Volume 61 (2022): Issue 4 (December 2022)

Small, regulatory RNA molecules (sRNAs) together with two-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) are part of extensive networks for controlling bacterial gene expression. By interacting with each other, they ensure a swift and precise response of bacteria to changing living conditions. They control many processes, including the composition of the bacterial cell envelope and biofilm formation. Very often, sRNAs are the missing links between TCSs and their target genes or other regulatory systems in response to complex environmental stimuli. TCS-sRNA interaction is now considered a global regulatory feature in many prokaryotes. Learning about these control mechanisms paves the way to developing new strategies to combat pathogens.

Louis Pasteur is considered one of the world’s greatest scientists. However, some cracks in the Pasteur’s monument have been spotted. His character and certain activities are subject to criticism or at least controversy. The review of achievements of the French scientist, contained in this article, prepared on the occasion of the bicentenary of his birth, shows that, despite the accusations formulated from different sides, Pasteur fully deserves to be called a “benefactor of mankind”.

Advancements in modern genomics driven by the continuous DNA sequencing of complete microbial genomes, including pathogenic microorganisms, have revolutionised the approach to the process of designing new generation vaccine antigens. Genomic data is the source of hypotheses about potential antigen immunogenicity, reversing the standard science research process. As a result, it is possible to analyse thousands of genes regardless of their in vivo expression levels. On this basis, we can choose the pool of protein candidates to examine further, mapping their epitopes recognised by the elements of the human immune system. The acquired information on the structure of the selected antigen and its interactions with the immune system may be used to design and synthesise new immunogenic molecules, optimising time and resources needed to introduce new vaccines to the market.

The paper presents new data indicating the composition of the human gastrointestinal microbiome, consisting of bacteria, archaea, viruses (including bacteriophages), as well as eukaryotic and heterotrophic organisms such as fungi – the existence of which in the gastrointestinal tract is referred to as the mycobiome. The human digestive tract, divided into the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, and small and large intestine, inhabited by the microorganisms mentioned above, forms a specific qualitative and quantitative, rich and diverse specific ecosystem. Thanks to the use of bioinformatic and molecular methods, including metagenomic sequencing, it is still being discovered. In this review, systematic groups of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi occurring in individual sections of the gastrointestinal tract are presented, and enterotypes of the large intestine are indicated. Considering the amounts of the above-mentioned groups of microorganisms in individual sections of the gastrointestinal tract of the human, the environment of the large intestine and oral cavity are the richest parts of the microbiome, while the throat and esophagus are the poorest. Among the microbiome of the digestive tract of the human, the most numerous group are bacteria located in the mouth and small intestine, while the the most limited group of bacteria is registered in the pharynx and esophagus. Archaea, on the other hand, have been described most frequently in the large intestine and stomach, and were not found in the throat and small intestine. Most viruses in the gastrointestinal tract were found in the large intestine and the oral cavity, while they were absent in the stomach. The fungi found in the microbiome were most abundant in the large intestine and stomach, and the smallest amount in the throat and small intestine.

Enology, a science dealing with issues related to wine production, combines ancient tradition with the present time. It was not until Louis Pasteur proved that vinification does not happen by itself and that microorganisms are responsible for this process. It was a beginning for a branch of enology focused on the microbiology of wine, which led to gradual evolution of production methods and the development of advanced techniques for wine stabilization. Nevertheless, alternative methods that can replace or modify the sulfation process as wine preservation are still sought. Physical and chemical methods can be found among them. Also, nanotechnology offers process improvements to enology. This article describes the past and the current wine stabilization methods and summarizes the directions for developing this interdisciplinary branch of knowledge.