Thermophilic Dehalococcoidia with unusual traits shed light on an unexpected past.

Although the phylum Chloroflexota is ubiquitous, its biology and evolution are poorly understood due to limited cultivability. Here, we isolated two motile, thermophilic bacteria from hot spring sediments belonging to the genus Tepidiforma and class Dehalococcoidia within the phylum Chloroflexota. A combination of cryo-electron tomography, exometabolomics, and cultivation experiments using stable isotopes of carbon revealed three unusual traits: flagellar motility, a peptidoglycan-containing cell envelope, and heterotrophic activity on aromatics and plant-associated compounds.

Incomplete denitrification phenotypes in diverse Thermus species from diverse geothermal spring sediments and adjacent soils in southwest China.

A few members of the bacterial genus Thermus have been shown to be incomplete denitrifiers, terminating with nitrite (NO) or nitrous oxide (NO). However, the denitrification abilities of the genus as a whole remain poorly characterized. Here, we describe diverse denitrification phenotypes and genotypes of a collection of 24 strains representing ten species, all isolated from a variety of geothermal systems in China.

Genomics, Exometabolomics, and Metabolic Probing Reveal Conserved Proteolytic Metabolism of and Three Candidate Species From China and Japan.

JAD2, the only cultured representative of the order , is abundant in Great Boiling Spring (GBS), NV, United States, and close relatives inhabit geothermal systems globally. However, no defined medium exists for JAD2 and no single carbon source is known to support its growth, leaving key knowledge gaps in its metabolism and nutritional needs. Here, we report comparative genomic analysis of the draft genome of JAD2 and eight closely related metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from geothermal sites in China, Japan, and the United States, representing " Thermoflexus japonica," " Thermoflexus tengchongensis," and " Thermoflexus sinensis.

Microbiome Shifts Associated With the Introduction of Wild Atlantic Horseshoe Crabs () Into a Touch-Tank Exhibit.

The Atlantic horseshoe crab () is a common marine aquarium species and model organism for research. There is potential monetary and conservation value in developing a stable captive population of horseshoe crabs, however, one major impediment to achieving captivity is a lack of knowledge regarding captive diseases. We utilized 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to track changes in the microbiomes of four body locations in three wild-caught (tracked over 14 months in captivity) and three tank-acclimated (>2 years in captivity) adult in a touch tank at Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV.

Position-Specific Metabolic Probing and Metagenomics of Microbial Communities Reveal Conserved Central Carbon Metabolic Network Activities at High Temperatures.

Temperature is a primary driver of microbial community composition and taxonomic diversity; however, it is unclear to what extent temperature affects characteristics of central carbon metabolic pathways (CCMPs) at the community level. In this study, 16S rRNA gene amplicon and metagenome sequencing were combined with C-labeled metabolite probing of the CCMPs to assess community carbon metabolism along a temperature gradient (60-95°C) in Great Boiling Spring, NV. 16S rRNA gene amplicon diversity was inversely proportional to temperature, and were dominant at higher temperatures.

Effect of the Synthetic Bile Salt Analog CamSA on the Hamster Model of Clostridium difficile Infection.

infection (CDI) is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and has gained worldwide notoriety due to emerging hypervirulent strains and the high incidence of recurrence. We previously reported protection of mice from CDI using the antigerminant bile salt analog CamSA. Here we describe the effects of CamSA in the hamster model of CDI.