This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Biofilms are the slimy cities some microbes form when they invade a surface. Conventional cleaning products are generally good at breaking up biofilms. But they tend to be harsh on the environment. And while natural products are a good alternative, it takes multiple enzymes to break up the strong polymers that make bacteria stick. But researchers are confident that a natural solution does exist. One team searched the forest floor in the Netherlands for microbes that might produce an all-in-one biofilm-busting enzyme. To coax those microbes out, they enriched forest litter with an especially tough biopolymer produced by forest bacteria: Acidobacteria. Microbes that could thrive in that environment likely produced enzymes strong enough to degrade the biopolymer blend. Analyses indicated the predominance of four bacterial phyla. More importantly, they revealed the main type of enzyme these bacteria secreted: glycoside hydrolases..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Plants are shaped by the many microbes they host. But scientists are only beginning to understand how, especially in underexplored plant structures like aerial roots. A new study shows that the mucilage secreted by these roots can create a microbiome unlike that found in underground roots and nurture an environment that caters to beneficial, nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Researchers made these discoveries by examining the aerial roots of pink lady shrubs—a fast-growing invasive plant. Metabolite profiling of aerial root mucilage revealed a rich cocktail of nutrients that would be expected to support an equally rich variety of microbes. But genomic analyses suggested a mucilage community dominated by nitrogen-fixing diazotrophs. This homogeneous community structure was linked to the presence of the fungus C. raphigera. The antibacterial activity of this fungus was such that only diazotrophs were allowed to thrive, to the benefit of the pink lady shrubs..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

In this 8th grade science lesson, students review the six essential elements of life and discuss how they function in the garden.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"When weight loss attempts fail, people sometimes turn to surgery. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a last-resort treatment that alters gut architecture to cause substantial and sustained weight loss. The surgery alters the intestinal microbiota in the patient, which affects nutrient absorption. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to separate the effects from the surgery from those of the weight loss it causes. In a recent study, researchers used a rat model of gastric bypass to measure the changes in the resident gut microbes. They compared rats after surgery to weight-matched partners that didn’t receive surgery. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metaproteomics revealed that the overall diversity of microbes decreased following surgery. Interestingly, changes varied by location, and the proportion of certain bacteria increased while others decreased. Metabolism-related changes were also seen in the gut microbes, including changes in amino acid and bile acid metabolism..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This month, biologists reported that a bacterial infection has run rampant in populations of a major crop pest in the Southwest. The bacterium (called Rickettsia) is a close relative of the species that causes typhus in humans. Its host is the sweet potato whitefly, a tiny bug that can occur in large enough numbers to form visible clouds. Whiteflies suck the sap from plants and spread crop diseases, causing hundreds of millions of dollars of damage in a single season. In just a few years, the percentage of southwestern whiteflies infected with Rickettsia has skyrocketed from 1% to more than 90%. Unfortunately, this is not the boon for local farmers that it might seem.

Build a gene network! The lac operon is a set of genes which are responsible for the metabolism of lactose in some bacterial cells. Explore the effects of mutations within the lac operon by adding or removing genes from the DNA.

Build a gene network! The lac operon is a set of genes which are responsible for the metabolism of lactose in some bacterial cells. Explore the effects of mutations within the lac operon by adding or removing genes from the DNA.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"A new study published in Genome Medicine adds to the growing body of evidence that Parkinson’s disease is linked to microbes in the gut. Investigating the composition and function of this microbial community, the research team found pronounced differences between healthy patients and those in the early stages of the disease. Parkinson’s disease is most commonly associated with tremors, muscle stiffness, and impaired movement. While these symptoms are caused by the breakdown of nerve cells in the brain, the root cause and progression of this disorder are still not fully understood. Emerging evidence, however, suggests microorganisms found in the intestines may have something to do with it. The human gut contains trillions of microbes, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses. These organisms, collectively termed the microbiome, have been suggested to profoundly impact human health and disease..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Pneumococcal bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae) can cause several different serious infections including pneumonia, sinusitis, and meningitis. Studies to monitor the levels of pneumococcal bacteria ‘carried’ by individuals are called carriage studies and are used to inform vaccination programs. But most carriage study techniques distinguish between pneumococcal subtypes based on their outside structure, or serotype, rather than by genetic strain. Consequently, little is known about strain-specific carriage and interactions between strains. To close this gap, researchers trialed a new workflow using single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing of the genetic marker plyNCR. Tests using mock bacterial communities found that this workflow was sensitive and highly specific to S. pneumoniae. Banked nasal swabs collected from infants during their first year of life were used for a real-world test..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

In this activity, students will explore the concept of binary fission, generation time, and bacterial growth curves, with an emphasis on the log phase. Students will use semi-log graphs and linear graphs to plot bacterial cell growth.

Students learn about water poverty and how water engineers can develop appropriate solutions to a problem that is plaguing nearly a sixth of the world's population. Students follow the engineering design process to design a gravity-fed water system. They choose between different system parameters such as pipe sizes, elevation differentials between entry and exit pipes, pipe lengths and tube locations to find a design that provides the maximum flow and minimum water turbidity (cloudiness) at the point of use. In this activity, students play the role of water engineers by designing and building model gravity-fed water systems, learning the key elements necessary for viable projects that help improve the lives people in developing communities.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Overconsumption of food is one factor linked to obesity. In certain individuals, the pleasure experienced from food rewards may override signals indicating “I’m full.” One possible influencer in this process is the gut microbiome. The composition of the gut microbiota is known to be unbalanced in obesity. But how it contributes to further dysregulating eating behaviors via the food reward system is poorly understood. To assess the role of the gut microbiota in food intake regulation, researchers transferred gut-microbe-containing fecal material from obese donor mice into lean recipient mice. Experiments revealed that recipient mice developed excessive motivation for a food reward and that the gut microbes from obese donor mice altered the brain reward system of recipient mice. Motivation for food rewards was associated with changes in gut microbe-produced metabolites. with the metabolite 33HPP being identified as a modulator of neurotransmitter signalling..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Livestock health is critical to food security, and parasite infections are a major threat. Gastrointestinal helminths have a huge impact on health and welfare of livestock and on food production worldwide. Resistance to parasiticides has become widespread, making the control of these infections highly challenging. Control strategies thus far have targeted either the parasite or the host’s immune response, but a third party may hold the key to addressing this issue. Microbes residing within the livestock gut are likely to contribute to the immunopathology of helminth infections. A recent study examined the relationships between gastrointestinal helminths, the host immune system, and the gut microbiota. Using DNA sequencing and confocal microscopy, researchers assessed fluctuations in the microbiota and local immune responses of vaccinated and unvaccinated helminth-infected sheep. Their results showed that gut microbial composition changed significantly during parasite infection..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Most current knowledge about gut microbiomes has been obtained from studies on mammals, while the microbiomes of fish, the most diverse group of vertebrates (~33,000 species), are less well understood. Specifically, the major influencing factors and unique features of fish gut microbiomes remain unclear. To bridge this knowledge gap, a recent study analyzed the gut contents of 227 fish representing 85 different freshwater fish (FWF) and saltwater fish (SWF) species. rRNA sequencing revealed that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the two most abundant phyla, indicating a different composition from the typical vertebrate microbiome, which is composed mainly of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Habitat (freshwater versus saltwater) more strongly influenced the host microbiome than host taxonomy or trophic level and the microbiome taxonomic and functional profiles were better indicators of a fish’s habitat than of its taxonomy..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"The next time you swat away that fly buzzing around your head, consider this: an international team of researchers has shown that common houseflies and blowflies are more than just annoying insects. Covered with hundreds of different bacterial species, they’re also a type of airborne delivery service, transporting pathogens from organic decaying matter right to your countertops, food…and body. Although flies have been long known to spread disease, the researchers show that we’ve previously underestimated both the number and diversity of microbes that each insect can transmit. The team devised a new optimized way to collect flies without cross-contaminating them with other microorganisms and used the method to amass 116 flies from urban, rural, and natural sites on three continents..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Students are introduced to a challenge question. Towards answering the question, they generate ideas for what they need to know about medicines and how they move through our bodies, watch a few short videos to gain multiple perspectives, and then learn lecture material to obtain a basic understanding of how antibiotics kill bacteria in the human body. They learn why different forms of medicine (pill, liquid or shot) get into the blood stream at different speeds.

Students conduct experiments to determine what environmental factors favor decomposition by soil microbes. They use chunks of carrots for the materials to be decomposed, and their experiments are carried out in plastic bags filled with dirt. Every few days students remove the carrots from the dirt and weigh them. Depending on the experimental conditions, after a few weeks most of the carrots have decomposed completely.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Plants are intimately connected to the microbiomes they host. These microbial communities provide plants with nutrients. and protection from environmental stress. While scientists know that plant-derived factors shape the composition of microbiomes. it’s unclear whether host evolution also plays a role. To find out, researchers recently investigated seeds of the genus Oryza, the common rice plant. They examined the effects of speciation and domestication of rice on seed microbiomes. and found that speciation gave rise to distinct communities of bacteria and fungi in seeds. Similarly, domestication tended to produce variations in the composition of fungal communities while conserving bacterial communities. These findings indicate that while evolutionary processes can affect microbiome composition in random fashion. the environmental changes that accompany domestication contribute to the assembly of microbiomes in deterministic ways..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Ozone is a strong disinfectant known to kill bacteria and viruses. But when pumped into biofiltration systems at low doses ozone seems to have the opposite effect, boosting microbe activity and thus filtration performance all while relieving clogging issues by reducing overall biomass. To find out how ozone improves biofilter performance, researchers examined two toluene-treating biofilters at the microbial level. One served as the control, while the other was exposed to a low dose of ozone. The microbiome of the exposed filter consistently showed 30% higher biodiversity than the control filter with an increased capacity to break down amino and carboxylic acids. In addition, ozonation led to a higher abundance of stress-tolerant and biofilm-forming species causing a shift in the degradation pathways of certain compounds..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Genomics research has greatly increased understanding of the human gut microbiome, but the existing reference databases remain insufficient, failing to map up to half of the sequences obtained in human gut studies. To solve this problem, researchers recently created HumGut, a comprehensive global reference database for the genomes of gut microbes in healthy humans. The researchers built the database by comparing nearly half a million publicly available prokaryote genomes with over 3,500 gut metagenomes from healthy humans worldwide, and retaining the prokaryote genomes that closely matched the sequences in healthy human guts. HumGut was approximately the same size as the recently released UHGG collection and half the size of a standard reference database. However, HumGut outperformed both other databases in classifying metagenomic reads from human gut samples, resulting in a lower percentage of unclassified reads..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.