Cyanobacteria link carbon cycling to the spread of antibiotic resistance in estuaries

Maximum Academic Press

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By combining metagenomics with isotope-tracing experiments, the scientists found that Cyanobacteria—well known for fixing carbon dioxide and nitrogen—also act as major reservoirs and regulators of ARGs in estuarine biofilms.

Antibiotic resistance genes are increasingly recognized as environmental pollutants because they enable microorganisms to survive antimicrobial exposure and potentially transfer resistance traits to pathogens. Estuaries, where rivers meet oceans, receive large inputs of nutrients, pollutants, and antibiotics from human activities, making them hotspots for microbial interactions and gene exchange. Previous studies identified nutrients such as nitrogen and organic carbon as factors influencing ARG abundance, yet the biological mechanisms behind these relationships remained unclear. In particular, whether core microbial metabolic pathways—especially carbon fixation and nitrogen cycling—directly shape ARG distribution had not been experimentally verified.

A study (DOI: 10.48130/ebp-0025-0021) published in Environmental and Biogeochemical Processes on 21 January 2026 by Yi Yang’s team, East China Normal University, reveals that carbon and nitrogen metabolic processes are closely intertwined with antibiotic resistance dynamics, suggesting that fundamental ecological functions may unintentionally influence the persistence and dissemination of resistance genes in natural waters.

Using an integrated methodological framework combining metagenomic sequencing, environmental factor analysis, network correlation modeling, large-scale comparative dataset analysis, and DNA-based stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) microcosm experiments, the researchers systematically investigated ARG profiles, host distributions, and their relationships with carbon–nitrogen metabolic processes across biofilm, sediment, and water samples from the Yangtze Estuary. Metagenomic analysis identified 342 ARG subtypes with comparable subtype diversity among habitats, yet biofilms exhibited ARG abundances one to three orders of magnitude higher than sediments and water, confirming biofilms as dominant ARG reservoirs, particularly under hypertidal conditions. Community and network analyses revealed that Cyanobacteria dominated ARG hosting in biofilms, while Proteobacteria prevailed in sediments and water. Key resistance genes, including evgS, walK, and pvrR, were highly enriched in biofilms and associated with two-component signal transduction systems linked to biofilm formation and multidrug resistance. Environmental correlation analyses further showed that chlorophyll-a, nitrogen nutrients, and organic carbon—not salinity or pH—were the primary factors shaping ARG abundance, implicating microbial productivity and nutrient cycling in ARG regulation. Functional gene profiling demonstrated significantly higher abundances of carbon fixation and nitrogen metabolism genes in biofilms, with the Calvin cycle and nitrogen fixation explaining 13.3% and 54.1% of ARG variation, respectively, indicating strong metabolic coupling. Cross-regional analyses of 74 external estuarine datasets confirmed consistent positive relationships between ARG abundance and marker genes rbcL and nifH. DNA-SIP experiments using 13C-CO₂ and 15N substrates further verified that active carbon- and nitrogen-fixing microorganisms were major ARG hosts; shifts in microbial composition, particularly reductions in Cyanobacteria and increases in Proteobacteria, directly altered ARG dynamics. Genome reconstruction identified active Cyanobacterial lineages (Microcoleaceae and Geitlerinemaceae), while genomic co-localization analyses revealed ARGs embedded within nitrogen transformation and carbon metabolic pathways, suggesting functional integration between resistance traits and microbial metabolism. Collectively, these results demonstrate that Cyanobacteria-mediated carbon–nitrogen metabolism plays a central role in structuring ARG distribution and persistence in estuarine ecosystems.

This study highlights that antibiotic resistance genes function not only as resistance determinants but also as integral components of microbial ecological metabolism. Cyanobacteria harboring ARGs may simultaneously regulate carbon sequestration and nitrogen cycling, linking antibiotic resistance to key ecosystem processes. While these interactions offer opportunities for improved environmental monitoring and sustainable biotechnological applications, the potential for cyanobacterial blooms to accelerate ARG dissemination underscores emerging ecological and public health risks requiring careful management.

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References

DOI

10.48130/ebp-0025-0021

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.48130/ebp-0025-0021

Funding Information

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos 42125102, 42576166, and 42507400), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2022YFC3105800), and The China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. GZB20250575).

About Environmental and Biogeochemical Processes

Environmental and Biogeochemical Processes is a multidisciplinary platform for communicating advances in fundamental and applied research on the interactions and processes involving the cycling of elements and compounds between the biological, geological, and chemical components of the environment.

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DOI

10.48130/ebp-0025-0021 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Cyanobacteria-mediated carbon-nitrogen coupling promotes the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes in the Yangtze estuarine biofilms

 

No more concerns about side effects! DGIST develops the world’s first next-generation hair loss therapeutic agent safe for both men and women

DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)

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The research team led by Prof. Cheil Moon and Prof. Soyeon Kim from the Department of Brain Sciences at DGIST (President Kunwoo Lee), together with Prof. Chang-Hun Lee from the Department of New Biology, has developed a novel peptide (MLPH) that promotes hair growth without the side effects of existing drugs, using computational modeling. This achievement, accomplished through a joint research project led by Prof. Young Kwan Sung and Dr. Mihee Kwak from Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, is regarded as opening a new horizon for next-generation hair loss therapeutics that are safe for both men and women.

 

□ Currently, the only hair loss therapeutic agents approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are “minoxidil” and “finasteride.” However, topical minoxidil can cause skin irritation. At the same time, oral finasteride may induce sexual dysfunction in men due to its mechanism of regulating male hormones, and is contraindicated in women of childbearing age, which are critical limitations. Therefore, the development of a safe treatment for both men and women, free of side effects, is an urgent need.

 

□ In academia, it is a known fact that the hematopoietic hormone erythropoietin (EPO) promotes hair growth by binding to receptors on hair follicle cells. However, systemic administration for the treatment of hair loss leads to serious hematological side effects, such as excessive red blood cell production, making it unsuitable as a therapeutic agent.

 

□ To tackle these limitations, the research team adopted a structure-based design technique using advanced computational modeling. By excluding the regions of the EPO protein structure responsible for side effects and precisely extracting and optimizing only the active region that binds to hair follicle cell receptors and induces hair growth, they independently designed a novel peptide, “MLPH.”

 

□ The research team confirmed through in vivo experiments using human hair follicle tissues and mice that the MLPH peptide significantly increased the secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a key factor in hair growth. Notably, administration of MLPH in mice successfully converted the telogen (resting) phase—during which hair growth ceases—into the anagen (growth) phase, demonstrating hair growth effects comparable to those of the existing treatment, minoxidil. At the same time, they experimentally demonstrated that it did not induce hematopoietic side effects, such as increased red blood cell production.

 

□ Approximately 1 billion individuals are affected by hair loss worldwide (around 10 million Koreans). According to a global market research firm, the worldwide hair loss treatment market is projected to reach approximately KRW 58 trillion by 2028. The foundational technology developed in this study is expected to serve as a basis for the development of innovative new drugs that will generate substantial economic ripple effects.

 

□ “The MLPH peptide developed in this study is a safe, mechanism-based therapeutic agent that can overcome the hormone-related side effects or gender limitations of existing drugs,” stated Prof. Cheil Moon of the Department of Brain Sciences at DGIST. “It is expected to provide a new therapeutic alternative without concerns about side effects for the 1 billion people worldwide affected by hair loss; furthermore, it is expected to generate significant economic value in the global hair loss treatment market, which will reach KRW 58 trillion.”

 

□ This study was supported by the “Priority Research Centers Program,” funded by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea, and the “Health and Medical Technology R&D Program” and the “Innovative Growth Skin Health-Based Technology Development Project,” funded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. The research was conducted jointly by DGIST (Prof. Cheil Moon and Prof. Soyeon Kim of the Department of Brain Sciences; Prof. Chang-Hun Lee of the Department of New Biology) and Kyungpook National University School of Medicine (Prof. Young Kwan Sung and Dr. Mihee Kwak). The research findings (first author Dr. Mihee Kwak; co-corresponding authors Prof. Cheil Moon and Prof. Soyeon Kim) have been published in the internationally renowned pharmacology journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy.

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Journal

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

DOI

10.1016/j.biopha.2026.119114 

Article Title

MLPH-mediated activation of dermal papilla IGF-1 signaling drives human hair shaft elongation and anagen induction

Genomic surveillance enables characterization of tuberculosis distribution in Catalonia

World Tuberculosis Day

Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute

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image: 

Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Unit (UMCiE) at IGTP

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Credit: IGTP

A study led by IGTP, the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital and theIBV-CSIC analyses bacterial strains between 2021 and 2023 and shows how genomic sequencing can improve transmission detection and inform public health interventions.

A research team led by the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital and the Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (IBV-CSIC) has published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology the first results of the TB-SEQ pilot programme, an initiative that applies genomic sequencing to study tuberculosis (TB) transmission in Catalonia.

Genomic sequencing allows analysis of the genetic material of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis and comparison of strains detected in different patients. If two genomes are almost identical - with very few mutations between them - they are likely to belong to the same transmission chain.

This type of analysis provides a new perspective for studying disease spread and may help identify outbreaks that would go unnoticed using traditional contact-tracing methods.

Tuberculosis remains a global public health issue. Each year, more than 10 million people develop the disease and approximately 1.5 million die from it. In 2023, it once again became the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent worldwide, after three years during which COVID-19 held that position.

In Catalonia, incidence remains at around 15.2 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with more than 1,200 cases diagnosed annually (according to recently published 2024 data).

A tool to better understand transmission

The study describes the genetic structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains circulating in the region between December 2021 and June 2023 and analyses their geographical and temporal distribution to better understand transmission patterns.

The results show that the most frequent lineage in Catalonia is L4, present throughout the territory and found in both the native population and individuals born outside Spain. Other lineages, such as L1/EAI, L2/Beijing or L3/CAS, are more frequent in specific areas and are often associated with people originating from regions where these subtypes are more prevalent.

The analysis also identifies the Barcelona Metropolitan Area as a key zone where several clusters of specific bacterial lineages are concentrated. According to the researchers, factors such as population density and migration patterns may influence the distribution of different Mycobacterium tuberculosis subtypes.

Overall, these findings provide relevant insights into tuberculosis transmission dynamics and could help guide public health strategies targeting specific areas or population groups.

The TB-SEQ project

The study is part of the TB-SEQ pilot project, launched in Catalonia at the end of 2021 with the aim of integrating genomic sequencing into tuberculosis epidemiological surveillance activities.

The initiative was promoted by the Microbiology Department of the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital and the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), in collaboration with the Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (IBV-CSIC), and was supported by the CIBER in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP; project Ref.: ESP22PI06).

Within the framework of the reform of epidemiological surveillance promoted after the COVID-19 pandemic, this strategy was formally incorporated in 2022 into the Tuberculosis Control Programme of Catalonia, coordinated by the Public Health Agency of Catalonia.

The Microbiology Department of Germans Trias Hospital centralises positive tuberculosis cultures from laboratories across the territory to carry out genomic sequencing. The programme involves collaboration with the network of clinical microbiology laboratories in Catalonia, epidemiological surveillance services, and the public health agencies of Barcelona and Catalonia.

The research team

The study is led by Elisa Martró, researcher at IGTP, and Verónica Saludes, both affiliated with the Microbiology Department of Germans Trias Hospital, together with Iñaki Comas and Mariana G. López, researchers at the Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (IBV-CSIC).

The project involves a broad collaborative network of laboratories and institutions across Catalonia and includes the participation of research groups from CIBERESP, CIBERES and CIBERINFEC.

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Journal

Frontiers in Microbiology

DOI

10.3389/fmicb.2026.1787894 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Population structure and spatial distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in Catalonia

Article Publication Date

20-Mar-2026

COI Statement

The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author P-JC declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

 

Ultralight ‘organ-pipe’ structure absorbs noise with high structural strength

International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing

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image: 

Illustration of the dual-nozzle robotic printing strategy for a continuous-fiber and short-fiber composite acoustic metastructure, showing layer-by-layer path planning and cross-sectional microstructure slices (x–y and z–x) that verify the programmed fiber reinforcement for integrated load-bearing and broadband sound absorption.

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Credit: By Yilong Yang, Yafeng Liu, Shuangshuang Miao, Yongdong Pan, Wei Zhai, Xiaoying Zhuang* and Yabin Jin*

The aerospace and manufacturing industries face a persistent physical contradiction: materials that block noise are typically too weak to support heavy loads, and strong structural materials lack the porosity needed to absorb sound.

Publishing in the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, researchers have merged acoustic engineering with robotic 3D printing to create a carbon-fiber composite that swallows sound waves while retaining the strength of industrial load-bearing panels.

The design relies on an engineered grid of Fabry-Pérot channels. Think of these channels as a densely packed bundle of 36 miniature organ pipes, each cut to a different depth. When sound waves hit the structure, each specific pipe traps and dissipates a different frequency of acoustic energy.

To make this grid physically robust, the engineers used a specialized six-axis robotic arm equipped with a dual-nozzle printer. One nozzle extrudes standard short-fiber composite to build the intricate channel walls. The other nozzle lays down unbroken threads of continuous carbon fiber along the structure's critical stress paths.

This continuous thread acts much like steel rebar in concrete, shifting the physical load away from the hollow channels and preventing cracks from tearing through the structure during sheer or compression stress.

The resulting metastructure, measuring just 56.8 millimetres thick, achieves an average sound absorption coefficient of over 0.9 across a frequency range of 1,500 to 5,500 hertz. In a factory-floor context, a panel roughly the thickness of a hardback book can absorb 90 percent of the mid-to-high frequency roar generated by heavy machinery or advanced transport systems.

Mechanical testing demonstrated that the continuous carbon fiber reinforcement completely suppressed the brittle shattering seen in standard short-fiber prints, yielding massive gains in bending, compression, and shear strength before failure. Interestingly, the microscopic imperfections and rough layer gaps inherent to the fused deposition modeling process actually improved the acoustic performance by providing more friction to deaden the incoming sound waves.

While this represents a significant advance in multifunctional materials, the current iteration remains a small-scale laboratory prototype. Integrating these composites directly into the walls of large equipment or passenger jet fairings requires scaling up the manufacturing process.

Moving forward, the research team will focus on optimizing the robotic control systems and automating the continuous fiber path planning to ensure structural reliability when printing massive and geometrically complex parts.

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International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing (IJEM, IF: 21.3) is dedicated to publishing the best advanced manufacturing research with extreme dimensions to address both the fundamental scientific challenges and significant engineering needs.

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Journal

International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing

DOI

10.1088/2631-7990/ae35ea 

Article Title

Sound-absorbing continuous fiber-reinforced composite metastructure