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:

"Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women and is characterized by irregular periods, infertility, and hirsutism. Patients with PCOS also regularly experience gut dysbiosis, but the specific role of dysbiosis in the pathology of PCOS is not clear. To investigate this, researchers administered two different treatments to rats – the androgen dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to induce PCOS-like symptoms and antibiotics to deplete the existing microbiota and thereby produce “pseudo germ-free” rats. In the androgen-treated rats, depletion of the microbiota did not protect them from PCOS-like symptoms, but transplanting microbiota from androgen-treated rats into pseudo germ-free rats triggered disruption of reproductive hormone balance and altered liver metabolism..."

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:

"In the human gut, a subpopulation of the microbiome belonging to Archaea produces methane through fermentation. Increased methane production is associated with gastrointestinal discomfort and disorders, and 20% of the healthy Western population exhales high methane levels, indicating high gut methane production. However, the mechanisms and health effects are unclear. To learn more, a recent study analysed 100 healthy young adults who were divided into high methane emitters and low methane emitters according to breath analysis. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the microbiomes of high and low emitters had different diversity levels and different compositions. Notably, the relative abundance of the archaeon Methanobrevibacter smithii was 1000-fold higher in high emitters than in low emitters, and M. smithii in the high emitters co-occurred with dietary fiber-degrading bacteria, including Ruminococcaceae and Christensenellaceae..."

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

Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Explain systems biologyDescribe a proteomeDefine protein signature

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:

"_Clostridioides difficile_ infection (CDI), the most common hospital-acquired infection in the U.S., can cause severe diarrhea and even death, and more than 15% of infected individuals experience recurrent infection within 8 weeks. CDI is related to gut microbiome imbalance, but the factors that influence recurrence are not well understood. To identify potential predictors of recurrence, researchers sequenced and metabolically profiled the gut microbiomes of 53 patients with CDI over time. Compared to patients with no recurrence, patients with recurrent CDI had slower recovery of gut microbial diversity, and depletion of important anaerobic microbes, such as certain _Clostridium_ species. The patients with recurrent CDI also had delayed recovery of microbial metabolites in the gut, which was likely associated with dysfunction of the microbiome or of the host tissue..."

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:

"Walking through the produce section at the grocery store, you are likely to find tomatoes of all shapes, sizes, and colors. One variety may be large and oblong with a hint of bitter flavor while another will have small, sweet fruits. This variance is primarily the result of genetic and chemical properties of the different varieties. But it turns out, environment also plays a role. A team of Italian scientists has shown that the molecular properties of tomatoes are strongly influenced by environmental factors such as temperature and moisture. And changing these factors can, in turn, have pronounced effects on the physical and culinary qualities of the fruits – an important finding considering the pace of current climate change. To tease apart the interaction between genetics, environment, and organoleptic traits, the research team grew three tomato varieties in two different locations. This exposed the plants to varying levels of moisture, soil acidity, and temperature, among other conditions..."

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:

"Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is an autoimmune disease defined by destroyed pancreatic β-cells. which results in impaired insulin secretion and hyperglycemia, but one complication of T1D gets less attention than the others: cognitive dysfunction. Previous studies reported that modification of gut microbiota can reduce the incidence of T1D. So, researchers from Wenzhou Medical University hypothesized that modified gut microbiota may also affect cognitive function in T1D. Using an induced mouse model of T1D, researchers modified the microbiota with an antibiotic and measured the impact of these microbial changes on cognitive performance. Antibiotic-treated mice (TD1V) had a disrupted microbiome and altered host metabolic phenotypes. Antibiotic-treated mice (blue) also showed greater cognitive impairment than induced T1D alone (red). The antibiotic treatment depleted acetate-producing bacteria, which lead to long-term acetate deficiency..."

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 omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA may help prevent metabolic diseases and alleviate microbiome disruption, but how these fatty acids affect the gut microbiome and metabolome in diabetes remains unclear. To learn more, a new study examined the gut health of diabetic (db/db) mice fed EPA-/DHA-supplemented diets. Both EPA and DHA improved blood sugar-related indices in diabetic mice without affecting body weight and distinctly altered mouse gut microbiomes and fecal metabolomic profiles. In addition, both fatty acids accelerated gut glutamate degradation, which was strongly correlated with Coriobacteriaceae bacterial abundance. EPA and DHA increased the levels of beneficial short-chain fatty acids, while EPA decreased the levels of the bacterial endotoxin LPS. Notably, all of the effects were more evident for EPA than for DHA..."

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:

"Multiple myeloma, or MM, is the second-most common malignancy of the blood. In MM, malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow crowd out healthy cells. The result is anemia, bone damage, and renal damage. Researchers have now discovered that part of that damage, especially to the kidneys, is caused by a microbial imbalance triggered by MM. Comparing fecal samples between 19 patients newly diagnosed with MM and 18 healthy controls revealed significant differences in the makeup of their gut microbiomes, with patients diagnosed with MM showing a high abundance of nitrogen-recycling bacteria. The accumulation of these bacteria could create a vicious cycle, where they cause a buildup of urea or ammonium (NH₄⁺) that leads to progressive kidney failure and worsening MM and cultivates more nitrogen-active bacteria. Data from a larger population could help clarify these findings and lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating multiple myeloma..."

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:

"Understanding the mechanisms that underpin differences in disease resistance is important for both livestock and human health. The host immune system plays a key role in disease resistance, and that immune system is directly impacted by the gut microbiota. But the exact mechanisms linking the microbiota to disease resistance remain unclear. To close this gap, researchers applied a multiomics approach to an acute colitis model in Min and Yorkshire pigs. Potentially harmful microbial groups were more abundant in the microbiotas of diseased pigs from both breeds. But the Min pigs were markedly resistant to colitis compared to Yorkshire pigs, and potentially beneficial microbes were abundant in the the microbiotas of diseased Min pigs. Associated with these microbial shifts, the pigs had differences in the abundance of microbial metabolites related to gut barrier functioning. The two breeds also had divergent immune responses to colitis..."

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:

"Krill oil is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids which numerous studies have shown to be effective in reducing intestinal inflammation like that associated with inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. But exactly how krill oil helps has remained unclear. Now, researchers have discovered a few mechanisms that might explain krill oil’s anti-inflammatory effects. Test-tube experiments showed that krill oil suppressed the NF-κB and NOD signaling pathways, which are critical to the innate immune response. Krill oil also enhanced the killing capacity of macrophages, bacteria-fighting cells that help reduce inflammation. In pigs, krill oil reduced the abundance of Rickettsiales, pathogenic bacteria found in humans and livestock. Computational analyses also revealed distinct microbial signatures associated with adding krill oil to the diet..."

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:

"Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is used to cure a variety of blood-, immune-, and metabolism-related disorders. However, there are still many serious, even deadly, complications that can arise post-transplantation. Research in adults has suggested that the gut microbiota influences post-transplantation outcomes, but little is known about its role for pediatric patients. To reduce this gap, researchers recently examined the microbial and metabolic profiles of pediatric HSCT patients from a single hospital center. At time of admission, the gut microbial species diversity in HSCT patients was lower than the diversity in healthy controls. This diversity dropped even lower after transplantation, and for most, it did not return to baseline levels. An algorithm identified three community state ‘clusters’ that were characterized by the dominant bacterial groups within them. Cluster 1 was common pre-transplantation, while clusters 2 and 3 were common post-transplantation..."

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:

"Increasing evidence of gut microbe-metabolite-host health interactions has prompted increasing research on the human gut microbiome and metabolome. Statistical and machine learning-based methods have been widely used to identify microbial metabolites that can be modulated to improve gut health, but whether the findings of individual studies are applicable across studies remains unclear. In a recent meta-analysis, researchers searched for metabolites whose levels in the human gut could be reliably predicted from microbiome composition, using a machine learning approach with data processed from 1733 samples in 10 independent studies. While the predictability of many metabolites varied considerably among studies, the search identified 97 robustly well-predicted metabolites that were involved in processes such as bile acid transformation and polyamine metabolism..."

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:

"Amphibians are one of the most vulnerable animal groups on the planet, with over 40% of their species threatened with extinction. A major driver of that vulnerability is the fungal pathogen _Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis_ (Bd). Bd is linked to the decline of at least 500 amphibian species, the greatest loss in biodiversity due to a pathogen ever recorded. The amphibian skin microbiome community structure has been linked to health outcomes of Bd infection, but the functional importance of the microbiota is not yet fully understood. To close this gap and potentially discover biomarkers or disease control methods, researchers investigated the microbiome of midwife toads. They examined both wild populations with naturally occurring Bd infection and controlled laboratory exposure. Infection with Bd led to changes in the microbial community structure, gene profile, and metabolic function in laboratory and wild toad populations..."

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:

"Macroalgae and their surface microbes closely interact in integrated assemblages called holobionts. However, the interactions within these holobionts and the effects of environmental factors, especially in the context of coastal pollution, remain unclear. To clarify this issue, a recent multiomics study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of the holobiont of Taonia atomaria, a Mediterranean seaweed at sites with different levels of trace metal pollution. At all geographical sites, the surface bacterial communities were highly specific to the seaweed. The density and diversity of bacteria living on the seaweed at each site generally increased with the progression of time toward summer, but the proportions of core taxa and specific algal-enriched taxa decreased, suggesting the arrival of new colonizing bacteria. Notably, besides temperature, the copper concentration in the seawater was a key environmental factor shaping holobiont dynamics..."

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:

"Microbial communities strongly affect biogeochemical cycles, ecosystems, and human health. Although studying microbial functions in these incredibly diverse communities was once difficult, new approaches are making it easier. One such approach, metaproteomics, enables scientists to study changes in the expression of microbial proteins over space and time and provides important insights into gene-protein links and microbial functions. The new Metaproteomics Initiative seeks to establish a central hub for the discussion, standardization, and improvement of metaproteomics methods in order to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and advancement of this relatively new field of microbiome research. This initiative, sponsored by the European Proteomics Association, will feature a website, a social media presence, and various platforms and resources for education and communication..."

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:

"Bariatric surgery can improve health outcomes when a patient’s severe obesity is resistant to changes in diet and exercise. These procedures also modify the gut microbiota and system-wide metabolism. The benefits go beyond weight loss and include the resolution of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea, but we don’t yet understand the mechanisms of these metabolic health outcomes. Recently, researchers examined three cohorts with patients who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), sleeve gastrectomy (SG), or laparoscopic gastric banding (LGB). RYGB patients had the most profound metabolic changes, which included changes in the urinary metabolome, the gut microbiome, and an associated metabolic shift. These changes in metabolic activity may contribute to the many downstream physiological effects of bariatric surgery. These results showed that a subset of bacterial species likely drive the observed changes to metabolite signatures in urine and feces..."

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