Biomedical subjects

Xiaofeng Zhou

Publications and source records attributed to Xiaofeng Zhou.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Associations between gut microbiota on carcass traits and meat quality in Neijiang pigs, Yorkshire pigs, and their hybrids.

This study was designed as an exploratory analysis to compare carcass performance, meat quality traits, and gut microbiota of Neijiang pigs (NN), Yorkshire pigs (YY), and Yorkshire × Neijiang hybrid pigs (YN), with the goal of generating testable hypotheses regarding potential links between gut microbial composition and production phenotypes. Compared with NN pigs, YN hybrids exhibited improved carcass performance while inheriting the favorable meat quality characteristics of Neijiang pigs. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing analysis showed that the relative abundance of the microbiota was similar to that of NN pigs. LDA effect size (LEfSe) results showed that Streptococcus, Treponema, probable_genus_10 and Fibrobacter were the differentially enriched taxa in YN pigs (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis was performed on carcass, meat quality and intestinal microbiota screened out by LEfSe. The results showed that Akkermansia tended to positively associate with body length and oblique length in YN pigs; Dialister correlated positively with dressing rate and pH45min; Treponema showed positive trends with a*45min and a*24h (p < 0.05). Finally, the correlation network model preliminarily mapped associations among production traits, gut microbiota, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways for exploratory screening. Nine core microbial taxa exhibited close correlations with phenotypic indicators, which implied that these microbes might modulate metabolic pathways to shape pig performance. Overall, hybrids inherited superior parental carcass and meat quality but harbored unique gut microbial communities relative to purebreds-these preliminary correlative observations generate new hypotheses that gut microbiota may contribute to heterosis-associated phenotypic advantages, which require further targeted validation.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

A comprehensive reference catalog of human skin DNA virome reveals novel viral diversity and microenvironmental influences.

UNLABELLED: Human skin serves as a dynamic habitat for a diverse microbiome, including a complex array of viruses whose diversity and roles are not fully understood. A total of 2,760 skin metagenomes from 6 published skin studies were collected. A skin virome catalog was constructed using standard methods in the viromics field. Viral characteristics were identified through cross-cohort meta-analysis and used to characterize viral features across different skin environments. We identified 20,927 viral sequences, which clustered into 2,873 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs), uncovering a substantial breadth of viral diversity on human skin. The results also highlight significant differences in viral communities that are associated with varying skin microenvironments. The oily skin is enriched in Papillomaviridae, the dry skin area is enriched in Autographiviridae and Inoviridae, and the moist skin is enriched in Herelleviridae. We also investigated the relationship between bacteriophages and bacteria on the skin surface. We found that skin bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, and Staphylococcus are predicted to be infected by phages from the class Caudoviricetes. This comprehensive skin DNA viral catalog significantly advances our understanding of the virome's role within the skin ecosystem. IMPORTANCE: This study presents a comprehensive reference catalog of the human skin DNA virome, constructed from 2,760 metagenomic datasets collected globally. It identified 20,927 viral sequences, with 90.85% representing previously unknown viruses, greatly expanding our understanding of skin viral diversity. The findings reveal significant differences in viral communities between distinct skin microenvironments (oily, dry, and moist) and highlight close interactions between bacteriophages and their bacterial hosts, suggesting a potential role for the virome in maintaining microbial balance and skin health. This extensive skin viral catalog constitutes a crucial resource for future epidemiological and therapeutic research, potentially facilitating the development of novel phage therapies and diagnostic markers for skin disorders.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Gut metagenome and plasma metabolome profiles in older adults suggest pyruvate metabolism as a link between sleep quality and frailty.

Poor sleep quality is associated with increased frailty in older adults, but the role of the gut microbiome in this relationship remains unclear. Here, gut metagenome and plasma metabolome were profiled in 1,225 individuals aged 62-96 years. Poor sleep quality was associated with reduced abundances of potential probiotics such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and elevated abundances of pathobionts. A gut microbiome sleep quality index (GMSI) was developed to quantify microbial balance related to better sleep quality; higher GMSI scores were inversely associated with frailty and related clinical traits. Pyruvate metabolism emerged as a key microbial pathway linking sleep quality to frailty, with features such as F. prausnitzii abundance and microbial pyridoxal 5'-phosphate biosynthesis implicated in this connection. These findings deepen our understanding of microbiome-metabolome pathways related to sleep quality and frailty in aging and provide a valuable resource for future longitudinal and interventional studies.

Humans↗