Essential contribution of the JAK/STAT pathway to carcinogenesis, lytic infection of herpesviruses and pathogenesis of COVID‑19 (Review)

The intracellular pathway of Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) and modification of nucleosome histone marks regulate the expression of proinflammatory mediators, playing an essential role in carcinogenesis, antiviral immunity and the interaction of host proteins with Herpesviral particles. The pathway has also been suggested to play a vital role in the clinical course of the acute infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2; known as coronavirus infection‑2019), a novel human coronavirus initially identified in the central Chinese city Wuhan towards the end of 2019, which evolved into a pandemic affecting nearly two million people worldwide. The infection mainly manifests as fever, cough, myalgia and pulmonary involvement, while it also attacks multiple viscera, such as the liver. The pathogenesis is characterized by a cytokine storm, with an overproduction of proinflammatory mediators. Innate and adaptive host immunity against the viral pathogen is exerted by various effectors and is regulated by different signaling pathways notably the JAK/STAT. The elucidation of the underlying mechanism of the regulation of mediating factors expressed in the viral infection would assist diagnosis and antiviral targeting therapy, which will help overcome the infection caused by SARS‑CoV‑2.

Epstein-Barr virus-encoded EBNA2 downregulates ICOSL by inducing miR-24 in B-cell lymphoma

ABSTRACT

Hematological malignancies such as Burkitt lymphoma (BL), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cause significant morbidity in humans. A substantial number of these lymphomas, particularly HL and DLBCLs have poorer prognosis because of their association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Our earlier studies have shown that EBV-encoded nuclear antigen (EBNA2) upregulates programmed cell death ligand 1 in DLBCL and BLs by downregulating microRNA-34a. Here, we investigated whether EBNA2 affects the inducible costimulator (ICOS) ligand (ICOSL), a molecule required for efficient recognition of tumor cells by T cells through the engagement of ICOS on the latter. In virus-infected and EBNA2-transfected B-lymphoma cells, ICOSL expression was reduced. Our investigation of the molecular mechanisms revealed that this was due to an increase in microRNA-24 (miR-24) by EBNA2. By using ICOSL 3' untranslated region-luciferase reporter system, we validated that ICOSL is an authentic miR-24 target. Transfection of anti-miR-24 molecules in EBNA2-expressing lymphoma cells reconstituted ICOSL expression and increased tumor immunogenicity in mixed lymphocyte reactions. Because miR-24 is known to target c-MYC, an oncoprotein positively regulated by EBNA2, we analyzed its expression in anti-miR-24 transfected lymphoma cells. Indeed, the reduction of miR-24 in EBNA2-expressing DLBCL further elevated c-MYC and increased apoptosis. Consistent with the in vitro data, EBNA2-positive DLBCL biopsies expressed low ICOSL and high miR-24. We suggest that EBV evades host immune responses through EBNA2 by inducing miR-24 to reduce ICOSL expression, and for simultaneous rheostatic maintenance of proproliferative c-MYC levels. Overall, these data identify miR-24 as a potential therapeutically relevant target in EBV-associated lymphomas.

Litter and soil biodiversity jointly drive ecosystem functions

The decomposition of litter and the supply of nutrients into and from the soil are two fundamental processes through which the above- and belowground world interact. Microbial biodiversity, and especially that of decomposers, plays a key role in these processes by helping litter decomposition. Yet the relative contribution of litter diversity and soil biodiversity in supporting multiple ecosystem services remains virtually unknown. Here we conducted a mesocosm experiment where leaf litter and soil biodiversity were manipulated to investigate their influence on plant productivity, litter decomposition, soil respiration, and enzymatic activity in the littersphere. We showed that both leaf litter diversity and soil microbial diversity (richness and community composition) independently contributed to explain multiple ecosystem functions. Fungal saprobes community composition was especially important for supporting ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF), plant production, litter decomposition, and activity of soil phosphatase when compared with bacteria or other fungal functional groups and litter species richness. Moreover, leaf litter diversity and soil microbial diversity exerted previously undescribed and significantly interactive effects on EMF and multiple individual ecosystem functions, such as litter decomposition and plant production. Together, our work provides experimental evidence supporting the independent and interactive roles of litter and belowground soil biodiversity to maintain ecosystem functions and multiple services.

Understanding the role of membrane cholesterol upon Epstein Barr virus infection in astroglial cells

Background

EBV infection has long been postulated to trigger multiple sclerosis (MS) and anti-EBV antibodies showed a consistent presence in MS patients. Previous reports from our group have shown that the EBV infects different brain cells. Entry of the virus in neuronal cells is assisted by several host factors including membrane cholesterol. By using an inhibitor, methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), we evaluated the role of membrane cholesterol in EBV infection and pathogenesis.

Methodology

The membrane cholesterol depleted cells were infected with EBV and its latent genes expression were assessed. Further, EBV-mediated downstream signalling molecules namely STAT3, RIP, NF-kB and TNF-α levels was checked at protein level along with spatial (periphery and nucleus) and temporal changes in biomolecular fingerprints with Raman microspectroscopy (RS).

Results

Upon treatment with MβCD, lmp1 and lmp2a suggested significant downregulation compared to EBV infection. Downstream molecules like STAT3 and RIP, exhibited a decrease in protein levels temporally upon exposure to MβCD while NF-kB levels were found to be increased. Further, the intensity of the Raman spectra exhibited an increase in triglycerides and fatty acids in the cytoplasm of EBV-infected LN-229 cells compared to MβCD+EBV. Likewise, the Raman peak width of cholesterol, lipid and fatty acids were found to be reduced in EBV-infected samples indicates elevation in the cholesterol specific moieties. In contrast, an opposite pattern was observed in the nucleus. Moreover, the ingenuity pathway analysis revealed protein molecules such as VLDLR, MBP and APP that are associated with altered profile of cholesterol, fatty acids and triglycerides with infection-related CNS disorders.

Conclusion

Taken together, our results underline the important role of membrane cholesterol over EBV entry/pathogenesis in astroglia cells which further trigger/exacerbate virus-associated neuropathologies. These results likely to aid into the prognosis of neurological disease like MS.

Perspective on the development of synthetic microbial community (SynCom) biosensors

Synthetic microbial community (SynCom) biosensors are a promising technology for detecting and responding to environmental cues and target molecules. SynCom biosensors use engineered microorganisms to create a more complex and diverse sensing system, enabling them to respond to stimuli with enhanced sensitivity and accuracy. Here, we give a definition of SynCom biosensors, outline their construction workflow, and discuss current biosensing technology. We also highlight the challenges and future for developing and optimizing SynCom biosensors and the potential applications in agriculture and food management, biotherapeutic development, home sensing, urban and environmental monitoring, and the One Health foundation. We believe SynCom biosensors could be used in a real-time and remote-controlled manner to sense the chaos of constantly dynamic environments.

Climate change impacts on plant pathogens, food security and paths forward

Plant disease outbreaks pose significant risks to global food security and environmental sustainability worldwide, and result in the loss of primary productivity and biodiversity that negatively impact the environmental and socio-economic conditions of affected regions. Climate change further increases outbreak risks by altering pathogen evolution and host-pathogen interactions and facilitating the emergence of new pathogenic strains. Pathogen range can shift, increasing the spread of plant diseases in new areas. In this Review, we examine how plant disease pressures are likely to change under future climate scenarios and how these changes will relate to plant productivity in natural and agricultural ecosystems. We explore current and future impacts of climate change on pathogen biogeography, disease incidence and severity, and their effects on natural ecosystems, agriculture and food production. We propose that amendment of the current conceptual framework and incorporation of eco-evolutionary theories into research could improve our mechanistic understanding and prediction of pathogen spread in future climates, to mitigate the future risk of disease outbreaks. We highlight the need for a science-policy interface that works closely with relevant intergovernmental organizations to provide effective monitoring and management of plant disease under future climate scenarios, to ensure long-term food and nutrient security and sustainability of natural ecosystems.

AM fungal-bacterial relationships: what can they tell us about ecosystem sustainability and soil functioning?

Considering our growing population and our continuous degradation of soil environments, understanding the fundamental ecology of soil biota and plant microbiomes will be imperative to sustaining soil systems. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi extend their hyphae beyond plant root zones, creating microhabitats with bacterial symbionts for nutrient acquisition through a tripartite symbiotic relationship along with plants. Nonetheless, it is unclear what drives these AM fungal-bacterial relationships and how AM fungal functional traits contribute to these relationships. By delving into the literature, we look at the drivers and complexity behind AM fungal-bacterial relationships, describe the shift needed in AM fungal research towards the inclusion of interdisciplinary tools, and discuss the utilization of bacterial datasets to provide contextual evidence behind these complex relationships, bringing insights and new hypotheses to AM fungal functional traits. From this synthesis, we gather that interdependent microbial relationships are at the foundation of understanding microbiome functionality and deciphering microbial functional traits. We suggest using pattern-based inference tools along with machine learning to elucidate AM fungal-bacterial relationship trends, along with the utilization of synthetic communities, functional gene analyses, and metabolomics to understand how AM fungal and bacterial communities facilitate communication for the survival of host plant communities. These suggestions could result in improving microbial inocula and products, as well as a better understanding of complex relationships in terrestrial ecosystems that contribute to plant-soil feedbacks.

Soil contamination in nearby natural areas mirrors that in urban greenspaces worldwide

Soil contamination is one of the main threats to ecosystem health and sustainability. Yet little is known about the extent to which soil contaminants differ between urban greenspaces and natural ecosystems. Here we show that urban greenspaces and adjacent natural areas (i.e., natural/semi-natural ecosystems) shared similar levels of multiple soil contaminants (metal(loid)s, pesticides, microplastics, and antibiotic resistance genes) across the globe. We reveal that human influence explained many forms of soil contamination worldwide. Socio-economic factors were integral to explaining the occurrence of soil contaminants worldwide. We further show that increased levels of multiple soil contaminants were linked with changes in microbial traits including genes associated with environmental stress resistance, nutrient cycling, and pathogenesis. Taken together, our work demonstrates that human-driven soil contamination in nearby natural areas mirrors that in urban greenspaces globally, and highlights that soil contaminants have the potential to cause dire consequences for ecosystem sustainability and human wellbeing.

Inoculation of ACC deaminase-producing endophytic bacteria down-regulates ethylene-induced pathogenesis-related signaling in red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) under salt stress

Pathogenesis-related (PR) signaling plays multiple roles in plant development under abiotic and biotic stress conditions and is regulated by a plethora of plant physiological as well as external factors. Here, our study was conducted to evaluate the role of an ACC deaminase-producing endophytic bacteria in regulating ethylene-induced PR signaling in red pepper plants under salt stress. We also evaluated the efficiency of the bacteria in down-regulating the PR signaling for efficient colonization and persistence in the plant endosphere. We used a characteristic endophyte, Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 and its ACC deaminase knockdown mutant (acdS^- ). The wild-type M. oryzae CBMB20 was able to decrease ethylene emission by 23% compared to the noninoculated and acdS^- M. oryzae CBMB20 inoculated plants under salt stress. The increase in ethylene emission resulted in enhanced hydrogen peroxide concentration, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, β-1,3 glucanase activity, and expression profiles of WRKY, CaPR1, and CaPTI1 genes that are typical salt stress and PR signaling factors. Furthermore, the inoculation of both the bacterial strains had shown induction of PR signaling under normal conditions during the initial inoculation period. However, wild-type M. oryzae CBMB20 was able to down-regulate the ethylene-induced PR signaling under salt stress and enhance plant growth and stress tolerance. Collectively, ACC deaminase-producing endophytic bacteria down-regulate the salt stress-mediated PR signaling in plants by regulating the stress ethylene emission levels and this suggests a new paradigm in efficient colonization and persistence of ACC deaminase-producing endophytic bacteria for better plant growth and productivity.

Plant associated protists-Untapped promising candidates for agrifood tools

The importance of host-associated microorganisms and their biotic interactions for plant health and performance has been increasingly acknowledged. Protists, main predators and regulators of bacteria and fungi, are abundant and ubiquitous eukaryotes in terrestrial ecosystems. Protists are considered to benefit plant health and performance, but the community structure and functions of plant-associated protists remain surprisingly underexplored. Harnessing plant-associated protists and other microbes can potentially enhance plant health and productivity and sustain healthy food and agriculture systems. In this review, we summarize the knowledge of multifunctionality of protists and their interactions with other microbes in plant hosts, and propose a future framework to study plant-associated protists and utilize protists as agrifood tools for benefiting agricultural production.

Soil biodiversity supports the delivery of multiple ecosystem functions in urban greenspaces

While the contribution of biodiversity to supporting multiple ecosystem functions is well established in natural ecosystems, the relationship of the above- and below-ground diversity with ecosystem multifunctionality remains virtually unknown in urban greenspaces. Here we conducted a standardized survey of urban greenspaces from 56 municipalities across six continents, aiming to investigate the relationships of plant and soil biodiversity (diversity of bacteria, fungi, protists and invertebrates, and metagenomics-based functional diversity) with 18 surrogates of ecosystem functions from nine ecosystem services. We found that soil biodiversity across biomes was significantly and positively correlated with multiple dimensions of ecosystem functions, and contributed to key ecosystem services such as microbially driven carbon pools, organic matter decomposition, plant productivity, nutrient cycling, water regulation, plant-soil mutualism, plant pathogen control and antibiotic resistance regulation. Plant diversity only indirectly influenced multifunctionality in urban greenspaces via changes in soil conditions that were associated with soil biodiversity. These findings were maintained after controlling for climate, spatial context, soil properties, vegetation and management practices. This study provides solid evidence that conserving soil biodiversity in urban greenspaces is key to supporting multiple dimensions of ecosystem functioning, which is critical for the sustainability of urban ecosystems and human wellbeing.

Zinc finger myeloid Nervy DEAF-1 type (ZMYND) domain containing proteins exert molecular interactions to implicate in carcinogenesis

Morphogenesis and organogenesis in the low organisms have been found to be modulated by a number of proteins, and one of such factor, deformed epidermal auto-regulatory factor-1 (DEAF-1) has been initially identified in Drosophila. The mammalian homologue of DEAF-1 and structurally related proteins have been identified, and they formed a family with over 20 members. The factors regulate gene expression through association with co-repressors, recognition of genomic marker, to exert histone modification by catalyze addition of some chemical groups to certain amino acid residues on histone and non-histone proteins, and degradation host proteins, so as to regulate cell cycle progression and execution of cell death. The formation of fused genes during chromosomal translocation, exemplified with myeloid transforming gene on chromosome 8 (MTG8)/eight-to-twenty one translocation (ETO) /ZMYND2, MTG receptor 1 (MTGR1)/ZMYND3, MTG on chromosome 16/MTGR2/ZMYND4 and BS69/ZMYND11 contributes to malignant transformation. Other anomaly like copy number variation (CNV) of BS69/ZMYND11 and promoter hyper methylation of BLU/ZMYND10 has been noted in malignancies. It has been reported that when fusing with Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1), the binding of MTG8/ZMYND2 with co-repressors is disturbed, and silencing of BLU/ZMYND10 abrogates its ability to inhibition of cell cycle and promotion of apoptotic death. Further characterization of the implication of ZMYND proteins in carcinogenesis would enhance understanding of the mechanisms of occurrence and early diagnosis of tumors, and effective antitumor efficacy.

The global distribution and environmental drivers of the soil antibiotic resistome

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the global distribution and environmental drivers of key microbial functional traits such as antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Soils are one of Earth's largest reservoirs of ARGs, which are integral for soil microbial competition, and have potential implications for plant and human health. Yet, their diversity and global patterns remain poorly described. Here, we analyzed 285 ARGs in soils from 1012 sites across all continents and created the first global atlas with the distributions of topsoil ARGs.

RESULTS

We show that ARGs peaked in high latitude cold and boreal forests. Climatic seasonality and mobile genetic elements, associated with the transmission of antibiotic resistance, were also key drivers of their global distribution. Dominant ARGs were mainly related to multidrug resistance genes and efflux pump machineries. We further pinpointed the global hotspots of the diversity and proportions of soil ARGs.

CONCLUSIONS

Together, our work provides the foundation for a better understanding of the ecology and global distribution of the environmental soil antibiotic resistome. Video Abstract.

Global hotspots for soil nature conservation

Soils are the foundation of all terrestrial ecosystems¹. However, unlike for plants and animals, a global assessment of hotspots for soil nature conservation is still lacking². This hampers our ability to establish nature conservation priorities for the multiple dimensions that support the soil system: from soil biodiversity to ecosystem services. Here, to identify global hotspots for soil nature conservation, we performed a global field survey that includes observations of biodiversity (archaea, bacteria, fungi, protists and invertebrates) and functions (critical for six ecosystem services) in 615 composite samples of topsoil from a standardized survey in all continents. We found that each of the different ecological dimensions of soils-that is, species richness (alpha diversity, measured as amplicon sequence variants), community dissimilarity and ecosystem services-peaked in contrasting regions of the planet, and were associated with different environmental factors. Temperate ecosystems showed the highest species richness, whereas community dissimilarity peaked in the tropics, and colder high-latitudinal ecosystems were identified as hotspots of ecosystem services. These findings highlight the complexities that are involved in simultaneously protecting multiple ecological dimensions of soil. We further show that most of these hotspots are not adequately covered by protected areas (more than 70%), and are vulnerable in the context of several scenarios of global change. Our global estimation of priorities for soil nature conservation highlights the importance of accounting for the multidimensionality of soil biodiversity and ecosystem services to conserve soils for future generations.

Incisional hernia following colorectal cancer surgery according to suture technique: Hughes Abdominal Repair Randomized Trial (HART)

BACKGROUND

Incisional hernias cause morbidity and may require further surgery. HART (Hughes Abdominal Repair Trial) assessed the effect of an alternative suture method on the incidence of incisional hernia following colorectal cancer surgery.

METHODS

A pragmatic multicentre single-blind RCT allocated patients undergoing midline incision for colorectal cancer to either Hughes closure (double far-near-near-far sutures of 1 nylon suture at 2-cm intervals along the fascia combined with conventional mass closure) or the surgeon's standard closure. The primary outcome was the incidence of incisional hernia at 1 year assessed by clinical examination. An intention-to-treat analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Between August 2014 and February 2018, 802 patients were randomized to either Hughes closure (401) or the standard mass closure group (401). At 1 year after surgery, 672 patients (83.7 per cent) were included in the primary outcome analysis; 50 of 339 patients (14.8 per cent) in the Hughes group and 57 of 333 (17.1 per cent) in the standard closure group had incisional hernia (OR 0.84, 95 per cent c.i. 0.55 to 1.27; P = 0.402). At 2 years, 78 patients (28.7 per cent) in the Hughes repair group and 84 (31.8 per cent) in the standard closure group had incisional hernia (OR 0.86, 0.59 to 1.25; P = 0.429). Adverse events were similar in the two groups, apart from the rate of surgical-site infection, which was higher in the Hughes group (13.2 versus 7.7 per cent; OR 1.82, 1.14 to 2.91; P = 0.011).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of incisional hernia after colorectal cancer surgery is high. There was no statistical difference in incidence between Hughes closure and mass closure at 1 or 2 years.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN25616490 (http://www.controlled-trials.com).

Response of the plant core microbiome to Fusarium oxysporum infection and identification of the pathobiome

Plant core microbiomes consist of persistent key members that provide critical host functions, but their assemblages can be interrupted by biotic and abiotic stresses. The pathobiome is comprised of dynamic microbial interactions in response to disease status of the host. Hence, identifying variation in the core microbiome and pathobiome can significantly advance our understanding of microbial-microbial interactions and consequences for disease progression and host functions. In this study, we combined glasshouse and field studies to analyse the soil and plant rhizosphere microbiome of cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum) in the presence of a cotton-specific fungal pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV). We found that FOV directly and consistently altered the rhizosphere microbiome, but the biocontrol agents enabled microbial assemblages to resist pathogenic stress. Using co-occurrence network analysis of the core microbiome, we identified the pathobiome comprised of the pathogen and key associate phylotypes in the cotton microbiome. Isolation and application of some negatively correlated pathobiome members provided protection against plant infection. Importantly, our field survey from multiple cotton fields validated the pattern and responses of core microbiomes under FOV infection. This study advances key understanding of core microbiome responses and existence of plant pathobiomes, which provides a novel framework to better manage plant diseases in agriculture and natural settings. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Plant-microbiome interactions under a changing world: responses, consequences and perspectives

Climate change is increasing global temperatures and the frequency and severity of droughts in many regions. These anthropogenic stresses pose a significant threat to plant performance and crop production. The plant-associated microbiome modulates the impacts of biotic and abiotic stresses on plant fitness. However, climate change-induced alteration in composition and activities of plant microbiomes can affect host functions. Here, we highlight recent advancements in our understanding of the impact of climate change (warming and drought) on plant-microbiome interactions and on their ecological functions from genome to ecosystem scales. We identify knowledge gaps, propose new concepts and make recommendations for future research directions. It is proposed that in the short term (years to decades), the adaptation of plants to climate change is mainly driven by the plant microbiome, whereas in the long term (century to millennia), the adaptation of plants will be driven equally by eco-evolutionary interactions between the plant microbiome and its host. A better understanding of the response of the plant and its microbiome interactions to climate change and the ways in which microbiomes can mitigate the negative impacts will better inform predictions of climate change impacts on primary productivity and aid in developing management and policy tools to improve the resilience of plant systems.

Water deficit affects inter-kingdom microbial connections in plant rhizosphere

The frequency and severity of drought are increasing due to anthropogenic climate change and are already limiting cropping system productivity in many regions around the world. Few microbial groups within plant microbiomes can potentially contribute towards the fitness and productivity of their hosts under abiotic stress events including water deficits. However, microbial communities are complex and integrative work considering the multiple co-existing groups of organisms is needed to better understand how the entire microbiome responds to environmental stresses. We hypothesize that water deficit stress will differentially shape bacterial, fungal, and protistan microbiome composition and influence inter-kingdom microbial interactions in the rhizospheres of corn and sugar beet. We used amplicon sequencing to profile bacterial, fungal, and protistan communities in corn and sugar beet rhizospheres grown under irrigated and water deficit conditions. The water deficit treatment had a stronger influence than host species on bacterial composition, whereas the opposite was true for protists. These results indicate that different microbial kingdoms have variable responses to environmental stress and host factors. Water deficit also influenced intra- and inter-kingdom microbial associations, wherein the protist taxa formed a separate cluster under water deficit conditions. Our findings help elucidate the influence of environmental and host drivers of bacterial, fungal, and protistan community assembly and co-occurrence in agricultural rhizosphere environments.

Multisegment Extradural Tuberculoma Masquerading as a Spinal Tumor

We report a case of a man who presented with features of spinal cord compression, and imaging showed an L3-S2 space-occupying lesion that mimicked a spinal tumor. The patient underwent L3 to S2 laminectomy and a fibrous, thick sheet-like, poorly vascular lesion was observed macroscopically. The histopathological examination of the lesion showed caseous necrosis and epithelioid giant cells. This raised suspicion of tuberculosis and which was later confirmed on a polymerase chain reaction. The present case illustrates that tuberculosis is a disease that should not be ignored, particularly considering its ability to resemble other types of mass lesions.

Primary Ewing sarcoma of the kidney: A series of four cases

INTRODUCTION

Ewing sarcoma (ES), the neuroectodermal derived tumour typically occurs in the bone and soft tissue of children and young adults. Primary ES of the kidney is strikingly rare and only a few cases and small case series have been documented. Due to the highly aggressive nature of this neoplasm, distinction from other morphological mimickers is truly indispensable in terms of treatment and prognosis. Here we describe the clinicopathological features of four cases of primary ES of the kidney with special emphasis on one case having extensive neural differentiation postneo- adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Extensive neural differentiation in renal ES has not been documented to date.

CASE SERIES

Four patients (age range from 15-35 years) had kidney mass and multiple distant metastases at first presentation. Primary diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma was rendered by histopathology with the help of immunohistochemistry on core biopsy material. Tumour cells in all cases showed diffuse membranous CD99, nuclear FLI-1 and NKX2.2. Two of the patients had undergone radical nephrectomy followed by combination chemotherapy. Another two patients were first treated with neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by radical nephrectomy. In one of them, histopathological examination of nephrectomy specimens revealed extensive neural differentiation. The adrenal gland was free in all four cases. The follow-up period was 12 -24 months. Three patients had survived and one of them became disease-free.

CONCLUSION

Primary ES of the kidney is a rare and lethal entity. Due to overwhelming rarity, chemotherapy protocol has not been standardised and followed as ES in bone/soft tissue. Histopathological confirmation and prompt initiation of treatment may improve patient survival and outcome.

Label-free proteomics approach reveals candidate proteins in rice (Oryza sativa L.) important for ACC deaminase producing bacteria-mediated tolerance against salt stress

The omics-based studies are important for identifying characteristic proteins in plants to elucidate the mechanism of ACC deaminase producing bacteria-mediated salt tolerance. This study evaluates the changes in the proteome of rice inoculated with ACC deaminase producing bacteria under salt stress conditions. Salt stress resulted in a significant decrease in photosynthetic pigments, whereas inoculation of Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 had significantly increased pigment contents under normal and salt stress conditions. A total of 76, 51 and 33 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were identified in non-inoculated salt stressed plants, bacteria inoculated plants under normal and salt stress conditions, respectively. The abundances of proteins responsible for ethylene emission and programmed cell death were increased, and that of photosynthesis-related proteins were decreased in non-inoculated plants under salt stress. Whereas, bacteria-inoculated plants had shown higher abundance of antioxidant proteins, RuBisCo and ribosomal proteins that are important for enhancing stress tolerance and improving plant physiological traits. Collectively, salt stress might affect plant physiological traits by impairing photosynthetic machinery and accelerating apoptosis leading to a decline in biomass. However, inoculation of plants with bacteria can assist in enhancing photosynthetic activity, antioxidant activities and ethylene regulation related proteins for attenuating salt induced apoptosis and sustaining growth and development. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

High Spatial Resolution Fluorescence Imagery for Optimized Pest Management in a Huanglongbing-Infected Citrus Grove

Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease, has significantly decreased citrus production all over the world. The disease management currently depends on the efficient application and adequate distribution of insecticides to reduce the density of the disease vector, the Asian citrus psyllid. Here, we use a novel fluorescent-based method to evaluate insecticide distribution in an HLB-infected citrus grove in Florida. Specifically, we evaluated six different locations within citrus trees, the top and bottom sides of leaves, the effect of application approach (tractor versus airplane), and different application rates. We found that despite the insecticide distribution being highly variable among the different locations within a tree, the top of the leaves received an average increase of 21 times more than the bottom of the leaves. Application by tractor also resulted in a 4- to 87-fold increase in insecticide coverage compared with aerial application, depending on the location in the tree and side of the leaf. When taken to context with the type of insecticide that is applied (systemic vs. contact), these results can be used to optimize a pest management strategy to effectively target psyllids and other pests while minimizing the time and money spent on insecticide application and reducing risk to the environment.

Multisegment Intradural Extramedullary Ependymoma

Ependymomas are commonly reported at an intradural intramedullary location and more frequently at the conus medullaris or filum terminale. In comparison to this, the incidence of spinal tumors being reported at an intradural extramedullary site is less. We describe a young patient who presented with urinary retention and a long-standing history of back pain radiating to the right lower limb. Imaging revealed an intradural ependymoma extending from D11 to S1 and measuring 21 cm in length. The patient underwent D10 to S1 laminectomy. Although the tumor originated from the conus medullaris, the histological evaluation revealed a WHO grade II ependymoma, which is rare, as only 30% of tumors in this location are non-myxopapillary.

Comparative analysis of three methods in anti-dsDNA antibodies detection: implications for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus diagnosis

The evaluation of anti-dsDNA antibodies represents one of the essential diagnostic and prognostic marker features in patients affected by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we have compared immunoblotting (IB) with Crithidia luciliae indirect immunofluorescence test (CLIFT) and chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) in 91 patients referred to our hospital for anti-dsDNA antibodies detection. The concordance and correlation measured by Cohen's kappa and Spearman's coefficient respectively was significant between CLIFT and CLIA (0.70; 0,7404, P < .0001) and among CLIA and IB (0.79; 0,5377, P < 0,0001) and lower between CLIFT and IB (0.55; 0,4373, P  <0,0001). Among the 46 IB-positive samples, 14 were positive for either CLIA or CLIFT. It is noteworthy that 11 out of these 14 samples had the final diagnosis of SLE. Thirteen out of fourteen samples were also positive for anti-nucleosome antibodies as measured concomitantly in immunoblotting. While our observations are based on a limited number of samples and will have to be confirmed in a bigger cohort, they underline the contribution of immunoblotting as an additional assay in defining the anti-dsDNA antibody profile in association with other well-established methods such as CLIA and CLIFT.

ACC deaminase and indole acetic acid producing endophytic bacterial co-inoculation improves physiological traits of red pepper (Capsicum annum L.) under salt stress

Salinity induces myriad of physiological and biochemical perturbations in plants and its amelioration can be attained by the use of potential bacterial synthetic communities. The use of microbial consortia in contrast to single bacterial inoculation can additively enhance stress tolerance and productivity of agricultural crops. In this study, co-inoculation of Pseudomonas koreensis S2CB45 and Microbacterium hydrothermale IC37-36 isolated from arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spore and rice seed endosphere, respectively, were used to evaluate the physiological and biochemical effects on red pepper at two salt concentrations (75 mM and 150 mM). Plant growth promoting characteristics particularly 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity, indole acetic acid (IAA) and cytokinin production were higher during co-culturing compared to the individual bacterial culture. The higher ACC deaminase activity had resulted in 20% and 22% decrease in stress ethylene emission compared to the non-inoculated plants at 75 mM and 150 mM salt stress, respectively. The decline in ethylene emission had eventually reduced ROS accumulation, and the co-inoculated plants had also harbored enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities and higher sugar accumulation compared to the other treatments suggesting enhanced tolerance to salinity. Collectively, these results put forward a novel consortium of bacterial strains that can be used for sustainable agricultural practices against salinity.

Calcineurin Gamma Catalytic Subunit PPP3CC Inhibition by miR-200c-3p Affects Apoptosis in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) outpaces all the other forms of the female reproductive system malignancies. MicroRNAs have emerged as promising predictive biomarkers to therapeutic treatments as their expression might characterize the tumor stage or grade. In EOC, miR-200c is considered a master regulator of oncogenes or tumor suppressors. To investigate novel miR-200c-3p target genes involved in EOC tumorigenesis, we evaluated the association between this miRNA and the mRNA expression of several potential target genes by RNA-seq data of both 46 EOC cell lines from Cancer Cell line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and 456 EOC patient bio-specimens from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Both analyses showed a significant anticorrelation between miR-200c-3p and the protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit γ of calcineurin (PPP3CC) levels involved in the apoptosis pathway. Quantitative mRNA expression analysis in patient biopsies confirmed the inverse correlation between miR-200c-3p and PPP3CC levels. In vitro regulation of PPP3CC expression through miR-200c-3p and RNA interference technology led to a concomitant modulation of BCL2- and p-AKT-related pathways, suggesting the tumor suppressive role of PPP3CC in EOC. Our results suggest that inhibition of high expression of miR-200c-3p in EOC might lead to overexpression of the tumor suppressor PPP3CC and subsequent induction of apoptosis in EOC patients.

When Viruses Cross Developmental Pathways

Aberrant regulation of developmental pathways plays a key role in tumorigenesis. Tumor cells differ from normal cells in their sustained proliferation, replicative immortality, resistance to cell death and growth inhibition, angiogenesis, and metastatic behavior. Often they acquire these features as a consequence of dysregulated Hedgehog, Notch, or WNT signaling pathways. Human tumor viruses affect the cancer cell hallmarks by encoding oncogenic proteins, and/or by modifying the microenvironment, as well as by conveying genomic instability to accelerate cancer development. In addition, viral immune evasion mechanisms may compromise developmental pathways to accelerate tumor growth. Viruses achieve this by influencing both coding and non-coding gene regulatory pathways. Elucidating how oncogenic viruses intersect with and modulate developmental pathways is crucial to understanding viral tumorigenesis. Many currently available antiviral therapies target viral lytic cycle replication but with low efficacy and severe side effects. A greater understanding of the cross-signaling between oncogenic viruses and developmental pathways will improve the efficacy of next-generation inhibitors and pave the way to more targeted antiviral therapies.

Global homogenization of the structure and function in the soil microbiome of urban greenspaces

The structure and function of the soil microbiome of urban greenspaces remain largely undetermined. We conducted a global field survey in urban greenspaces and neighboring natural ecosystems across 56 cities from six continents, and found that urban soils are important hotspots for soil bacterial, protist and functional gene diversity, but support highly homogenized microbial communities worldwide. Urban greenspaces had a greater proportion of fast-growing bacteria, algae, amoebae, and fungal pathogens, but a lower proportion of ectomycorrhizal fungi than natural ecosystems. These urban ecosystems also showed higher proportions of genes associated with human pathogens, greenhouse gas emissions, faster nutrient cycling, and more intense abiotic stress than natural environments. City affluence, management practices, and climate were fundamental drivers of urban soil communities. Our work paves the way toward a more comprehensive global-scale perspective on urban greenspaces, which is integral to managing the health of these ecosystems and the well-being of human populations.

An empirical investigation of the relationship between TSR, value-based and accounting-based performance measures

Purpose

The paper aims to find out the information content of performance measures from accounting and value-based measures that best explain the total shareholder return.

Design/ methodology/ approach

To achieve this aim, static and dynamic panel data regression analysis is applied to the sample of 56 Indian companies taken from the Nifty Midcap 100 Index, between 2012 and 2019.

Findings

It is found that accounting-based measures have more relative information content in predicting total shareholder return as compared to value-based measures. Economic value added (EVA) and cash value added (CVA) do not add to the information content provided by accounting-based measures. A combination of accounting-based measures and value-added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) adds marginally to the information content provided by accounting-based measures in explaining the total shareholder return. Dynamic panel regression analysis shows that return on assets (ROA), return on capital employed (ROCE), return on equity (ROE) and EVA have a significant impact on total shareholder return.

Originality/value

In this study, along with EVA, other measures from value-based measures, i.e. CVA are empirically tested to explain the total shareholder return. Intellectual capital efficiency computed by VAIC is also empirically tested along with accounting-based measures, EVA, CVA and market value added (MVA). To bring robustness to findings, data are tested by using dynamic panel regression analysis.

Enabling sustainable agriculture through understanding and enhancement of microbiomes

Harnessing plant-associated microbiomes offers an invaluable strategy to help agricultural production become more sustainable while also meeting growing demands for food, feed and fiber. A plethora of interconnected interactions among the host, environment and microbes, occurring both above and below ground, drive recognition, recruitment and colonization of plant-associated microbes, resulting in activation of downstream host responses and functionality. Dissecting these complex interactions by integrating multiomic approaches, high-throughput culturing, and computational and synthetic biology advances is providing deeper understanding of the structure and function of native microbial communities. Such insights are paving the way towards development of microbial products as well as microbiomes engineered with synthetic microbial communities capable of delivering agronomic solutions. While there is a growing market for microbial-based solutions to improve crop productivity, challenges with commercialization of these products remain. The continued translation of plant-associated microbiome knowledge into real-world scenarios will require concerted transdisciplinary research, cross-training of a next generation of scientists, and targeted educational efforts to prime growers and the general public for successful adoption of these innovative technologies.

Quantification of insecticide spatial distribution within individual citrus trees and efficacy through Asian citrus psyllid reductions under different application methods

BACKGROUND

Citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing, HLB) has infected >90% of Florida's oranges and thus growers are desperate to improve pest management strategies. In this field study, insecticide application efficacy was investigated with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry to determine if insecticide concentration and distribution were effective at killing the target pest Asian citrus psyllids (ACP). Sample discs attached to leaves were sprayed with imidacloprid and malathion at a field site in Florida. Application method, canopy height and depth, cardinal side of tree, and leaf side were considered to assess the spatial distribution of insecticides throughout citrus trees. Furthermore, ACP were inspected before and after insecticide applications to quantify psyllid population response.

RESULTS

Our findings show that although insecticide concentrations were high enough to kill ACP, the spatial distribution of insecticides throughout individual trees was highly variable and live ACP were detected after insecticide application. The top side of leaves received significantly more insecticide than the underside of leaves. Additionally, inadequate distribution to different areas of the tree canopy was observed for all application methods tested (aerial, ground speed-sprayer, and ground side-sprayer). Inspections of ACP populations before and after insecticide applications resulted in reductions of 85% (malathion) and 48-80% (imidacloprid).

CONCLUSIONS

The variability in insecticide spatial distribution due to application method allows remaining ACP to continue spreading citrus greening disease to unprotected trees. Further research is needed to improve insecticide application methods and technology for citrus trees in order to implement effective pest management strategies and fully target ACP to eliminate HLB. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

MiR-200c-3p Contrasts PD-L1 Induction by Combinatorial Therapies and Slows Proliferation of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer through Downregulation of β-Catenin and c-Myc

Conventional/targeted chemotherapies and ionizing radiation (IR) are being used both as monotherapies and in combination for the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Several studies show that these therapies might favor oncogenic signaling and impede anti-tumor responses. MiR-200c is considered a master regulator of EOC-related oncogenes. In this study, we sought to investigate if chemotherapy and IR could influence the expression of miR-200c-3p and its target genes, like the immune checkpoint PD-L1 and other oncogenes in a cohort of EOC patients’ biopsies. Indeed, PD-L1 expression was induced, while miR-200c-3p was significantly reduced in these biopsies post-therapy. The effect of miR-200c-3p target genes was assessed in miR-200c transfected SKOV3 cells untreated and treated with olaparib and IR alone. Under all experimental conditions, miR-200c-3p concomitantly reduced PD-L1, c-Myc and β-catenin expression and sensitized ovarian cancer cells to olaparib and irradiation. In silico analyses further confirmed the anti-correlation between miR-200c-3p with c-Myc and β-catenin in 46 OC cell lines and showed that a higher miR-200c-3p expression associates with a less tumorigenic microenvironment. These findings provide new insights into how miR-200c-3p could be used to hold in check the adverse effects of conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapy and radiation therapy, and offer a novel therapeutic strategy for EOC.

BII-Implementation: The causes and consequences of plant biodiversity across scales in a rapidly changing world

The proposed Biology Integration Institute will bring together two major research institutions in the Upper Midwest—the University of Minnesota (UMN) and University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW)—to investigate the causes and consequences of plant biodiversity across scales in a rapidly changing world—from genes and molecules within cells and tissues to communities, ecosystems, landscapes and the biosphere. The Institute focuses on plant biodiversity, defined broadly to encompass the heterogeneity within life that occurs from the smallest to the largest biological scales. A premise of the Institute is that life is envisioned as occurring at different scales nested within several contrasting conceptions of biological hierarchies, defined by the separate but related fields of physiology, evolutionary biology and ecology. The Institute will emphasize the use of ‘spectral biology’—detection of biological properties based on the interaction of light energy with matter—and process-oriented predictive models to investigate the processes by which biological components at one scale give rise to emergent properties at higher scales. Through an iterative process that harnesses cutting edge technologies to observe a suite of carefully designed empirical systems—including the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and some of the world’s longest running and state-of-the-art global change experiments—the Institute will advance biological understanding and theory of the causes and consequences of changes in biodiversity and at the interface of plant physiology, ecology and evolution.

INTELLECTUAL MERIT

The Institute brings together a diverse, gender-balanced and highly productive team with significant leadership experience that spans biological disciplines and career stages and is poised to integrate biology in new ways. Together, the team will harness the potential of spectral biology, experiments, observations and synthetic modeling in a manner never before possible to transform understanding of how variation within and among biological scales drives plant and ecosystem responses to global change over diurnal, seasonal and millennial time scales. In doing so, it will use and advance state-of-the-art theory. The institute team posits that the designed projects will unearth transformative understanding and biological rules at each of the various scales that will enable an unprecedented capacity to discern the linkages between physiological, ecological and evolutionary processes in relation to the multi-dimensional nature of biodiversity in this time of massive planetary change. A strength of the proposed Institute is that it leverages prior federal investments in research and formalizes partnerships with foreign institutions heavily invested in related biodiversity research. Most of the planned projects leverage existing research initiatives, infrastructure, working groups, experiments, training programs, and public outreach infrastructure, all of which are already highly synergistic and collaborative, and will bring together members of the overall research and training team.

BROADER IMPACTS

A central goal of the proposed Institute is to train the next generation of diverse integrative biologists. Post-doctoral, graduate student and undergraduate trainees, recruited from non-traditional and underrepresented groups, including through formal engagement with Native American communities, will receive a range of mentoring and training opportunities. Annual summer training workshops will be offered at UMN and UW as well as training experiences with the Global Change and Biodiversity Research Priority Program (URPP-GCB) at the University of Zurich (UZH) and through the Canadian Airborne Biodiversity Observatory (CABO). The Institute will engage diverse K-12 audiences, the general public and Native American communities through Market Science modules, Minute Earth videos, a museum exhibit and public engagement and educational activities through the Bell Museum of Natural History, the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve (CCESR) and the Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Association.

Thyroid Hormones Interaction With Immune Response, Inflammation and Non-thyroidal Illness Syndrome

The interdependence between thyroid hormones (THs), namely, thyroxine and triiodothyronine, and immune system is nowadays well-recognized, although not yet fully explored. Synthesis, conversion to a bioactive form, and release of THs in the circulation are events tightly supervised by the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis. Newly synthesized THs induce leukocyte proliferation, migration, release of cytokines, and antibody production, triggering an immune response against either sterile or microbial insults. However, chronic patho-physiological alterations of the immune system, such as infection and inflammation, affect HPT axis and, as a direct consequence, THs mechanism of action. Herein, we revise the bidirectional crosstalk between THs and immune cells, required for the proper immune system feedback response among diverse circumstances. Available circulating THs do traffic in two distinct ways depending on the metabolic condition. Mechanistically, internalized THs form a stable complex with their specific receptors, which, upon direct or indirect binding to DNA, triggers a genomic response by activating transcriptional factors, such as those belonging to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Alternatively, THs engage integrin αvβ3 receptor on cell membrane and trigger a non-genomic response, which can also signal to the nucleus. In addition, we highlight THs-dependent inflammasome complex modulation and describe new crucial pathways involved in microRNA regulation by THs, in physiological and patho-physiological conditions, which modify the HPT axis and THs performances. Finally, we focus on the non-thyroidal illness syndrome in which the HPT axis is altered and, in turn, affects circulating levels of active THs as reported in viral infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Fertilization alters protistan consumers and parasites in crop-associated microbiomes

Crop plants carry an enormous diversity of microbiota that provide massive benefits to hosts. Protists, as the main microbial consumers and a pivotal driver of biogeochemical cycling processes, remain largely understudied in the plant microbiome. Here, we characterized the diversity and composition of protists in sorghum leaf phyllosphere, and rhizosphere and bulk soils, collected from an 8-year field experiment with multiple fertilization regimes. Phyllosphere was an important habitat for protists, dominated by Rhizaria, Alveolata and Amoebozoa. Rhizosphere and bulk soils had a significantly higher diversity of protists than the phyllosphere, and the protistan community structure significantly differed among the three plant-soil compartments. Fertilization significantly altered specific functional groups of protistan consumers and parasites. Variation partitioning models revealed that soil properties, bacteria and fungi predicted a significant proportion of the variation in the protistan communities. Changes in protists may in turn significantly alter the compositions of bacterial and fungal communities from the top-down control in food webs. Altogether, we provide novel evidence that fertilization significantly affects the functional groups of protistan consumers and parasites in crop-associated microbiomes, which have implications for the potential changes in their ecological functions under intensive agricultural managements.

Cobomarsen, an Oligonucleotide Inhibitor of miR-155, Slows DLBCL Tumor Cell Growth In Vitro and In Vivo

PURPOSE

miRNA-155 is an oncogenic miRNA highly expressed in B-cell malignancies, particularly in the non-germinal center B-cell or activated B-cell subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (ABC-DLBCL), where it is considered a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. Thus, miR-155 inhibition represents an important therapeutic strategy for B-cell lymphomas. In this study, we tested the efficacy and pharmacodynamic activity of an oligonucleotide inhibitor of miR-155, cobomarsen, in ABC-DLBCL cell lines and in corresponding xenograft mouse models. In addition, we assessed the therapeutic efficacy and safety of cobomarsen in a patient diagnosed with aggressive ABC-DLBCL.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Preclinical studies included the delivery of cobomarsen to highly miR-155-expressing ABC-DLBCL cell lines to assess any phenotypic changes, as well as intravenous injections of cobomarsen in NSG mice carrying ABC-DLBCL xenografts, to study tumor growth and pharmacodynamics of the compound over time. To begin to test its safety and therapeutic efficacy, a patient was recruited who underwent five cycles of cobomarsen treatment.

RESULTS

Cobomarsen decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in ABC-DLBCL cell lines. Intravenous administration of cobomarsen in a xenograft NSG mouse model of ABC-DLBCL reduced tumor volume, triggered apoptosis, and derepressed direct miR-155 target genes. Finally, the compound reduced and stabilized tumor growth without any toxic effects for the patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support the potential therapeutic application of cobomarsen in ABC-DLBCL and other types of lymphoma with elevated miR-155 expression.

The influence of soil age on ecosystem structure and function across biomes

The importance of soil age as an ecosystem driver across biomes remains largely unresolved. By combining a cross-biome global field survey, including data for 32 soil, plant, and microbial properties in 16 soil chronosequences, with a global meta-analysis, we show that soil age is a significant ecosystem driver, but only accounts for a relatively small proportion of the cross-biome variation in multiple ecosystem properties. Parent material, climate, vegetation and topography predict, collectively, 24 times more variation in ecosystem properties than soil age alone. Soil age is an important local-scale ecosystem driver; however, environmental context, rather than soil age, determines the rates and trajectories of ecosystem development in structure and function across biomes. Our work provides insights into the natural history of terrestrial ecosystems. We propose that, regardless of soil age, changes in the environmental context, such as those associated with global climatic and land-use changes, will have important long-term impacts on the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems across biomes.

Soil age is thought to be an important driver of ecosystem development. Here, the authors perform a global survey of soil chronosequences and meta-analysis to show that, contrary to expectations, soil age is a relatively minor ecosystem driver at the biome scale once other drivers such as parent material, climate, and vegetation type are accounted for.

Plant Microbiomes: Do Different Preservation Approaches and Primer Sets Alter Our Capacity to Assess Microbial Diversity and Community Composition?

The microbial communities associated with plants (the plant microbiome) play critical roles in regulating plant health and productivity. Because of this, in recent years, there have been significant increase in studies targeting the plant microbiome. Amplicon sequencing is widely used to investigate the plant microbiome and to develop sustainable microbial agricultural tools. However, performing large microbiome surveys at the regional and global scales pose several logistic challenges. One of these challenges is related with the preservation of plant materials for sequencing aiming to maintain the integrity of the original diversity and community composition of the plant microbiome. Another significant challenge involves the existence of multiple primer sets used in amplicon sequencing that, especially for bacterial communities, hampers the comparability of datasets across studies. Here, we aimed to examine the effect of different preservation approaches (snap freezing, fresh and kept on ice, and air drying) on the bacterial and fungal diversity and community composition on plant leaves, stems and roots from seven plant species from contrasting functional groups (e.g. C3, C4, N-Fixers, etc.). Another major challenge comes when comparing plant to soil microbiomes, as different primers sets are often used for plant vs. soil microbiomes. Thus, we also investigated if widely used 16S rRNA primer set (779F/1193R) for plant microbiome studies provides comparable data to those often used for soil microbiomes (341F/805R) using 86 soil samples. We found that the community composition and diversity of bacteria or fungi were robust to contrasting preservation methods. The primer sets often used for plants provided similar results to those often used for soil studies suggesting that simultaneous studies on plant and soil microbiomes are possible. Our findings provide novel evidence that preservation approaches do not significantly impact plant microbiome data interpretation and primer differences do not impact the treatment effect, which has significant implication for future large-scale and global surveys of plant microbiomes.