Microbiomes – News and Features

Supplying the gut with extra acetate reduces fat and liver mass in both normal and obese mice, as long as bacteria of the Bacteroides species is also present in the gut.

Eating a Mediterranean diet after a course of antibiotics could support the recovery of your gut microbiome, a new mouse study suggests. In contrast, a traditional Western-style diet that is high in processed foods may hinder recovery.

The trend of hypersalinity in coastal lagoons is global, occurring most often in arid and semi-arid coastal lagoons, such as those in Australia.

Scientists discovered that a previously uncharacterized subset of immune cells may play a critical role in the development of allergic diseases and explain differences between urban and rural populations.

Research from the University of Adelaide shows microbial communities in echidna pseudo-pouches undergo dramatic changes while the animal is lactating, which could help in creating an environment for their young, known as puggles, to thrive.

Researchers have now substantiated that certain skin bacteria can protect us from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, specifically by metabolizing cis-urocanic acid using an enzyme called urocanase.

An innovative outbreak detection program that tracks disease-causing viruses in wastewater identified the measles virus in Houston samples collected in early January 2025, before cases were reported.

Microplastics from polylactic acid, a medical biodegradable material approved by the FDA, can alter metabolism at the gut-microbiota interface.

The molecule works by inhibiting the bacterium’s ability to produce fatty acids, the critical components for its growth and reproduction.

Researchers from UChicago show how a typical Western diet prevents the gut microbiome from recovering after antibiotic treatment and leaves it susceptible to infection.