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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Developing Inside A Layer Of Germs—A Potential Role For Multiciliated Surface Cells In Vertebrate Embryos, Ryan R. Kerney
Developing Inside A Layer Of Germs—A Potential Role For Multiciliated Surface Cells In Vertebrate Embryos, Ryan R. Kerney
Biology Faculty Publications
This paper reviews current research on the microbial life that surrounds vertebrate embryos. Several clades are believed to develop inside sterile—or near-sterile—embryonic microhabitats, while others thrive within a veritable zoo of microbial life. The occurrence of embryo-associated microbes in some groups, but not others, is an under-appreciated transition (possibly transitions) in vertebrate evolution. A lack of comparable studies makes it currently impossible to correlate embryo-associated microbiomes with other aspects of vertebrate evolution. However, there are embryonic features that should instruct a more targeted survey. This paper concludes with a hypothesis for the role of multiciliated surface cells in amphibian and …
You Are What You Eat — Exploring The Microbiome Through Inquiry-Based Labs. Microbiome Lesson Plans, Karla S. Fuller
You Are What You Eat — Exploring The Microbiome Through Inquiry-Based Labs. Microbiome Lesson Plans, Karla S. Fuller
Open Educational Resources
If these commonly used spices have the ability to inhibit pathogenic bacterial growth, could they also potentially inhibit the growth of normal, harmless bacteria that live in your body? In this lab, we will test common bacteria for resistance to food additives.
Exploring Microbiome Functional Dynamics Through Space And Time With Trait-Based Theory, Leonora S. Bittleston, Jessica R. Bernardin
Exploring Microbiome Functional Dynamics Through Space And Time With Trait-Based Theory, Leonora S. Bittleston, Jessica R. Bernardin
Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations
Microbiomes play essential roles in the health and function of animal and plant hosts and drive nutrient cycling across ecosystems. Integrating novel trait-based approaches with ecological theory can facilitate the prediction of microbial functional traits important for ecosystem functioning and health. In particular, the yield-acquisition-stress (Y-A-S) framework considers dominant microbial life history strategies across gradients of resource availability and stress. However, microbiomes are dynamic, and spatial and temporal shifts in taxonomic and trait composition can affect ecosystem functions. We posit that extending the Y-A-S framework to microbiomes during succession and across biogeographic gradients can lead to generalizable rules for how …
The Role Of Glutamine In Supporting Gut Health And Neuropsychiatric Factors, Brett J. Deters, Mir Saleem
The Role Of Glutamine In Supporting Gut Health And Neuropsychiatric Factors, Brett J. Deters, Mir Saleem
Biology Faculty Articles
Recent research has shown that the amino acid glutamine can positively affect gut health by supporting the gut microbiome, gut mucosal wall integrity, and by modulating inflammatory responses. As modulated by the vagus nerve, via the enteric nervous system, the gut-brain connection can impact the brain's neurochemical environment. Poor gut health can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters, which can result in neuropsychiatric based conditions such as depression. Glutamine supplementation may provide significant adjunctive nutritional support in cases of depression by promoting proper gut health and function.
Microbiome Analyses Demonstrate Specific Communities Within Five Shark Species, Rachael Storo, Cole Easson, Mahmood S. Shivji, Jose V. Lopez
Microbiome Analyses Demonstrate Specific Communities Within Five Shark Species, Rachael Storo, Cole Easson, Mahmood S. Shivji, Jose V. Lopez
Biology Faculty Articles
Profiles of symbiotic microbial communities (“microbiomes”) can provide insight into the natural history and ecology of their hosts. Using high throughput DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region, microbiomes of five shark species in South Florida (nurse, lemon, sandbar, Caribbean reef, and tiger) have been characterized for the first time. The microbiomes show species specific microbiome composition, distinct from surrounding seawater. Shark anatomical location (gills, teeth, skin, cloaca) affected the diversity of microbiomes. An in-depth analysis of teeth communities revealed species specific microbial communities. For example, the genus Haemophilus, explained 7.0% of the differences of the teeth microbiomes …
Targeted Manipulation Of Abundant And Rare Taxa In The Daphnia Magna Microbiota With Antibiotics Impacts Host Fitness Differentially, Reilly O. Cooper, Janna M. Vavra, Clayton E. Cressler
Targeted Manipulation Of Abundant And Rare Taxa In The Daphnia Magna Microbiota With Antibiotics Impacts Host Fitness Differentially, Reilly O. Cooper, Janna M. Vavra, Clayton E. Cressler
School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications
Host-associated microbes contribute to host fitness, but it is unclear whether these contributions are from rare keystone taxa, numerically abundant taxa, or interactions among community members. Experimental perturbation of the microbiota can highlight functionally important taxa; however, this approach is primarily applied in systems with complex communities where the perturbation affects hundreds of taxa, making it difficult to pinpoint contributions of key community members. Here, we use the ecological model organism Daphnia magna to examine the importance of rare and abundant taxa by perturbing its relatively simple microbiota with targeted antibiotics. We used sublethal antibiotic doses to target either rare …
Microbiome Integrity Of Unprocessed Canis Familiaris Stool Samples Prior To Storage For Fecal Microbiota Transplants, Biyar Ahmed
Microbiome Integrity Of Unprocessed Canis Familiaris Stool Samples Prior To Storage For Fecal Microbiota Transplants, Biyar Ahmed
Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works
Fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) are used for patients with dysbiosis of their gut microbiome or with endogenous pathogens. While FMTs are promising, it has become apparent that the gut microbiome varies between individuals and in the same individuals with diet and age. Therefore, it is difficult to establish a microbiome baseline and assess the compatibility of donor stool since the gut microbiome contains numerous bacteria that facilitate metabolic processes as well as prevent the growth of exogenous pathogens. A recent approach to address this issue is the storage of an individual’s stool samples for later. This storage would prove useful …
Exploring Microbiome Functional Dynamics Through Space And Time With Trait-Based Theory, Leonora S. Bittleston, Zachary B. Freedman, Jessica R. Bernardin, Jacob J. Grothjan, Erica B. Young, Sydne Record, Benjamin Baiser, Sarah M. Gray
Exploring Microbiome Functional Dynamics Through Space And Time With Trait-Based Theory, Leonora S. Bittleston, Zachary B. Freedman, Jessica R. Bernardin, Jacob J. Grothjan, Erica B. Young, Sydne Record, Benjamin Baiser, Sarah M. Gray
Biology Faculty Research and Scholarship
Microbiomes play essential roles in the health and function of animal and plant hosts and drive nutrient cycling across ecosystems. Integrating novel trait-based approaches with ecological theory can facilitate the prediction of microbial functional traits important for ecosystem functioning and health. In particular, the yield-acquisition-stress (Y-A-S) framework considers dominant microbial life history strategies across gradients of resource availability and stress. However, microbiomes are dynamic, and spatial and temporal shifts in taxonomic and trait composition can affect ecosystem functions. We posit that extending the Y-A-S framework to microbiomes during succession and across biogeographic gradients can lead to generalizable rules for how …
Differential Patterns Of Microbiota Recovery In Symbiotic And Aposymbiotic Corals Following Antibiotic Disturbance, Shavonna M. Bent, Carolyn A. Miller, Koty H. Sharp, Colleen M. Hansel, Amy Apprill
Differential Patterns Of Microbiota Recovery In Symbiotic And Aposymbiotic Corals Following Antibiotic Disturbance, Shavonna M. Bent, Carolyn A. Miller, Koty H. Sharp, Colleen M. Hansel, Amy Apprill
Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications
Microbial relationships are critical to coral health, and changes in microbiomes are often exhibited following environmental disturbance. However, the dynamics of coral-microbial composition and external factors that govern coral microbiome assembly and response to disturbance remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we investigated how antibiotic-induced disturbance affects the coral mucus microbiota in the facultatively symbiotic temperate coral Astrangia poculata, which occurs naturally with high (symbiotic) or low (aposymbiotic) densities of the endosymbiotic dinoflagellate Breviolum psygmophilum. We also explored how differences in the mucus microbiome of natural and disturbed A. poculata colonies affected levels of extracellular superoxide, a reactive oxygen species thought to …