Ákos T Kovács
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evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social
Ákos T Kovács
@evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social
Professor of Microbiome Ecology at Institute of Biology, Leiden University
Bacillus subtilis, biofilms, plant microbiome, bacteria-fungi interactions and circadian clock within @microclockerc.bsky.social #ERCSyG
https://linktr.ee/atkovacs
Pinned
Glad to share our newest publication in Nature Communications 🎉🎉🎉… summarizing about a decade of work how Bacillus subtilis adapt when challenged with Aspergillus niger
Enhanced surface colonisation and competition during bacterial adaptation to a fungus
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Ákos T Kovács
#microsky #phagesky #phage

Anyone who’s tried deleting prophages in the lab by HR knows the difficulties of the task. Here we have an example of how HR-mediated natural transformation might hit the same hurdle in a more native context.

academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
Chromosomal Curing Drives an Arms Race Between Bacterial Transformation and Prophage
Abstract. Transformation occurs when bacteria import exogenous DNA via the competence machinery and integrate it into their genome through homologous recom
academic.oup.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Also noticed this previous ASM article by Madeline Barron:
Bacterial Circadian Rhythms: From Lakes to the Gut
asm.org/articles/202...

... where our 2021 publication was also highlighted www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@microclockerc.bsky.social #ChronoMicrobiology #ChronoSky
November 23, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Exploring the concept of bacterial memory

Perspective in Nature Microbiology by Killian Scanlon et al from Colin Hill

@uccmicrobiology.bsky.social

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Exploring the concept of bacterial memory - Nature Microbiology
This Perspective discusses the concept, mechanisms and evidence for memory in bacteria at individual and community levels.
www.nature.com
November 23, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Strain matters: host responses reflect symbiont origin in the squid-vibrio symbiosis

in #mSystems from Margaret McFall-Ngai

journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Strain matters: host responses reflect symbiont origin in the squid-vibrio symbiosis | mSystems
Variation among strains of a bacterial species is a powerful factor underlying the intensity of host responses during pathogenic infections. Less is known about the cellular and molecular responses of...
journals.asm.org
November 23, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Keystone Pseudomonas species in the wheat phyllosphere microbiome mitigate Fusarium head blight by altering host pH

-in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social from Qin Gu at Nanjing Agricultural University
with @rlberendsen.bsky.social @fdiniandreote.bsky.social

www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
Keystone Pseudomonas species in the wheat phyllosphere microbiome mitigate Fusarium head blight by altering host pH
Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum) pathogen induces wheat phyllosphere alkalinization, promoting the development of Fusarium head blight (FHB). Xu et al. show that host-acidifying Pseudomonas, sele...
www.cell.com
November 23, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Reposted by Ákos T Kovács
@buzzbaum.bsky.social (and team) blazes trails with this new work. As always, I'm a bit behind... much excitement already expressed about this paper. If you haven't caught it, then catch it. The study is painstaking, beautiful, persuasive and ever so elegant.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments
The emergence of eukaryotes from a merger between an archaeon and a bacterial cell ∼two billion years ago involved a profound change in cellular organisation. While the order in which different featur...
www.biorxiv.org
November 12, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Editorial: Society journals matter—supporting science through renewed commitment

Editorial in @femsjournals.bsky.social microLife by @paulbrainey.bsky.social and colleagues

academic.oup.com/microlife/ad...
Editorial: Society journals matter—supporting science through renewed commitment
Paul B Rainey, Puri López-García, Zeynep Ceren Karahan, Paul Williams, Stipan Jonjić, Kenneth N Timmis; Editorial: Society journals matter—supporting scien
academic.oup.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Ákos T Kovács
Thrilled to share the core of my PhD work, now published in NAR!

This project was a true collaborative effort across multiple teams, and it was a joy to bring it to life.

Huge thanks to everyone involved, and especially to @fnobrega.bsky.social for the incredible support and guidance 🙏🏻

🧵1/5
⭐ NAR Breakthrough! ⭐

A community-driven collection uniting 52 phages, 74 Klebsiella isolates, and extensive genomic + phenotypic data — all freely available at klebphacol.org.
🧬 Learn more: doi.org/10.1093/nar/...
@fnobrega.bsky.social @danielarothschild.bsky.social #antimicrobialresistance
November 22, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by Ákos T Kovács
⭐ NAR Breakthrough! ⭐

A community-driven collection uniting 52 phages, 74 Klebsiella isolates, and extensive genomic + phenotypic data — all freely available at klebphacol.org.
🧬 Learn more: doi.org/10.1093/nar/...
@fnobrega.bsky.social @danielarothschild.bsky.social #antimicrobialresistance
November 20, 2025 at 6:01 PM
The mhqPOD gene cluster in lignin-degrading Paenibacillus sp. B2 encodes a pathway for degradation of lignin-derived 5,5’-di(dehydrovanillic acid) (DDVA)

-in @femsjournals.bsky.social Microbiology Letters from Timothy D H Bugg

academic.oup.com/femsle/advan...
The mhqPOD gene cluster in lignin-degrading Paenibacillus sp. B2 encodes a pathway for degradation of lignin-derived 5,5’-di(dehydrovanillic acid) (DDVA)
Abstract. Lignin-degrading bacteria Paenibacillus sp. B2, Agrobacterium sp. B1 and Ochrobactrum sp. each contain mhqO genes encoding ring cleavage dioxygen
academic.oup.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Co-assembly of Azospirillum – Pseudomonas biofilms in the rhizosphere enhances lettuce root colonization, growth and heat-stress resilience

@femsjournals.bsky.social Microbiology Ecology from Guillermo A Maroniche

academic.oup.com/femsec/advan...
Validate User
academic.oup.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Fermented soybean meal using Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus oryzae positively enhances cecal microbial composition and broiler performance

www.animbiosci.org/journal/view...
Fermented soybean meal using Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus oryzae positively enhances cecal microbial composition and broiler performance
www.animbiosci.org
November 21, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Bacillus velezensis 83 protects Arabidopsis thaliana against Botrytis cinerea by triggering JA-, and SA-dependent induced systemic resistance

scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:30 PM
The control of mushroom pathogen Lecanicillium fungicola with fungicides and Bacillus-based biocontrol treatments during crop trial studies

BMC Microbiology by Joy Clark et al

bmcmicrobiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
The control of mushroom pathogen Lecanicillium fungicola with fungicides and Bacillus-based biocontrol treatments during crop trial studies - BMC Microbiology
Background Lecanicillium fungicola is a fungal pathogen of the white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and causes dry bubble disease. Due to the recent withdrawal of approval for the most common fun...
bmcmicrobiol.biomedcentral.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Reposted by Ákos T Kovács
Wonderful few days this week in Munich for the first retreat of the @microclockerc.bsky.social team from @lmumuenchen.bsky.social @unileiden.bsky.social @johninnescentre.bsky.social with special guest @lflarrondo.bsky.social
The MicroClock Team had the first retreat in Munich, discussing plans, experimental approaches, data analyses, and allowing trainees to get to know each other

We are grateful to Luis Larrondo @lflarrondo.bsky.social for his recommendations about the MicroClock research plan during the retreat 🙏
November 20, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Reposted by Ákos T Kovács
🚨Preprint alert - this is a big one! We transfer the revolutionary power of TnSeq to bacteriophages.

Our HIDEN-SEQ links the "dark matter" genes of your favorite phage to any selectable phenotype, guiding the path from fun observations to molecular mechanisms.

A thread 1/8
November 20, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Ákos T Kovács
Apply now to attend the next EMBO Bacterial Networks meeting #EMBOBacNet

🗓️13-18 September 2026
📍Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain

📝Program and registration info: meetings.embo.org/event/26-bac...

👩‍🔬Organised with co-chair @s-lab.bsky.social and ECR @coralietesseur.bsky.social

#MicroSky
November 20, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Great time in Munich, discussing exciting years ahead of us within our MicroClock #ERCSyG project

Special thanks to Luis @lflarrondo.bsky.social for his enthusiasm and suggestions
The MicroClock Team had the first retreat in Munich, discussing plans, experimental approaches, data analyses, and allowing trainees to get to know each other

We are grateful to Luis Larrondo @lflarrondo.bsky.social for his recommendations about the MicroClock research plan during the retreat 🙏
November 20, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Reposted by Ákos T Kovács
The 17 Newsletter of @mycorrhizaims.bsky.social is out now!

mycorrhizas.org/news/

It includes @YouTube interviews with @mrillig.bsky.social
@beaboxk @smriti-pehim-limbu.bsky.social .
Tools by #CamilleDelavaux & @ManjuMGupta Top 10 mycorrhizal papers. @ICOM2026 info & more!
@southmycorrhiza
November 20, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Co-assembly of Azospirillum - Pseudomonas biofilms in the rhizosphere enhances lettuce root colonization, growth and heat-stress resilience

-in @femsjournals.bsky.social Microbiol Ecol

academic.oup.com/femsec/advan...
Co-assembly of Azospirillum – Pseudomonas biofilms in the rhizosphere enhances lettuce root colonization, growth and heat-stress resilience
Abstract. Understanding plant growth-promoting bacteria interaction is essential for developing of effective multi-strain inoculants. Here, we investigated
academic.oup.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Probiotic effect of B. subtilis PS-216 in broiler chickens: modulation of weight, feed conversion, short chain fatty acids, microbiota and meat quality

Animal Microbiome by Katarina Šimunović et al from Ines Mandic Mulec
with @polonca32.bsky.social
animalmicrobiome.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
Probiotic effect of B. subtilis PS-216 in broiler chickens: modulation of weight, feed conversion, short chain fatty acids, microbiota and meat quality - Animal Microbiome
Bacillus-based probiotics are recognized as safe and effective alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production. This study evaluated the effects of Bacillus subtilis PS-216 on broile...
animalmicrobiome.biomedcentral.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Experimental phage evolution results in expanded host ranges against antibiotic resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates

-in @natcomms.nature.com

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Experimental phage evolution results in expanded host ranges against antibiotic resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates - Nature Communications
Ghatbale et al. adapted a co-evolutionary technique to develop Klebsiella pneumoniae phages to be highly active longitudinally against K. pneumoniae clinical isolates, including drug resistant isolate...
www.nature.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:23 AM