Study reveals how American bison respond to SARS-CoV-2 infection at molecular level
Researchers conducted an experimental SARS-CoV-2 infection study in American bison and tracked gene expression changes and nasal microbiome shifts over 21 days post-infection. The study found substantial changes in immune and inflammatory response genes, with differences in viral signaling pathways between early and late infection stages. Understanding how different animal species respond to SARS-CoV-2 is important for assessing zoonotic risk and disease persistence in wildlife populations.
A new study published on bioRxiv examined the transcriptomic and microbial response of American bison to experimental SARS-CoV-2 infection over a 21-day period. Researchers identified substantial numbers of differentially expressed genes at multiple timepoints (days 2, 5, 7, 14, and 21 post-infection), with functional analysis revealing associations with immune response, inflammatory pathways, and viral infection mechanisms. The study also tracked changes in the nasal microbiome, finding increased presence of secondary infection pathogens such as Mannheimia. Notably, the research builds on prior findings showing that bison are more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 than cattle but less so than white-tailed deer. The findings contribute to understanding species-specific variation in host response to the virus, which has implications for assessing zoonotic potential and disease circulation in wildlife.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
Temporal transcriptomic and microbial changes in American bison during experimental SARS-CoV-2 challenge
Related
Gut Bacteria Enzyme Found to Break Down Heat-Processed Food Compounds, Producing Novel Biogenic Amines
Researchers have discovered that an enzyme in common gut bacteria can degrade N-epsilon-carboxymethyllysine (CML), a compound formed during thermal food processing, producing previously unknown biogenic amines. The enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase SpeC from enterobacteria, acts on CML and related modified lysine derivatives through a low-level 'underground' catalytic activity. This finding suggests a previously unrecognized communication axis between thermally processed dietary compounds and gut microbial physiology, with potential implications for host health.
Full-Length Gene Sequencing Reveals Two Distinct Bacterial Communities in Black-Legged Ticks Expanding Into Canada
Researchers used Oxford Nanopore full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the microbiome of Ixodes scapularis black-legged ticks collected in Nova Scotia, Canada, distinguishing between tick-adapted bacteria and environmentally acquired bacteria. The study comes as I. scapularis — the primary vector of Lyme disease — is rapidly expanding northward into Canada due to climate change. The findings suggest that environmentally derived bacteria in tick microbiomes are not mere contamination, which has implications for how tick microbiome data is collected and interpreted across surveillance studies.
Study Identifies Metabolic Link Between Cell Envelope Stress and Biofilm Formation in Bacteria
Researchers have discovered that the metabolite acetyl-CoA directly inhibits enzymes that degrade the bacterial signaling molecule c-di-GMP, connecting cell envelope biosynthesis stress to biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The study found that sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics targeting early peptidoglycan biosynthesis — but not other antibiotic classes — elevate c-di-GMP levels by reducing phosphodiesterase activity, with acetyl-CoA competing for the enzyme active site. Because the relevant enzyme domain is broadly conserved across bacterial species, this checkpoint mechanism may be widespread and could have implications for understanding antibiotic-induced biofilm responses.