Journal: Nature Microbiology

Article Title: Gut microbiome-mediated transformation of dietary phytonutrients is associated with health outcomes

doi: 10.1038/s41564-025-02197-z

Figure Lengend Snippet: a , Pie chart showing the numbers of secondary-metabolism-related phytonutrients modifiable either exclusively by gut microbes (designated ‘gut-restricted’) or by gut microbes and probiotics (designated ‘shared’). The heat map at left depicts the enzymatic potential of gut microbial species to modify secondary-metabolism-related phytonutrients (green/light grey indicate presence/absence, respectively, of enzymatic potential). Selected species associated with ‘gut-restricted’ phytonutrients are shown. Examples of phytonutrients categorized into ‘shared’ and ‘gut-restricted’ space are shown, with the enriched functional groups highlighted in red. b , Left: stacked bar plots showing the minimum lists of gut bacteria and probiotic species needed to biotransform the vast majority of ‘shared’ phytonutrients, along with the cumulative number of biotransformed phytonutrients due to the inclusion of each species. Right: phytonutrient accumulation curve with combined biotransformation potential covering 43 ‘gut-restricted’ phytonutrients. c , Heat map showing the metabolism status of phytonutrient substrates across different conditions. Parentheses indicate the addition of reaction co-factors. The colour key depicts differences in the levels of phytonutrients between conditions with and without bacteria. The asterisks indicate both significant difference and bacterial metabolism (defined as the difference between 0 h and average levels at 6 and 24 h) >25%. Significant difference was determined by one-tailed t -test using pooled data at 6 and 24 h (FDR < 0.05). d , Chemical reactions involving the targeted phytonutrients. e , Biotransformation kinetics of the phytonutrient substrates butein and isoliquiritigenin and their products (for butein, butin and butin-FcrP; for isoliquiritigenin, liquiritigenin and davidigenin), as catalysed by E. ramulus . Two initial substrate concentrations (20 µM or 200 µM) were tested in the presence of E. ramulus , heat-killed (HK) E. ramulus , E. coli K-12, or bacteria-free medium control. Data shown are mean ± s.d of 3 independent replicates.

Article Snippet: For Clostridium (Enterocloster) citroniae and Escherichia coli , we obtained the genome sequences of C. citroniae DSM 19261 strain from the DSMZ BacDive database, and E. coli K-12 strain (GCF_000005845.2) from the NCBI RefSeq database.

Techniques: Probiotics, Functional Assay, Bacteria, One-tailed Test, Control

Journal: Nature Microbiology

Article Title: Gut microbiome-mediated transformation of dietary phytonutrients is associated with health outcomes

doi: 10.1038/s41564-025-02197-z

Figure Lengend Snippet: a , Biotransformation kinetics of the phytonutrient substrates isoliquiritigenin (top) and butein (bottom), along with their corresponding products (respectively, liquiritigenin and davidigenin; and butin and butin-FcrP, the product resulting from the Fcr enzyme reaction of butin), as catalysed by E. ramulus under assay conditions using M9 minimal medium. Two initial substrate concentrations (20 µM and 200 µM) were tested in the presence of E. ramulus , heat-killed (HK) E. ramulus , E. coli K-12 or a bacteria-free medium control. b , Biotransformation kinetics of the phytonutrient substrate butin, along with its corresponding products, under assay conditions using mGAM medium. The corresponding products include butein and butin-FcrP (the product resulting from the Fcr enzyme reaction of butin). Lines represent mean and error bars represent s.d. calculated from three independent assay replicates.

Article Snippet: For Clostridium (Enterocloster) citroniae and Escherichia coli , we obtained the genome sequences of C. citroniae DSM 19261 strain from the DSMZ BacDive database, and E. coli K-12 strain (GCF_000005845.2) from the NCBI RefSeq database.

Techniques: Bacteria, Control

Journal: Materials Today Bio

Article Title: Living probiotics-loaded wound matrices prepared by microchip electrospinning

doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.102403

Figure Lengend Snippet: A. Schematic illustration of microchip electrospinning set-up together with the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrograph of obtained electrospun (ES) living probiotics-loaded fiber matrix and confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) micrograph where the bacteria are shown in red within fibers and fibers in green, samples stained using FM 4–64 and SYTO 9, respectively; B. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip design, the microfluidic chip (PDMS) included two inlet channels (inlet #1 and inlet #2) — inlet #1 connected to a syringe with the PLC/PEO polymer solution and inlet #2 to a syringe containing the agarose-bacterial dispersion. These channels converged into a common outlet channel, which was connected to a metal needle (21G). The electrospinning voltage was applied to the needle tip, and fibers were collected on a grounded collector plate at a distance of 13 cm. Flow direction is pointed out with an arrow. C - microcapsule with labelled E. coli BW25113 micrograph. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

Article Snippet: Gram-positive and gram-negative pathogenic bacteria isolated from wounds, namely E. coli DSM 1103, S. aureus DSM 2569, P. aeruginosa DSM 1117, S. epidermidis DSM 28319 (DSMZ, Germany), were used to assess the antimicrobial activity of probiotic bacteria (e.g.

Techniques: MicroChIP Assay, Electron Microscopy, Probiotics, Fluorescence, Microscopy, Bacteria, Staining, Polymer, Dispersion

Journal: Materials Today Bio

Article Title: Living probiotics-loaded wound matrices prepared by microchip electrospinning

doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.102403

Figure Lengend Snippet: Viability and functionality (including antimicrobial activity) of probiotic bacteria within electrospun fiber matrices. A. Bromocresol purple indicator incorporated into M17 agarose plates was used to visualize the decrease of pH in the surrounding medium caused by probiotic ( L. rhamnosus Fibro 2)-loaded fiber matrices electrospun directly onto glass discs. The color change of the media due to acidification is shown at different time points: B. 24 h, C . 48 h, D . 72 h. E. Schematics of agar overlay assay setup. F. Agar overlay assay using 6 mm diameter fiber matrix discs with and without different probiotic bacteria namely ( L. plantarum Fibro 1 and L. rhamnosus Fibro 2). Initial concentration of pathogenic bacteria in the soft agar was 10 6 CFU/mL. G. Schematics illustrating the L. rhamnosus Fibro 2-loaded fiber matrix disc, cut from the entire sample and placed on MRS base agar. The antimicrobial activity against E. coli DSM 1103 was assessed using the agar overlay assay immediately after electrospinning, as well as after 24 h and 4 months. Key : red dashed circles indicate zones of inhibition, representing the activity of probiotic bacteria against relevant pathogenic bacteria. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

Article Snippet: Gram-positive and gram-negative pathogenic bacteria isolated from wounds, namely E. coli DSM 1103, S. aureus DSM 2569, P. aeruginosa DSM 1117, S. epidermidis DSM 28319 (DSMZ, Germany), were used to assess the antimicrobial activity of probiotic bacteria (e.g.

Techniques: Activity Assay, Bacteria, Overlay Assay, Concentration Assay, Inhibition