menarche. The research is significant because microbial ecology of the vagina is an integral aspect of health, including resistance to infections. The physiologic changes of puberty and initiation of cyclic menstruation are likely to have profound effects on vaginal microbiota, but almost nothing is known about changes that normally occur during this time. Our understanding has been especially hampered by the lack of thorough characterization of microbial communities using techniques that do not rely on the cultivation of fastidious bacteria, as well as a dearth of studies on girls in the early to middle stages of puberty. This study improves our understanding of the normal development of vaginal microbiota during puberty and onset of menarche and may better inform clinical approaches to vulvovaginal care of adolescent girls.

scholarly journals Diversity and Dynamics of Seaweed Associated Microbial Communities Inhabiting the Lagoon of Venice

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1657
Author(s):  
Abdul-Salam Juhmani ◽  
Alessandro Vezzi ◽  
Mohammad Wahsha ◽  
Alessandro Buosi ◽  
Fabio De Pascale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Bacterial Communities ◽  
Host Response ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Lagoon Of Venice ◽  
Anthropogenic Stressors ◽  
Rich Diversity

Seaweeds are a group of essential photosynthetic organisms that harbor a rich diversity of associated microbial communities with substantial functions related to host health and defense. Environmental and anthropogenic stressors may disrupt the microbial communities and their metabolic activity, leading to host physiological alterations that negatively affect seaweeds’ performance and survival. Here, the bacterial communities associated with one of the most common seaweed, Ulva laetevirens Areshough, were sampled over a year at three sites of the lagoon of Venice affected by different environmental and anthropogenic stressors. Bacterial communities were characterized through Illumina sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region of 16S rRNA genes. The study demonstrated that the seaweed associated bacterial communities at sites impacted by environmental stressors were host-specific and differed significantly from the less affected site. Furthermore, these communities were significantly distinct from those of the surrounding seawater. The bacterial communities’ composition was significantly correlated with environmental parameters (nutrient concentrations, dissolved oxygen saturation, and pH) across sites. This study showed that several more abundant bacteria on U. laetevirens at stressed sites belonged to taxa related to the host response to the stressors. Overall, environmental parameters and anthropogenic stressors were shown to substantially affect seaweed associated bacterial communities, which reflect the host response to environmental variations.

scholarly journals Habitat Elevation Shapes Microbial Community Composition and Alter the Metabolic Functions in Wild Sable (Martes zibellina) Guts

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 865
Author(s):  
Lantian Su ◽  
Xinxin Liu ◽  
Guangyao Jin ◽  
Yue Ma ◽  
Haoxin Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Functional Genes ◽  
Martes Zibellina ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Metabolic Functions

In recent decades, wild sable (Carnivora Mustelidae Martes zibellina) habitats, which are often natural forests, have been squeezed by anthropogenic disturbances such as clear-cutting, tilling and grazing. Sables tend to live in sloped areas with relatively harsh conditions. Here, we determine effects of environmental factors on wild sable gut microbial communities between high and low altitude habitats using Illumina Miseq sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Our results showed that despite wild sable gut microbial community diversity being resilient to many environmental factors, community composition was sensitive to altitude. Wild sable gut microbial communities were dominated by Firmicutes (relative abundance 38.23%), followed by Actinobacteria (30.29%), and Proteobacteria (28.15%). Altitude was negatively correlated with the abundance of Firmicutes, suggesting sable likely consume more vegetarian food in lower habitats where plant diversity, temperature and vegetation coverage were greater. In addition, our functional genes prediction and qPCR results demonstrated that energy/fat processing microorganisms and functional genes are enriched with increasing altitude, which likely enhanced metabolic functions and supported wild sables to survive in elevated habitats. Overall, our results improve the knowledge of the ecological impact of habitat change, providing insights into wild animal protection at the mountain area with hash climate conditions.

scholarly journals Novel Microbial Assemblages Dominate Weathered Sulfide-Bearing Rock from Copper-Nickel Deposits in the Duluth Complex, Minnesota, USA

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Jones ◽  
Kim A. Lapakko ◽  
Zachary J. Wenz ◽  
Michael C. Olson ◽  
Elizabeth W. Roepke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Microbial Ecology ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
Experimental Treatment ◽  
Sulfide Mineral ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Duluth Complex ◽  
Copper Nickel

ABSTRACT The Duluth Complex in northeastern Minnesota hosts economically significant deposits of copper, nickel, and platinum group elements (PGEs). The primary sulfide mineralogy of these deposits includes the minerals pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite, and cubanite, and weathering experiments show that most sulfide-bearing rock from the Duluth Complex generates moderately acidic leachate (pH 4 to 6). Microorganisms are important catalysts for metal sulfide oxidation and could influence the quality of water from mines in the Duluth Complex. Nevertheless, compared with that of extremely acidic environments, much less is known about the microbial ecology of moderately acidic sulfide-bearing mine waste, and so existing information may have little relevance to those microorganisms catalyzing oxidation reactions in the Duluth Complex. Here, we characterized the microbial communities in decade-long weathering experiments (kinetic tests) conducted on crushed rock and tailings from the Duluth Complex. Analyses of 16S rRNA genes and transcripts showed that differences among microbial communities correspond to pH, rock type, and experimental treatment. Moreover, microbial communities from the weathered Duluth Complex rock were dominated by taxa that are not typically associated with acidic mine waste. The most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were from the genera Meiothermus and Sulfuriferula, as well as from diverse clades of uncultivated Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, and Betaproteobacteria. Specific taxa, including putative sulfur-oxidizing Sulfuriferula spp., appeared to be primarily associated with Duluth Complex rock, but not pyrite-bearing rocks subjected to the same experimental treatment. We discuss the implications of these results for the microbial ecology of moderately acidic mine waste with low sulfide content, as well as for kinetic testing of mine waste. IMPORTANCE Economic sulfide mineral deposits in the Duluth Complex may represent the largest undeveloped source of copper and nickel on Earth. Microorganisms are important catalysts for sulfide mineral oxidation, and research on extreme acidophiles has improved our ability to manage and remediate mine wastes. We found that the microbial assemblages associated with weathered rock from the Duluth Complex are dominated by organisms not widely associated with mine waste or mining-impacted environments, and we describe geochemical and experimental influences on community composition. This report will be a useful foundation for understanding the microbial biogeochemistry of moderately acidic mine waste from these and similar deposits.

scholarly journals Effect of Heat Stress on Bacterial Composition and Metabolism in the Rumen of Lactating Dairy Cows

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 925
Author(s):  
Zhao ◽  
Min ◽  
Zheng ◽  
Wang
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Bacterial Composition ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows

Heat stress negatively impacts the health and milk production of dairy cows, and ruminal microbial populations play an important role in dairy cattle’s milk production. Currently there are no available studies that investigate heat stress-associated changes in the rumen microbiome of lactating dairy cattle. Improved understanding of the link between heat stress and the ruminal microbiome may be beneficial in developing strategies for relieving the influence of heat stress on ruminants by manipulating ruminal microbial composition. In this study, we investigated the ruminal bacterial composition and metabolites in heat stressed and non-heat stressed dairy cows. Eighteen lactating dairy cows were divided into two treatment groups, one with heat stress and one without heat stress. Dry matter intake was measured and rumen fluid from all cows in both groups was collected. The bacterial 16S rRNA genes in the ruminal fluid were sequenced, and the rumen pH and the lactate and acetate of the bacterial metabolites were quantified. Heat stress was associated with significantly decreased dry matter intake and milk production. Rumen pH and rumen acetate concentrations were significantly decreased in the heat stressed group, while ruminal lactate concentration increased. The influence of heat stress on the microbial bacterial community structure was minor. However, heat stress was associated with an increase in lactate producing bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus and unclassified Enterobacteriaceae), and with an increase in Ruminobacter, Treponema, and unclassified Bacteroidaceae, all of which utilize soluble carbohydrates as an energy source. The relative abundance of acetate-producing bacterium Acetobacter decreased during heat stress. We concluded that heat stress is associated with changes in ruminal bacterial composition and metabolites, with more lactate and less acetate-producing species in the population, which potentially negatively affects milk production.

scholarly journals Identification of a Stable Hydrogen-Driven Microbiome in a Highly Radioactive Storage Facility on the Sellafield Site

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Ruiz-Lopez ◽  
Lynn Foster ◽  
Chris Boothman ◽  
Nick Cole ◽  
Katherine Morris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Spent Fuel

The use of nuclear power has been a significant part of the United Kingdom’s energy portfolio with the Sellafield site being used for power production and more recently reprocessing and decommissioning of spent nuclear fuel activities. Before being reprocessed, spent nuclear fuel is stored in water ponds with significant levels of background radioactivity and in high alkalinity (to minimize fuel corrosion). Despite these challenging conditions, the presence of microbial communities has been detected. To gain further insight into the microbial communities present in extreme environments, an indoor, hyper-alkaline, oligotrophic, and radioactive spent fuel storage pond (INP) located on the Sellafield site was analyzed. Water samples were collected from sample points within the INP complex, and also the purge water feeding tank (FT) that supplies water to the pond, and were screened for the presence of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes to inform sequencing requirements over a period of 30 months. Only 16S rRNA genes were successfully amplified for sequencing, suggesting that the microbial communities in the INP were dominated by prokaryotes. Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) analysis targeting 16S rRNA genes suggested that bacterial cells in the order of 104–106 mL–1 were present in the samples, with loadings rising with time. Next generation Illumina MiSeq sequencing was performed to identify the dominant microorganisms at eight sampling times. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis suggested that 70% and 91% from of the OTUs samples, from the FT and INP respectively, belonged to the phylum Proteobacteria, mainly from the alpha and beta subclasses. The remaining OTUs were assigned primarily to the phyla Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and, Cyanobacteria. Overall the most abundant genera identified were Hydrogenophaga, Curvibacter, Porphyrobacter, Rhodoferax, Polaromonas, Sediminibacterium, Roseococcus, and Sphingomonas. The presence of organisms most closely related to Hydrogenophaga species in the INP areas, suggests the metabolism of hydrogen as an energy source, most likely linked to hydrolysis of water caused by the stored fuel. Isolation of axenic cultures using a range of minimal and rich media was also attempted, but only relatively minor components (from the phylum Bacteroidetes) of the pond water communities were obtained, emphasizing the importance of DNA-based, not culture-dependent techniques, for assessing the microbiome of nuclear facilities.

Identification of prevalent microbial communities in a municipal solid waste landfill

2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 139-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Calli ◽  
S. Durmaz ◽  
B. Mertoglu
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Fish Analysis ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste Landfill ◽  
Waste Landfill

To identify the microbial communities in Istanbul, Odayeri Municipal Solid Waste Landfill, leachate samples were collected from different sections at different stabilization phases. In identification of microbial communities in leachate samples, molecular techniques such as FISH, DGGE and cloning based on 16S rRNA and mcrA genes were used. As the chemical and microbiological compositions of the samples were compared, obvious correlations were found between the stability of the landfill section and abundance of active methanogens. On the other hand, there were considerable differences between acidogenic and mature leachate samples in DGGE profiles of archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Moreover, in acidogenic leachate samples having BOD5/COD ratio of about 0.5 acetate utilizing Methanosarcina and Methanosaeta species were intensively detected in FISH. Although only very few H2-utilizing methanogens were identified with FISH analysis, most of the clones isolated from mature leachate samples clustered within H2-utilizing Methanobacteriales and Methanomicrobiales according to phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and mcrA clones, respectively.

scholarly journals Comparison of Microbial Community Compositions of Two Subglacial Environments Reveals a Possible Role for Microbes in Chemical Weathering Processes

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (11) ◽  
pp. 6986-6997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Skidmore ◽  
Suzanne P. Anderson ◽  
Martin Sharp ◽  
Julia Foght ◽  
Brian D. Lanoil
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
16S Rrna ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Blot Hybridization ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Solute Flux ◽  
Carbonate Dissolution ◽  
Dot Blot ◽  
Dot Blot Hybridization

ABSTRACT Viable microbes have been detected beneath several geographically distant glaciers underlain by different lithologies, but comparisons of their microbial communities have not previously been made. This study compared the microbial community compositions of samples from two glaciers overlying differing bedrock. Bulk meltwater chemistry indicates that sulfide oxidation and carbonate dissolution account for 90% of the solute flux from Bench Glacier, Alaska, whereas gypsum/anhydrite and carbonate dissolution accounts for the majority of the flux from John Evans Glacier, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. The microbial communities were examined using two techniques: clone libraries and dot blot hybridization of 16S rRNA genes. Two hundred twenty-seven clones containing amplified 16S rRNA genes were prepared from subglacial samples, and the gene sequences were analyzed phylogenetically. Although some phylogenetic groups, including the Betaproteobacteria, were abundant in clone libraries from both glaciers, other well-represented groups were found at only one glacier. Group-specific oligonucleotide probes were developed for two phylogenetic clusters that were of particular interest because of their abundance or inferred biochemical capabilities. These probes were used in quantitative dot blot hybridization assays with a range of samples from the two glaciers. In addition to shared phyla at both glaciers, each glacier also harbored a subglacial microbial population that correlated with the observed aqueous geochemistry. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that microbial activity is an important contributor to the solute flux from glaciers.

scholarly journals Defining the Core Citrus Leaf- and Root-Associated Microbiota: Factors Associated with Community Structure and Implications for Managing Huanglongbing (Citrus Greening) Disease

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan A. Blaustein ◽  
Graciela L. Lorca ◽  
Julie L. Meyer ◽  
Claudio F. Gonzalez ◽  
Max Teplitski
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Illumina Sequencing ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
Symptom Progression

ABSTRACTStable associations between plants and microbes are critical to promoting host health and productivity. The objective of this work was to test the hypothesis that restructuring of the core microbiota may be associated with the progression of huanglongbing (HLB), the devastating citrus disease caused byLiberibacter asiaticus,Liberibacter americanus, andLiberibacter africanus. The microbial communities of leaves (n= 94) and roots (n= 79) from citrus trees that varied by HLB symptom severity, cultivar, location, and season/time were characterized with Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. The taxonomically rich communities contained abundant core members (i.e., detected in at least 95% of the respective leaf or root samples), some overrepresented site-specific members, and a diverse community of low-abundance variable taxa. The composition and diversity of the leaf and root microbiota were strongly associated with HLB symptom severity and location; there was also an association with host cultivar. The relative abundance ofLiberibacterspp. among leaf microbiota positively correlated with HLB symptom severity and negatively correlated with alpha diversity, suggesting that community diversity decreases as symptoms progress. Network analysis of the microbial community time series identified a mutually exclusive relationship betweenLiberibacterspp. and members of theBurkholderiaceae,Micromonosporaceae, andXanthomonadaceae. This work confirmed several previously described plant disease-associated bacteria, as well as identified new potential implications for biological control. Our findings advance the understanding of (i) plant microbiota selection across multiple variables and (ii) changes in (core) community structure that may be a precondition to disease establishment and/or may be associated with symptom progression.IMPORTANCEThis study provides a comprehensive overview of the core microbial community within the microbiomes of plant hosts that vary in extent of disease symptom progression. With 16S Illumina sequencing analyses, we not only confirmed previously described bacterial associations with plant health (e.g., potentially beneficial bacteria) but also identified new associations and potential interactions between certain bacteria and an economically important phytopathogen. The importance of core taxa within broader plant-associated microbial communities is discussed.

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