Journal of Microbiology

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Ecological characteristics of the truncal skin mycobiome in acne and its association with doxycycline exposure: Hyun Ji Lee, Yong-Joon Cho, Nayan Jin, Piyapat Rintarhat, Won Hee Jung, Hei Sung Kim; J. Microbiol. 2026;64(1):e2511019. Published online January 31, 2026; DOI: https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2511019

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Truncal acne significantly impairs quality of life yet remains underexplored relative to facial acne, particularly with respect to fungal ecology. The trunk represents a distinct cutaneous niche characterized by thicker epidermis, larger follicular units, and frequent occlusion, and harbors a high abundance of Malassezia species. In this study, we used internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) amplicon sequencing to characterize the truncal mycobiome in patients with acne and in healthy controls and to compare fungal community features across doxycycline exposure groups. Although serial sampling was planned, seven participants contributed a single follow-up sample after doxycycline treatment, and only two participants contributed multiple follow-up samples sufficient for true within-subject longitudinal analyses; therefore, most analyses represent exposure-stratified cross-sectional comparisons rather than confirmed temporal change. At baseline, truncal acne lesions exhibited increased fungal richness and distinct community composition compared with controls. Acne lesions were more frequently enriched for Malassezia globosa, whereas healthy controls were dominated by M. sympodialis. Across doxycycline exposure groups, fungal communities remained Malassezia-dominant with substantial inter-individual variability. Doxycycline exposure was associated with partial and heterogeneous differences in Malassezia species composition without uniform normalization toward control profiles. Because only fungal sequencing was performed, bacterial–fungal interactions were inferred from prior literature and not directly measured. These findings indicate that truncal acne is associated with a distinct fungal community structure and highlight the need for integrated, longitudinal multi-omics studies to clarify treatment-associated microbial dynamics.

Comparative genome analysis of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli ATCC 43894 and its pO157-cured strain 277: Se Kye Kim, Yong-Joon Cho, Carolyn J. Hovde, Sunwoo Hwang, Jonghyun Kim, Jang Won Yoon; J. Microbiol. 2025;63(12):e2511015. Published online December 31, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2511015

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 ATCC 43894 (also known as EDL932) has been widely used as a reference strain for studying the pathophysiology of EHEC. To elucidate the role of a large virulence plasmid pO157 and its relationship with acid resistance, for example, both EHEC ATCC 43894 and its pO157-cured derivative strain 277 were well studied. However, it is unclear whether or not these two strains are isogenic and share the same genetic background. To address this question, we analyzed the whole genome sequences of ATCC 43894 and 277. As expected, three and two closed contigs were identified from ATCC 43894 and 277, respectively; two contigs shared in both strains were a chromosome and a small un-identified plasmid, and one contig found only in ATCC 43894 was pO157. Surprisingly, our pan-genome analyses of the two sequences revealed several genetic variations including frameshift, substitution, and deletion mutations. In particular, the deletion mutation of hdeD and gadE in ATCC 43894 was identified, and further PCR analysis also confirmed their deletion of a 2.5-kb fragment harboring hdeD, gadE, and mdtE in ATCC 43894. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that EHEC ATCC 43894 harbors genetic mutations affecting glutamate-dependent acid resistance system and imply that the pO157-cured EHEC 277 may not be isogenic to ATCC 43894. This is the first report that such genetic differences between both reference strains of EHEC should be considered in future studies on pathogenic E. coli.

Journal Articles

Environmental Adaptation of Psychrophilic Bacteria Subtercola spp. Isolated from Various Cryospheric Habitats: Hanbyul Lee , Yong-Joon Cho , Ahnna Cho , Ok-Sun Kim; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(7):663-672. Published online August 24, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00068-y

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Abstract PDF: Subtercola boreus K300T is a novel psychrophilic strain that was isolated from permanently cold groundwater in Finland and has also been found in several places in Antarctica including lake, soil, and rocks. We performed genomic and transcriptomic analyses of 5 strains from Antarctica and a type strain to understand their adaptation to different environments. Interestingly, the isolates from rocks showed a low growth rate and smaller genome size than strains from the other isolation sources (lake, soil, and groundwater). Based on these habitat-dependent characteristics, the strains could be classified into two ecotypes, which showed differences in energy production, signal transduction, and transcription in the clusters of orthologous groups of proteins (COGs) functional category. In addition, expression pattern changes revealed differences in metabolic processes, including uric acid metabolism, DNA repair, major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporters, and xylose degradation, depending on the nutritional status of their habitats. These findings provide crucial insights into the environmental adaptation of bacteria, highlighting genetic diversity and regulatory mechanisms that enable them to thrive in the cryosphere.

A mucin-responsive hybrid two-component system controls Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron colonization and gut homeostasis: Ju-Hyung Lee , Soo-Jeong Kwon , Ji-Yoon Han , Sang-Hyun Cho , Yong-Joon Cho , Joo-Hong Park; J. Microbiol. 2022;60(2):215-223. Published online February 1, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-022-1649-3

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Abstract PDF

The mammalian intestinal tract contains trillions of bacteria. However, the genetic factors that allow gut symbiotic bacteria to occupy intestinal niches remain poorly understood. Here, we identified genetic determinants required for Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron colonization in the gut using transposon sequencing analysis. Transposon insertion in BT2391, which encodes a hybrid two-component system, increased the competitive fitness of B. thetaiotaomicron. The BT2391 mutant showed a growth advantage in a mucin-dependent manner and had an increased ability to adhere to mucus-producing cell lines. The increased competitive advantage of the BT2391 mutant was dependent on the BT2392–2395 locus containing susCD homologs. Deletion of BT2391 led to changes in the expression levels of B. thetaiotaomicron genes during gut colonization. However, colonization of the BT2391 mutant promoted DSS colitis in low-fiber diet-fed mice. These results indicate that BT2391 contributes to a sustainable symbiotic relationship by maintaining a balance between mucosal colonization and gut homeostasis.

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The global RNA-binding protein RbpB is a regulator of polysaccharide utilization in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron
Ann-Sophie Rüttiger, Daniel Ryan, Luisella Spiga, Vanessa Lamm-Schmidt, Gianluca Prezza, Sarah Reichardt, Madison Langford, Lars Barquist, Franziska Faber, Wenhan Zhu, Alexander J. Westermann
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Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum BFS1243 on a female frailty model induced by fecal microbiota transplantation in germ-free mice
Sashuang Dong, Qi Zeng, Weimin He, Wei Cheng, Ling Zhang, Ruimin Zhong, Wen He, Xiang Fang, Hong Wei
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A conserved inhibitory interdomain interaction regulates DNA-binding activities of hybrid two-component systems in Bacteroides
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Alexander Paredes, Chioma Iheacho, Aaron T. Smith
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Tang-Ping-San Decoction Remodel Intestinal Flora and Barrier to Ameliorate Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Rodent Model
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Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy.2022; Volume 15: 2563. CrossRef

The human symbiont Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron promotes diet-induced obesity by regulating host lipid metabolism: Sang-Hyun Cho , Yong-Joon Cho , Joo-Hong Park; J. Microbiol. 2022;60(1):118-127. Published online December 29, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-022-1614-1

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Abstract PDF

The gut microbiome plays an important role in lipid metabolism. Consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) alters the bacterial communities in the gut, leading to metabolic disorders. Several bacterial species have been associated with diet-induced obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and metabolic syndrome. However, the mechanisms underlying the control of lipid metabolism by symbiotic bacteria remain elusive. Here, we show that the human symbiont Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron aggravates metabolic disorders by promoting lipid digestion and absorption. Administration of B. thetaiotaomicron to HFD-fed mice promoted weight gain, elevated fasting glucose levels, and impaired glucose tolerance. Furthermore, B. thetaiotaomicron treatment upregulated the gene expression of the fatty acid transporter and increased fatty acid accumulation in the liver. B. thetaiotaomicron inhibits expression of the gene encoding a lipoprotein lipase inhibitor, angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4), thereby increasing lipase activity in the small intestine. In particular, we found that B. thetaiotaomicron induced the expression of hepcidin, the master regulator of iron metabolism and an antimicrobial peptide, in the liver. Hepcidin treatment resulted in a decrease in ANGPTL4 expression in Caco-2 cells, whereas treatment with an iron chelator restored ANGPTL4 expression in hepcidin- treated cells. These results indicate that B. thetaiotaomicron- mediated regulation of iron storage in intestinal epithelial cells may contribute to increased fat deposition and impaired glucose tolerance in HFD-fed mice.

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Regulation of iron homeostasis by peroxide-sensitive CatR, a Fur-family regulator in Streptomyces coelicolor: Yeonbum Kim , Jung-Hye Roe , Joo-Hong Park , Yong-Joon Cho , Kang-Lok Lee; J. Microbiol. 2021;59(12):1083-1091. Published online December 4, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-021-1457-1

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CatR, a peroxide-sensing transcriptional repressor of Fur family, can de-repress the transcription of the catA gene encoding catalase upon peroxide stress in Streptomyces coelicolor. Since CatR-regulated genes other than catA and its own gene catR have not been identified in detail, the understanding of the role of CatR regulon is very limited. In this study, we performed transcriptomic analysis to identify genes influenced by both 􀈟􀂊atR mutation and hydrogen peroxide treatment. Through ChIP-qPCR and other analyses, a new consensus sequence was found in CatR-responsive promoter region of catR gene and catA operon for direct regulation. In addition, vtlA (SCO2027) and SCO4983 were identified as new members of the CatR regulon. Expression levels of iron uptake genes were reduced by hydrogen peroxide and a DmdR1 binding sequence was identified in promoters of these genes. The increase in free iron by hydrogen peroxide was thought to suppress the iron import system by DmdR1. A putative exporter protein VtlA regulated by CatR appeared to reduce intracellular iron to prevent oxidative stress. The name vtlA (VIT1-like transporter) was proposed for iron homeostasis related gene SCO2027.

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