L. E. Comstock

A pervasive large conjugative plasmid mediates multispecies biofilm formation in the intestinal microbiota increasing resilience to perturbations

The paper identifies a large conjugative plasmid that promotes multispecies biofilm formation in the gut microbiota, enhancing resilience to environmental stressors.

Comprehensive analyses of a large human gut Bacteroidales culture collection reveal species and strain level diversity and evolution

The paper characterizes a large collection of Bacteroidales isolates from the human gut, revealing genomic and metabolomic diversity and horizontal gene transfer across species.

A ubiquitous mobile genetic element disarms a bacterial antagonist of the gut microbiota

The paper shows that a mobile genetic element inverts the antagonistic behavior of Bacteroides fragilis by disabling its native system and enhancing fitness through a new weapon.

Inflammation and bacteriophages affect DNA inversion states and functionality of the gut microbiota

The paper identifies DNA inversion states in the gut microbiota linked to inflammation and bacteriophages, showing their impact on bacterial function and immune response.

A highly conserved and globally prevalent cryptic plasmid is among the most numerous mobile genetic elements in the human gut

The paper identifies a highly prevalent cryptic plasmid in the human gut that is more numerous than crAssphage and has potential applications in detecting fecal contamination and inflammatory states.

Mobile Type VI secretion system loci of the gut Bacteroidales display extensive intra-ecosystem transfer, multi-species sweeps and geographical clustering

The paper analyzes T6SS loci in gut Bacteroidales, revealing intra-ecosystem transfer, multi-species sweeps, and geographical clustering of these mobile genetic elements.

Nanaerobic growth enables direct visualization of dynamic cellular processes in human gut symbionts

The paper demonstrates that nanaerobic growth conditions enable the visualization of dynamic cellular processes in Bacteroides species using fluorescent proteins.