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The degree of protection conferred after receiving an oral cholera vaccine (OCV) varies based on age, prior exposure to Vibrio cholerae , and unknown factors. Recent evidence suggests that the microbiota may mediate some of the unexplained differences in oral vaccine responses. Here, we use metagenomic sequencing of the fecal microbiota at the time of vaccination and relate microbial features to immune responses after OCV using a reference-independent gene-level method. We find that the presence of sphingolipid-producing bacteria is associated with the development of protective immune responses after OCV. We test these associations by stimulating human macrophages with Bacteroides xylanisolvens metabolites and find that sphingolipid-containing extracts increase innate immune responses to OCV antigens. Our findings demonstrate a new analytic method for translating metagenomic sequencing data into strain-specific results associated with a biological outcome, and in validating this tool, we identify that microbe-derived sphingolipids impact immune responses to OCV antigens. The microbiota may mediate the differential responses to oral cholera vaccine (OCV). Here, the authors reveal that the presence of sphingolipid-producing bacteria is associated with the development of protective immune responses after OCV.

The possibility of inducing resistance to the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, in ‘Gala’ apple trees growing under optimal fertilization or nitrogen-deficiency conditions was investigated. The effects of jasmonic acid (JA) at 1.5 and 2.5 mM, and acibenzolar-S-methyl (benzothiadiazole, BTH) at 0.5 and 1.5 mM, applied separately or together, on the fecundity of T. urticae females in a laboratory test as well as on the population growth of the pest in a greenhouse experiment were determined. The influence of both elicitors on the induction of LOX and PAL gene expression was assessed in a parallel experiment using real-time PCR. Jasmonic acid showed significantly higher effectiveness in inducing apple tree resistance to T. urticae, as compared to BTH. This was particularly evident in the reduction in pest numbers that was observed in the greenhouse experiment and was also confirmed by increased LOX gene expression after treatment with JA. BTH induced the expression of the PAL gene more strongly than jasmonic acid; however, this was not reflected in the performance of the two-spotted spider mite in the laboratory and greenhouse experiments. It was also found that the antagonistic effect of BTH on JA might lead to decreased effectiveness of the jasmonic acid used to induce apple tree resistance to the two-spotted spider mite. Although nitrogen fertilization stimulated the development of spider mite populations, the resistance induction mechanism was more effective in N-fertilized plants, which was especially evident at the higher jasmonic acid concentration.

Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera, displays remarkable adaptability to diverse environmental conditions through morphological changes that enhance its pathogenicity and influence the global epidemiology of the disease. This study examines the motility differences between filamentous and comma-shaped forms of the V. cholerae O1 strain under various viscosity conditions. Utilizing the El Tor strain, we induced filamentous transformation and conducted a comparative analysis with the canonical comma-shaped morphology. Our methodology involved assessing motility patterns, swimming speeds, rotation rates, kinematics, and reversal frequencies using dark-field microscopy and high-speed imaging techniques. The results show that filamentous V. cholerae cells retain enhanced motility in viscous environments, indicating an evolutionary adaptation for survival in varied habitats, particularly the human gastrointestinal tract. Filamentous forms exhibited increased reversal behavior at mucin interfaces, suggesting an advantage in penetrating the mucus layer. Furthermore, the presence of filamentous cells in bile-supplemented medium underscores their relevance in natural infection scenarios.IMPORTANCEThis study highlights the enhanced motility of filamentous Vibrio cholerae in viscous environments, an adaptation that may provide a survival advantage in the human gastrointestinal tract. By demonstrating increased reversal behavior at mucin interfaces, filamentous V. cholerae cells exhibit a superior ability to penetrate the mucus layer, which is crucial for effective colonization and infection. Filamentous cells in bile-supplemented media further underscores their potential role in disease pathogenesis. These findings offer critical insights into the morphological flexibility of V. cholerae and its potential implications for infection dynamics, paving the way for more effective strategies in managing and preventing cholera outbreaks.

Two circular chromosomes are a defining feature of the bacterial family Vibrionaceae , including the pathogen Vibrio cholerae , with rare reports of isolates with a single, fused chromosome. Here, we use long-read sequencing to analyse 467  V. cholerae O1 isolates from 47 cholera patients and household contacts in Bangladesh. We identify several independent chromosome fusion events that are likely transmissible within a household. Fusions occur in a 12 kilobase-pair homologous sequence shared between the two chromosomes and are stable for at least 200 generations under laboratory conditions. We find no detectable effect of fusion on V. cholerae growth, virulence factor expression, or biofilm formation. The factors promoting fusion, affecting chromosome stability, and subtle phenotypic or clinical consequences merit further investigation. The pathogenic bacterium Vibrio cholerae typically has two circular chromosomes. Here, Cuénod et al. analyse 467 clinical isolates and identify several independent chromosome fusion events that are likely transmissible within a household, can be stable for 200 generations under laboratory conditions, and do not substantively affect bacterial growth, virulence factor expression, or biofilm formation.

Somaclonal variation is a novel source of useful traits in strawberry breeding. In our previous work we selected K40 clone from in vitro cultures of strawberry cv. Elsanta, which was characterized by high resistance to Verticillium dahliae. The objective of this work was to evaluate the stability and transmission of this trait during in vitro shoot proliferation and traditional clonal propagation from runners. K40, Elsanta and Senga Sengana plants were propagated in vitro for 45 generations/passages or for 4 generation of clonal propagation from runners. The resistance/susceptibility of such derived plants to V. dahliae was tested in controlled conditions in a greenhouse. Irrespective of the method of propagation, the plants of K40 clone were much more resistant to V. dahliae than the plants of the original cultivar and the plants of ‘Senga Sengana’, which is a cultivar considered as resistant to Verticillium wilt in field conditions. This proves that this trait elicited at somaclonal variant is stable and transferable both during in vitro micropropagation and clonal plant propagation from runners.

An alternative reduced-toxicity conditioning regimen for allogeneic transplantation, based on treosulfan and fludarabine, has recently been identified. The safety and efficacy of this new conditioning regimen has been investigated prospectively in patients with AML. A total number of 75 patients with AML in CR were treated with 3 × 14 g/m 2 treosulfan and 5 × 30 mg/m 2 fludarabine, followed by matched sibling or unrelated SCT. Patients were evaluated for engraftment, adverse events, GVHD, and for non-relapse mortality, relapse incidence, overall and disease-free survival (DFS). All patients showed primary engraftment of neutrophils after a median of 20 days. Non-hematological adverse events grade III–IV in severity included mainly infections (59%) and gastrointestinal symptoms (7%). Acute GVHD grade II–IV occurred in 21% and extensive chronic GVHD occurred in 16% of the patients. After a median follow-up of 715 days, the 2-year overall and DFS estimates were 61% and 55%, respectively. The 2-year incidences of relapse and non-relapse mortality reached 34% and 11%, respectively. In summary, our data confirm promising safety and efficacy of the treosulfan-based conditioning therapy in AML patients, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01063660.

This study highlights the enhanced motility of filamentous Vibrio cholerae in viscous environments, an adaptation that may provide a survival advantage in the human gastrointestinal tract. By demonstrating increased reversal behavior at mucin interfaces, filamentous V. cholerae cells exhibit a superior ability to penetrate the mucus layer, which is crucial for effective colonization and infection. Filamentous cells in bile-supplemented media further underscores their potential role in disease pathogenesis. These findings offer critical insights into the morphological flexibility of V. cholerae and its potential implications for infection dynamics, paving the way for more effective strategies in managing and preventing cholera outbreaks.

Extensive research and increasing number of potential industrial applications made ionic liquids (ILs) important materials in design of new, cleaner technologies. Together with the technological applicability, the environmental fate of these chemicals is considered and significant efforts are being made in designing strategies to mitigate their potential negative impacts. Many ILs are proven to be poorly biodegradable and relatively toxic. Bioaugmentation is known as one of the ways of enhancing the microbial capacity to degrade xenobiotics by addition of specialized strains. The aim of current work was to select microbial species that could be used for bioaugmentation in order to enhance biodegradation of ILs in the environment. We subjected activated sewage sludge to the selective pressure of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride ([OMIM][Cl]) and isolated nine strains of bacteria which were able to prevail in these conditions. Subsequently, we utilized axenic cultures (pure cultures) of these bacteria as well as mixed consortium to degrade this IL. In addition, we performed growth inhibition tests and found that bacteria were able to grow in 2 mM, but not in 20 mM solutions of [OMIM][Cl]. The biodegradation conducted by the isolated consortium was higher than conducted by the activated sewage sludge when normalized by the cell density, which indicates that the isolated strains seem specifically suited to degrade the IL.

Milk production declines as dairy cows enter late lactation, resulting in reduced milk quality and negatively impacting milk processability, such as rennet coagulation time (RCT), milk pH and ethanol stability (ES), leading to seasonality issues for milk processors. Multispecies forages, containing grass, legume and herb species, require lower N inputs and are of interest to dairy farmers. However, little is known about the effect of grazing multispecies forages on milk processability characteristics in late lactation dairy cows. Forty-five autumn-calving dairy cows in late lactation were allocated to 1 of 3 grazing forages; perennial ryegrass (PRG; Lolium perenne ), perennial ryegrass and white clover ( Trifolium pratense ) (PRGWC), and a 6 – species multispecies forage (MULTI) containing perennial ryegrass, timothy ( Phleum pratense ), white clover, red clover ( Trifolium repens ), chicory ( Cichorium intybus ) and plantain ( Plantago lanceolata ). Cows were allocated 12 kg DM grazed forage and supplemented with a grass – silage TMR and concentrate. Forage DMI was significantly lower for cows grazing PRG. Milk yield increased when cows grazed PRGWC (18.07 kg/d) and MULTI (17.84 kg/d) compared to PRG (16.08 kg/d). Milk RCT (mins) and ES (%) were unaffected by treatment. However, offering cows PRGWC and MULTI increased the concentration of C18:2 cis – 9, 12 and C18:3 cis – 9, 12, 15 in milk compared to PRG. Compared to PRG, grazing forages containing clover and herb species improved milk yield and beneficially altered milk fatty acid profile in late lactation dairy cows without negatively impacting milk processability.

In this multicenter study, we assessed the use of palifermin (recombinant human-keratinocyte growth factor 1) in the prevention of oral mucositis (OM) and acute GvHD (aGvHD) induced by a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Fifty-three patients with hematological diseases received three doses of palifermin (60 mug/kg once daily i.v.) pre- and post-conditioning regimens (total six doses). A retrospective control group of 53 transplant patients received no palifermin. There was a significant reduction in the incidence of OM of WHO (World Health Organization) grades 1-4 (58 vs 94%, P<0.001), 3-4 (13 vs 43%, P<0.001) and the median duration of OM (4 vs 9 days, P<0.001) in the palifermin group compared to the control group. The incidence of analgesics (32 vs 75.5%, P<0.001), opioid analgesics (24 vs 64%, P<0.001) and total parenteral nutrition (11 vs 45%, P<0.001) was also significantly reduced. The analysis of distribution of affected organs revealed that aGvHD was less prevalent in the palifermin group (P=0.036). There was no significant difference in the onset of any OM after HSCT, time to engraftment and length of hospitalization between groups. The drug was generally well tolerated and safe. Our results suggest that the use of palifermin reduces OM and probably aGvHD after HSCT, but a randomized trial is needed.