Our Mission: To explore and understand the microbial world using ecogenomics

The gut microbiome plays a significant role in the development of graft vs host disease following stem cell transplant. However, it is unknown whether the pre-transplant or post-transplant bacterial community is more influential in disease progression. Using a mouse model, we demonstrate that when both the pre- and post-transplant gut microbiome is modified, the development of disease in wild-type mice is greatly accelerated. An altered post-transplant microbiome also accelerates disease, however to a lesser degree. In contrast, changing the pre-transplant microbiome alone does not accelerate disease. These findings suggest post-transplant manipulation of the gut microbiome, such as via faecal microbiota transplantation, may provide the greatest clinical benefit.Gut Microbes. 2020 Jan 13:1-17. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2019.1705729 

ACE researchers Steven Robbins, Lauren Messer, Caitlin Singleton, Aileen Geers, and Alex Baker authored a new publication in Nature Microbiology, entitled “A genomic view of the reef-building coral Porites lutea and its microbial symbionts.” By sequencing the genomes of the coral Porites lutea, its algal symbiont, and 52 bacterial and archaeal genomes, we could look at the whole library of genes each organism has to work with to see how their metabolisms interlink. This is very exciting in a number of ways. Researchers have studied the symbiosis between corals and their algal symbionts (Symbiodinium) for many years, but the role of the bacteria and archaea in coral health is just now being recognized. This is the first bacterial/archaeal community from corals to be sequenced and the first time we’re getting to look under the hood to see what these microbes do. It’s also the first time each member of the coral community (i.e. the coral, algae, and bacteria/archaea) have been looked at as a unit, which we think will be integral if we are to properly understand coral biology.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-019-0532-4#Sec19