X-Gutor is an in vitro platform that recovers human and swine gut microbiota with high fidelity, revealing ecological factors influencing microbial community dynamics.

bioRxiv · Jun 9, 2026 · PreprintMicrobiology

Keystone Bacterial Taxa Drive Denitrification and N2O Emission via Adaptive Genomic and Metabolic Strategies in Contrasting Agricultural Soils

Siyu Yu, Qiaoyu Wu, Yimin Ma, Saira Bano, Xiaojun Zhang

Environmental Microbiome · Jan 27, 2026Peer-reviewedEcology

Two Small Proteins Enable N2O Reduction in Acidic Environments

Xinhui Wang, Leying Meng, Hu Li, Yu Zhang, Minghou Li, Baoyu Xiang, Jing Zhu, Chen Li, Yang Chen, Siyu Yu, Xiaoyan Pang, Jianwen Wei, Menghui H. Zhang, Lars Reier Bakken, Åsa Frostegård, , Xiaojun Zhang

The paper identifies two proteins, NosP and NosQ, that enable N2O reduction in acidic environments by protecting the NosZ enzyme from low pH.

bioRxiv · Dec 19, 2025 · PreprintBiochemistry

Metagenomics and qPCR analysis of aerobic metabolic TCE degrading bacteria

Steffen Hertle, Lara Stelmaszyk, Annika Behrendt, Johannes Ho, Xiaojun Zhang, Heping Zhao, Timothy M. Vogel, Andreas Tiehm, Azariel Ruiz-Valencia

The paper develops qPCR methods to monitor aerobic TCE degradation and identifies Rhodocyclaceae bacteria and functional genes associated with TCE degradation in environmental samples.

bioRxiv · Jul 31, 2025 · PreprintMicrobiology