Method for culturing Candidatus Ornithobacterium hominis.

Candidatus Ornithobacterium hominis has been detected in nasopharyngeal microbiota sequence data from around the world. This report provides the first description of culture conditions for isolating this bacterium. The availability of an easily reproducible culture method is expected to facilitate deeper understanding of the clinical significance of this species

The role of species composition in the emergence of alternate vegetation states in a temperate rainforest system

Context: Forest systems are dynamic and can alternate between alternative stable states in response to climate, disturbance and internal abiotic and biotic conditions. Switching between states depends on the crossing of critical thresholds and the establishment of feedbacks that drive (and maintain) changes in ecosystem functioning. The nature of these thresholds and the workings of these feedbacks have been well-researched, however, the factors that instigate movement toward and across a threshold remain poorly understood. Objectives: In this paper, we explore the role of species composition in initiating ecosystem state change in a temperate landscape mosaic of fire-prone and fire-sensitive vegetation systems.Methods: We construct two 12-kyr palaeocecological records from two proximal (230 m apart) sites in Tasmania, Australia, and apply the Alternative Stable States model as a framework to investigate ecosystem feedbacks and resilience threshold dynamics. Results: Our results indicate that, in this system, invasion by pyrogenic Eucalyptus species is a key factor in breaking down negative (stabilising) feedbacks that maintain pyrophobic sub-alpine rainforest.Conclusions: We conclude that the emergence of an alternative stable pyrogenic state in these relic rainforest systems depends on the extent of pyrophytic species within the system. These findings are critical for understanding resilience in forest ecosystems under future climate and land management changes and are relevant to fire-adapted cool-temperate ecosystems globally

Distribution and Genetic Diversity of Hepatitis E Virus in Wild and Domestic Rabbits in Australia

In 2020, Hepatitis E virus (HEV) was detected for the first time in Australian rabbits. To improve our understanding of the genetic diversity and distribution of the virus, 1635 rabbit liver samples from locations across Australia were screened via RT-qPCR for HEV. HEV genomes were amplified and sequenced from 48 positive samples. Furthermore, we tested 380 serum samples from 11 locations across Australia for antibodies against HEV. HEV was detected in rabbits from all states and territories, except the Northern Territory. Seroprevalence varied between locations (from 0% to 22%), demonstrating that HEV is widely distributed in rabbit populations across Australia. Phylogenetic analyses showed that Australian HEV sequences are genetically diverse and that HEV was likely introduced into Australia independently on several occasions. In summary, this study broadens our understanding of the genetic diversity of rabbit HEV globally and shows that the virus is endemic in both domestic and wild rabbit populations in Australia