A5003553318- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Ear Surgery and Otitis Media
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Infant Health and Development
- Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Mycobacterium research and diagnosis
- Plant and animal studies
- Streptococcal Infections and Treatments
- Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Fecal contamination and water quality
- Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Hydrogen's biological and therapeutic effects
- Subterranean biodiversity and taxonomy
- Burkholderia infections and melioidosis
- Antibiotic Use and Resistance
- Building materials and conservation
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
Monash University
2020-2024
Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute
2020-2024
Discovery Institute
2024
The Kids Research Institute Australia
2018-2020
The University of Western Australia
2018-2020
Recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM, recurrent ear infection) is a common childhood disease caused by bacteria termed otopathogens, for which current treatments have limited effectiveness. Generic probiotic therapies shown promise, but seem to lack specificity. We hypothesised that healthy children with no history of AOM carry protective commensal could be translated into specific therapy break the cycle re-infection. characterised nasopharyngeal microbiome these (controls) in comparison rAOM...
Abstract Molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) is an abundant and readily accessible energy source in marine systems, but it remains unknown whether microbial communities consume this gas. Here we use a suite of approaches to show that bacteria H support growth. Genes for -uptake hydrogenases are prevalent global ocean metagenomes, highly expressed metatranscriptomes found across eight bacterial phyla. Capacity oxidation increases with depth decreases oxygen concentration, suggesting important...
Microbial hydrogen (H2) cycling underpins the diversity and functionality of diverse anoxic ecosystems. Among three evolutionarily distinct hydrogenase superfamilies responsible, [FeFe] hydrogenases were thought to be restricted bacteria eukaryotes. Here, we show that anaerobic archaea encode diverse, active, ancient lineages through combining analysis existing new genomes with extensive biochemical experiments. are encoded by nine archaeal phyla expressed H2-producing Asgard archaeon...
How the diverse bacterial communities inhabiting desert soils maintain energy and carbon needs is much debated. Traditionally, most bacteria are thought to persist by using organic synthesized photoautotrophs following transient hydration events. Recent studies focused on Antarctic have revealed, however, that some use atmospheric trace gases, such as hydrogen (H
Increasing urban populations have led to the growth of informal settlements, with contaminated environments linked poor human health through a range interlinked pathways. Here, we describe design and methods for Revitalising Informal Settlements their Environments (RISE) study, transdisciplinary randomised trial evaluating impacts an intervention upgrade settlements in two Asia-Pacific countries.RISE is cluster controlled among 12 Makassar, Indonesia, Suva, Fiji. Six each country been...
Throughout coastal Antarctica, ice shelves separate oceanic waters from sunlight by hundreds of meters ice. Historical studies have detected activity nitrifying microorganisms in cavities below permanent shelves. However, little is known about the microbial composition and pathways that mediate these activities. In this study, we profiled communities beneath Ross Ice Shelf using a multi-omics approach. Overall, beneath-shelf are comparable abundance diversity, though distinct composition,...
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania donovani remains of public health concern in rural India. Those at risk VL are also other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) including soil transmitted helminths. Intestinal helminths potent regulators host immune responses sometimes mediated through cross-talk with gut microbiota. We evaluate a meta-taxonomic approach to determine the composition prokaryotic and eukaryotic microflora using amplicon-based sequencing 16S ribosomal RNA (16S...
Termite mounds have recently been confirmed to mitigate approximately half of termite methane (CH4) emissions, but the aerobic CH4 oxidising bacteria (methanotrophs) responsible for this consumption not resolved. Here, we describe abundance, composition and oxidation kinetics methanotroph communities in three distinct species sampled from Northern Australia. Results independent methods employed show that methanotrophs are rare members microbial mounds, with a comparable abundance those...
Most aerated cave ecosystems are assumed to be oligotrophic given they receive minimal inputs of light energy. Diverse microorganisms have nevertheless been detected within caves, though it remains unclear what strategies enable them meet their energy and carbon needs. Here we determined the processes mediators primary production in limestone basalt caves through paired metagenomic biogeochemical profiling. Based on 1458 metagenome-assembled genomes, over half microbial cells encode enzymes...
Significance Termites are textbook examples of the “extended phenotype” given their ability to construct complex mounds and regulate environments. Here, we show that termites also control microbial composition biogeochemical cycling in through emissions hydrogen. These drive remarkable enrichments mound bacteria use hydrogen aerobic respiration sometimes carbon fixation (i.e., lithoautotrophs). Such communities efficiently consume all termite-produced even mediate atmospheric uptake, while...
Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is a gold standard method for the detection and quantification of pathogenic organisms. Standard qPCR inexpensive, sensitive highly specific to pathogen interest. While assays can be multiplexed allow multiple organisms in one reaction, it prohibitively labour intensive screen large numbers samples several pathogens at same time. The TaqMan Array Card (TAC) cost-effective accurate technique that expands number simultaneously performed on sample,...
Primary succession describes the establishment of new ecosystems through colonization barren substrates (Odum, 1969). Bacteria are typically first colonizers, which initiate key processes that enable ecosystem and provide resources for fungi, plants, animals to colonize later. The functional roles these pioneer microbes varied; example, they can weather detoxify environments increase habitability, organic carbon bioavailable nitrogen fixation, form mutualistic relationships with plant...
Moraxella catarrhalis is a human-adapted pathogen, and major cause of otitis media (OM) exacerbations chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The species comprised two main phylogenetic lineages, RB1 RB2/3. Restriction-modification (R-M) systems are among the few lineage-associated genes identified in other bacterial genera have multiple functions including defense against foreign invading DNA, maintenance speciation, epigenetic regulation gene expression. Here, we define repertoire R-M 51...
The presence of the bacterial genera Corynebacterium and Dolosigranulum has consistently been associated with a healthy upper respiratory tract (URT). Commonly occurring together in nasopharynx children, role these commensal organisms nasopharyngeal health is unknown, as few studies have sought to determine whether they actively contribute maintaining state. We recently identified pseudodiphtheriticum pigrum major species resistance recurrent ear infections, via 16S rRNA gene sequencing...
Abstract Molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO) are supersaturated in seawater relative to the atmosphere hence readily accessible energy sources for marine microbial communities. Yet while CO oxidation is well-described, it unknown whether communities consume H . Here we integrated genome-resolved metagenomics, biogeochemistry, thermodynamic modelling, culture-based analysis profile by bacteria. Based on of 14 surface water samples, collected from three locations spanning...
Abstract Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania donovani remains of public health concern in rural India. Those at risk VL are also other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) including soil transmitted helminths. Intestinal helminths potent regulators host immune responses sometimes mediated through cross-talk with gut microbiota. We evaluate a meta-taxonomic approach to determine the composition prokaryotic and eukaryotic microflora using amplicon-based sequencing 16S ribosomal RNA...
Abstract Molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) is among the most central, but least understood, metabolites in human gastrointestinal tract (gut). H gas produced large quantities during bacterial fermentation and consumed as an energy source by bacteria archaea. Disruption of cycling linked to disorders, infections, cancers, with used indicator gut dysfunction through breath tests. Despite this, microorganisms, pathways, enzymes mediating production remain unresolved. Here we show that a previously...
Abstract Methanogenesis is classically thought to be limited strictly anoxic environments. While oxygenated oceans are a known methane source, it argued that methanogenesis driven by methylphosphonate-degrading bacteria or potentially associated zooplankton gut microbiomes rather than methanogenic archaea. Here we show through in situ monitoring and ex manipulations rapidly produced archaea frequently sandy sediments. By combining biogeochemical, metagenomic, culture-based experiments, this...