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Salmonella Surveillance Study Points to Importance of Whole-Genome Sequence Data

In BMC Genomics, researchers at the State University of New York's University at Albany present findings from a population study of Salmonella enterica in New Hampshire from 2017 to 2020, using whole-genome sequence data from a surveillance program known as PulseNet. Based on genome sequences for almost 400 S. enterica isolates linked to clinical cases in the state over several years, the team got a closer look at population structure, phylogenetic relationships, and antimicrobial resistance or susceptibility for representatives from dozens of sequence types or serotypes. "[Whole-genome sequencing] studies of standing pathogen diversity provide critical insights into the population and evolutionary dynamics of lineages and antimicrobial resistance, which can be translated to effective public health action and decision-making," the authors report, adding that the findings so far "highlight the need to strengthen efforts to implement [whole-genome sequencing]-based surveillance and data analyses in state public health laboratories."

The Scan

Machine Learning Helps ID Molecular Mechanisms of Pancreatic Islet Beta Cell Subtypes in Type 2 Diabetes

The approach helps overcome limitations of previous studies that had investigated the molecular mechanisms of pancreatic islet beta cells, the authors write in their Nature Genetics paper.

Culture-Based Methods, Shotgun Sequencing Reveal Transmission of Bifidobacterium Strains From Mothers to Infants

In a Nature Communications study, culture-based approaches along with shotgun sequencing give a better picture of the microbial strains transmitted from mothers to infants.

Microbial Communities Can Help Trees Adapt to Changing Climates

Tree seedlings that were inoculated with microbes from dry, warm, or cold sites could better survive drought, heat, and cold stress, according to a study in Science.

A Combination of Genetics and Environment Causes Cleft Lip

In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers investigate what combination of genetic and environmental factors come into play to cause cleft lip/palate.