Unraveling the ancient fungal DNA from the Iceman gut.

Background: Fungal DNA is rarely reported in metagenomic studies of ancient samples. Although fungi are essential for their interactions with all kingdoms of life, limited information is available about ancient fungi. Here, we explore the possibility of the presence of ancient fungal species in the gut of Ötzi, the Iceman, a naturally mummified human found in the Tyrolean Alps (border between Italy and Austria).

Limited Variation in Bacterial Communities of (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) Across European Populations and Different Life Stages.

The Nearctic leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is the primary vector of ' Phytoplasma vitis', the causative agent of Flavescence doreé in Europe. Although microorganisms play an important role in the ecology and behavior of insects, knowledge about the interaction between and microbes is limited. In this study, we employed an amplicon metabarcoding approach for profiling the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene to characterize the bacterial communities of across several populations from four European localities.

Selective response of soil bacterial and fungal taxa to biodegradable polymers.

Biodegradable mulching films offer an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastics in agriculture, but their effects on soil parameters are not well understood. A microcosm experiment (20 °C, 75% field capacity) investigated the impact of two doses (0.021% and 1% w/w) of a biodegradable polymer on soil chemical and microbiological properties over a year.

What's on the menu? A novel molecular gut content analysis to investigate the feeding behavior of phytophagous insects.

The relationship between phytophagous insects and plants is a central aspect of food webs and ecosystem functioning. The introduction of new species into an environment can have significant impacts on the food web of a native ecosystem. In many cases, there is a lack of knowledge on the biology and feeding behavior of invasive species prior their introduction and in the invaded regions.

Microplastic influences the ménage à trois among the plant, a fungal pathogen, and a plant growth-promoting fungal species.

Microplastics (MP) can influence a plethora of fungal species within the rhizosphere. Nevertheless, there are few studies on the direct impacts of MPs on soil fungi and their intricate interplay with plants. Here, we investigated the impact of polyethylene microspheres (PEMS) on the ecological interactions between Fusarium solani, a plant pathogenic fungus, and Trichoderma viride, a fungal plant growth promotor, within the rhizosphere of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato).

Correction: Aedes albopictus microbiota: Differences between wild and mass-reared immatures do not suggest negative impacts from a diet based on black soldier fly larvae and fish food.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

The hidden network of biocrust successional stages in the High Arctic: Revealing abiotic and biotic factors shaping microbial and metazoan communities.

Despite the important role that biocrust communities play in maintaining ecosystem structure and functioning in deglaciated barren soil, few studies have been conducted on the dynamics of biotic communities and the impact of physicochemical characteristics in shaping the different successional stages. In this study an integrated approach encompassing physicochemical parameters and molecular taxonomy was used for identifying the indicator taxa and the presence of intra- and inter-kingdom interactions in five different crust/biocrust successional stages: i) physical crust, ii) cyanobacteria-dominated biocrust, iii) cyanobacteria/moss-dominated biocrust, iv) moss-dominated biocrust and v) bryophyte carpet. The phylum Gemmatimonadota was the bacterial indicator taxon in the early stage, promoting both inter- and intra-kingdom interactions, while Cyanobacteria and Nematoda phyla played a pivotal role in formation and dynamics of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts.

Wide divergence of fungal communities inhabiting rocks and soils in a hyper-arid Antarctic desert.

Highly simplified microbial communities colonise rocks and soils of continental Antarctica ice-free deserts. These two habitats impose different selection pressures on organisms, yet the possible filtering effects on the diversity and composition of microbial communities have not hitherto been fully characterised. We hence compared fungal communities in rocks and soils in three localities of inner Victoria Land.

Physiological and genomic characterization of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolated from Indri indri in Madagascar.

Aims: Indri indri is a lemur of Madagascar which is critically endangered. The analysis of the microbial ecology of the intestine offers tools to improve conservation efforts. This study aimed to achieve a functional genomic analysis of three Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolates from indris.

Exploring different methodological approaches to unlock paleobiodiversity in peat profiles using ancient DNA.

Natural and human-induced environmental changes deeply affected terrestrial ecosystems throughout the Holocene. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions provide information about the past and allow us to predict/model future scenarios. Among potential records, peat bogs are widely used because they present a precise stratigraphy and act as natural archives of highly diverse organic remains.

Ecological strategies of bacterial communities in prehistoric stone wall paintings across weathering gradients: A case study from the Borana zone in southern Ethiopia.

Rock art paintings represent fragile ecosystems supporting complex microbial communities tuned to the lithic substrate and climatic conditions. The composition and activity of these microbial communities associated with different weathering patterns affecting rock art sites remain unexplored. This study aimed to explore how bacterial communities adapt their ecological strategies based on substrate weathering, while also examining the role of their metabolic pathways in either biodeterioration or bioprotection of the underlying stone.

Aedes albopictus microbiota: Differences between wild and mass-reared immatures do not suggest negative impacts from a diet based on black soldier fly larvae and fish food.

The "Sterile Insect Technique" (SIT), a promising method to control Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, is gaining increasing interest. Recently, the role of microbiota in mosquito fitness received attention, but the link between microbiota and larval diet in mass rearing programs for SIT remains largely unexplored. We characterized the microbiota of four larval instars, pupae and eggs of non-wild (NW) lab-reared Ae.

Unraveling plant adaptation to single and combined nutrient deficiencies in a dicotyledonous and a monocotyledonous plant species.

Nutrient deficiencies considerably limit agricultural production worldwide. However, while single deficiencies are widely studied, combined deficiencies are poorly addressed. Hence, the aim of this paper was to study single and combined deficiencies of iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P) in barley (Hordeum vulgare) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

Structural and functional microbial diversity in deadwood respond to decomposition dynamics.

We investigated the changes in microbial community diversities and functions in natural downed wood at different decay stages in a natural oak forest in the Italian Alps, through metagenomics analysis and in vitro analysis. Alfa diversity of bacterial communities was affected by the decay stage and log characteristics, while beta diversity was mainly driven by log diameter. Fungal and archaeal beta diversities were affected by the size of the sampled wood (log diameter), although, fungi were prominently driven by wood decay stage.

Characterization of the Bacterial Communities Inhabiting Tropical Propolis of Puerto Rico.

Propolis is a resinous material produced by honeybees from different plant sources and used in the hive as a building material and to protect the colony from parasites and pathogens. Despite its antimicrobial properties, recent studies showed that propolis hosts diverse microbial strains, some with great antimicrobial potential. In this study, the first description of the bacterial community of propolis produced by the gentle Africanized honeybee was reported.

The Unusual Dominance of the Yeast Genus in the Deeper Layer in an Antarctic Permafrost Core (Adélie Cove, Northern Victoria Land) Is Driven by Elemental Composition.

Rock glaciers are relatively common in Antarctic permafrost areas and could be considered postglacial cryogenic landforms. Although the extensive presence of rock glaciers, their chemical-physical and biotic composition remain scarce. Chemical-physical parameters and fungal community (by sequencing the ITS2 rDNA, Illumina MiSeq) parameters of a permafrost core were studied.

A Matter of Metals: Copper but Not Cadmium Affects the Microbial Alpha-Diversity of Soils and Sediments - a Meta-analysis.

Heavy metal (HM) accumulation in soil affects plants and soil fauna, yet the effect on microbial alpha-diversity remains unclear, mainly due to the absence of dedicated research synthesis (e.g. meta-analysis).

Investigating the microbial community of Cacopsylla spp. as potential factor in vector competence of phytoplasma.

Phytoplasmas are obligatory intracellular bacteria that colonize the phloem of many plant species and cause hundreds of plant diseases worldwide. In nature, phytoplasmas are primarily transmitted by hemipteran vectors. While all phloem-feeding insects could in principle transmit phytoplasmas, only a limited number of species have been confirmed as vectors.

Plant species-specific impact of polyethylene microspheres on seedling growth and the metabolome.

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous contaminants. In recent decades, the hazardous impacts of MPs on the environment have raised significant concern. However, little attention has been focused on the interaction between MPs and plants in terrestrial agroecosystems.

Social isolation in adolescence and long-term changes in the gut microbiota composition and in the hippocampal inflammation: Implications for psychiatric disorders - Dirk Hellhammer Award Paper 2021.

Exposure to early adverse experiences induces persistent changes in physiological, emotional and behavioural functions predisposing the individual to an enhanced vulnerability to develop different disorders during lifespan. The adverse outcomes depend upon the timing of the stressful experiences, and in this contest, adolescence represents a key sensitive period for brain development. Among the biological systems involved, gut microbiota has recently been proposed to act on the interplay between the stress response, brain functions and immune system, through the gut-brain axis communication.

The hidden effects of agrochemicals on plant metabolism and root-associated microorganisms.

Agrochemicals are commonly used in agriculture to protect crops and ensure yields. Several of them are mobile within the plant and, being perceived as xenobiotics regardless of their protective/curative roles, they induce a reprogramming of secondary metabolism linked to the detoxification processes even in the absence of phenotype symptoms. Moreover, it is well documented that plants are able to shape the microbial population at the rhizosphere and to significantly affect the processes occurring therein thanks to the root exudation of different metabolites.

Disentangling the Possible Drivers of Microbiome: A Threatened Lemur Species of Madagascar.

Research on the gut microbiome may help with increasing our understanding of primate health with species' ecology, evolution, and behavior. In particular, microbiome-related information has the potential to clarify ecology issues, providing knowledge in support of wild primates conservation and their associated habitats. Indri () is the largest extant living lemur of Madagascar.

Soil respiration variation along an altitudinal gradient in the Italian Alps: Disentangling forest structure and temperature effects.

On the mountains, along an elevation gradient, we generally observe an ample variation in temperature, with the associated difference in vegetation structure and composition and soil properties. With the aim of quantifying the relative importance of temperature, vegetation and edaphic properties on soil respiration (SR), we investigated changes in SR along an elevation gradient (404 to 2101 m a.s.

Do Aerial Nitrogen Depositions Affect Fungal and Bacterial Communities of Oak Leaves?

The amount of nitrogen (N) deposition onto forests has globally increased and is expected to double by 2050, mostly because of fertilizer production and fossil fuel burning. Several studies have already investigated the effects of N depositions in forest soils, highlighting negative consequences on plant biodiversity and the associated biota. Nevertheless, the impact of N aerial inputs deposited directly on the tree canopy is still unexplored.

How multiple farming conditions correlate with the composition of the raw cow's milk lactic microbiome.

Questionnaires on farming conditions were retrieved from 2129 dairy farms and clustered, resulting in 106 representative raw cow's milk samples analysed in winter and summer. Substantiating the efficiency of our survey, some farming conditions affected the milk physicochemical composition. Culturing identified several species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) per milk, whose number increased through 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing and shotgun metagenome analyses.