https://microbialmetallomics.comNew writing, research summaries, and paper reviews from Microbial Metallomics.en-US https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/vancomycin-zinc-binding-antimicrobial-mechanismshttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/vancomycin-zinc-binding-antimicrobial-mechanismsKaren PendergrassVancomycin can bind zinc, yet added zinc can also strengthen its activity in resistant bacteria. The experiments distinguish starvation from drug assembly.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/transferrin-ferritin-heme-recyclinghttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/transferrin-ferritin-heme-recyclingKaren PendergrassHow transferrin, ferritin, haptoglobin and hemopexin route iron, protect tissue and face microbial piracy—and which experiments distinguish those effects.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/silymarin-metal-binding-liver-evidencehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/silymarin-metal-binding-liver-evidenceKaren PendergrassMilk-thistle chemistry can bind or reduce metals, but nickel protection, lead measurements and human liver trials answer different mechanistic questions.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/parkinsons-dementia-brain-metallomic-signaturehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/parkinsons-dementia-brain-metallomic-signatureKaren PendergrassBrain copper loss in Parkinson’s dementia overlaps Alzheimer’s but differs by region. What this signature enables for microbial metallomics research.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/lactoferrin-iron-withholding-microbial-countermeasureshttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/lactoferrin-iron-withholding-microbial-countermeasuresKaren PendergrassHow lactoferrin withholds iron, disrupts microbial behavior, and faces bacterial countermeasures—and what oral human studies actually establish.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/hepcidin-ferroportin-iron-redistributionhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/hepcidin-ferroportin-iron-redistributionKaren PendergrassHow hepcidin controls ferroportin, redistributes iron during inflammation, and creates different tradeoffs for microbes and red-cell production.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/glutathione-metals-mitochondria-drug-metabolismhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/glutathione-metals-mitochondria-drug-metabolismKaren PendergrassHow glutathione supports enzymes, binds metals and enters mitochondria—and what drug metabolism does and does not establish about shared cellular reserve.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/endometriosis-metals-microbiomehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/endometriosis-metals-microbiomeKaren PendergrassHow low-nickel dietary responses, red meat and heme iron, microbial signals, and nutritional immunity define a research program in endometriosis.Research synthesisFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/dementia-lewy-bodies-brain-metallomic-signatureshttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/dementia-lewy-bodies-brain-metallomic-signaturesKaren PendergrassDementia brain-metal signatures reveal regional copper loss and iron gain. A critical review connects these patterns to testable microbial-metallomics research.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/saccharomyces-boulardii-metal-biosorptionhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/saccharomyces-boulardii-metal-biosorptionKaren PendergrassHow Saccharomyces boulardii and other yeasts bind lead, arsenic and mercury—and which experiments can distinguish adsorption from lasting removal.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/bile-acids-biliary-metal-excretionhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/bile-acids-biliary-metal-excretionKaren PendergrassBile carries metal-containing cargo, but bile acids, glutathione complexes, copper pumps and microbial transformations govern different steps toward elimination.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/alzheimers-brain-copper-metallomic-signaturehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/alzheimers-brain-copper-metallomic-signatureKaren PendergrassAlzheimer’s brain copper loss and regional iron and zinc changes reveal a spatial disease signature—and define experiments for microbial metallomics.Paper reviewFri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-fortification-kenyan-infant-microbiomehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-fortification-kenyan-infant-microbiomeKaren PendergrassA full review of Jaeggi et al. (Gut 2015): iron-fortified porridge increased pathogenic E. coli and enterobacteria, cut bifidobacteria, and inflamed the gut in Kenyan infants.Paper reviewFri, 17 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/perinatal-tobacco-child-gut-microbiotahttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/perinatal-tobacco-child-gut-microbiotaKaren PendergrassPrenatal smoking and childhood gut taxa were associated in an observational cohort; the responsible exposure components remain unresolved.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/prenatal-metals-microbiome-child-inflammationhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/prenatal-metals-microbiome-child-inflammationKaren PendergrassA 2024 PROGRESS cohort study links prenatal copper and cesium exposure, interacting with specific gut microbes, to elevated fecal calprotectin in children.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/prenatal-acetaminophen-microbiome-cognitionhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/prenatal-acetaminophen-microbiome-cognitionKaren PendergrassGESTE cohort links prenatal acetaminophen and caffeine to childhood gut microbiome shifts and cognition; Proteobacteria abundance modified WISC-IV scores.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/pediatric-gut-microbiome-health-reviewhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/pediatric-gut-microbiome-health-reviewKaren PendergrassA systematic review of 42 studies finds geography, diet, and 16S sequencing method, not age, shape healthy children's Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes gut profiles.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/lactoferrin-vs-ferrous-sulfatehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/lactoferrin-vs-ferrous-sulfateKaren PendergrassMeta-analyses show oral lactoferrin can match or outperform ferrous sulfate for iron repletion, lowering IL-6 and hepcidin with fewer gut side effects.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/lactobacillus-plantarum-299v-oral-ironhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/lactobacillus-plantarum-299v-oral-ironKaren PendergrassA randomized trial shows the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum 299v reduces oral iron side effects and improves iron status in iron-deficiency anemia patients.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-zinc-biofortified-foods-gut-microbiotahttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-zinc-biofortified-foods-gut-microbiotaKaren PendergrassSystematic review of iron/zinc-biofortified bean and wheat diets in the Gallus gallus model: staples raised SCFA-producing Lactobacillus and cut enteric pathogens.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-supplements-microbiome-reproductive-womenhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-supplements-microbiome-reproductive-womenKaren PendergrassA 21-day randomized placebo-controlled trial found ferrous fumarate did not significantly alter fecal microbiome composition in Australian reproductive-age women.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-fortification-infant-microbiome-diarrheahttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-fortification-infant-microbiome-diarrheaKaren PendergrassIron fortification shifts the infant gut microbiome toward enterobacteria and pathogenic E. coli, cutting protective bifidobacteria and raising diarrhea risk.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/parkinsons-intestinal-biomarkers-nonmotorhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/parkinsons-intestinal-biomarkers-nonmotorKaren PendergrassParkinson's patients with constipation show higher fecal calprotectin, reduced SCFAs, lower gut diversity, and greater IBD genetic risk, linking gut inflammation to non-motor severity.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/herfd-xas-metallomicshttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/herfd-xas-metallomicsKaren PendergrassHERFD-XAS sharpens X-ray absorption spectra by rejecting core-hole broadening, resolving mercury, selenium, and arsenic speciation in dilute biological samples for metallomics.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/gut-microbiome-childhood-stunting-lmichttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/gut-microbiome-childhood-stunting-lmicKaren PendergrassSystematic review of 14 studies links childhood stunting in LMICs to inflammatory gut pathobionts and depleted butyrate producers, driving impaired linear growth.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/childhood-blood-metals-microbiome-gestehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/childhood-blood-metals-microbiome-gesteKaren PendergrassGESTE cohort links childhood blood metals (Mn, Se, Cd, Hg, Pb) to gut microbiome composition in 6-7 year olds; manganese and selenium tied to bacterial phyla.Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/crohns-multiomics-mre-bowel-damagehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/crohns-multiomics-mre-bowel-damageKaren PendergrassTwo-center study fusing gut microbiome, fecal and serum metabolomics, and MR enterography into a model predicting cumulative Crohn's bowel damage (AUC 0.857).Paper reviewFri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/heavy-metals-gut-microbiota-reviewhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/heavy-metals-gut-microbiota-reviewKaren PendergrassHow the human microbiome differs across the gut, skin, oral, vaginal and lung niches, how it is acquired and disrupted, and why heavy-metal exposure matters.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/prenatal-metals-microbiome-childhood-depressionhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/prenatal-metals-microbiome-childhood-depressionKaren PendergrassA Mexico City birth-cohort study links a prenatal zinc-cobalt profile plus specific gut bacteria to 15.4% higher childhood depression scores at ages 9-11.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/prenatal-lead-childhood-gut-microbiomehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/prenatal-lead-childhood-gut-microbiomeKaren PendergrassPrenatal lead exposure is negatively linked to the childhood gut microbiome: metagenomics from a Mexico City cohort ties maternal Pb to fewer beneficial bacteria.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/prebiotic-iron-cereal-kenyan-infantshttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/prebiotic-iron-cereal-kenyan-infantsKaren PendergrassIn a Kenyan infant RCT, adding prebiotic GOS/FOS to iron-fortified cereal raised iron absorption 60% and reduced gut inflammation, pathogens, and dysbiosis.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/nutritional-immunity-trace-metals-infectionhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/nutritional-immunity-trace-metals-infectionKaren PendergrassHow the host uses iron, zinc, manganese and copper handling as nutritional immunity to starve or poison pathogens, plus metal-based therapeutic strategies.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/metal-availability-immune-function-infectionhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/metal-availability-immune-function-infectionKaren PendergrassHow zinc, iron, manganese, and copper availability shapes neutrophil and macrophage function during infection through nutritional immunity, calprotectin, and phagosomal metal handling.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-chelation-therapy-thalassemiahttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-chelation-therapy-thalassemiaKaren PendergrassClinical review of deferoxamine, deferiprone, and deferasirox for transfusion iron overload in thalassemia, covering cardiac and hepatic iron outcomes measured by MRI T2*.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/heavy-metals-gut-microbiota-systematic-reviewhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/heavy-metals-gut-microbiota-systematic-reviewKaren PendergrassSystematic review of 12 human studies links arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium exposure to gut microbiota dysbiosis, leaky gut, and disease, with dietary mitigation.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/gallium-cystic-fibrosis-pseudomonashttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/gallium-cystic-fibrosis-pseudomonasKaren PendergrassGallium substitutes for iron to sabotage Pseudomonas aeruginosa iron metabolism. A Phase 1 CF trial (Goss et al., Sci Transl Med 2018) found IV gallium improved lung function.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/copper-infectious-disease-both-sideshttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/copper-infectious-disease-both-sidesKaren PendergrassHow the immune system weaponizes copper against pathogens: macrophage copper bursts, phagosomal intoxication, fungal copper detox, and copper nutritional immunity.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/arsenic-gut-ecoli-children-bangladeshhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/arsenic-gut-ecoli-children-bangladeshKaren PendergrassArsenic-exposed Bangladeshi children carry more gut Proteobacteria and E. coli bearing arsenic-resistance (ars) and antibiotic-resistance-like genes, a metal-microbiome case study.Paper reviewThu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/wheat-iron-binding-proteomehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/wheat-iron-binding-proteomeKaren PendergrassA proteome-wide scan of bread wheat mapped ~600 iron-binding proteins with Fe(II)/Fe(III) sites coordinated by His, Glu, Asp and Cys, aiding metallomics.Paper reviewTue, 11 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/spatial-metallomics-colorectal-cancerhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/spatial-metallomics-colorectal-cancerKaren PendergrassColorectal cancer metal maps reveal distinct copper and iron neighborhoods. What they measured, and how to test microbial access, host response and disease.Paper reviewTue, 11 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/nife-cofactor-biosynthesis-ecolihttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/nife-cofactor-biosynthesis-ecoliKaren PendergrassHow E. coli builds the NiFe(CN)2CO cofactor of [NiFe]-hydrogenases: the HypA-F maturation proteins, cyanide and CO ligand synthesis, and nickel insertion.Paper reviewMon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/zinc-clasp-cd4-cd8-lck-tcellhttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/zinc-clasp-cd4-cd8-lck-tcellKaren PendergrassThe zinc clasp is a Zn2+-bridged interface that tethers the kinase Lck to CD4 and CD8 coreceptors, a labile-zinc switch central to T-cell activation and immunity.Paper reviewMon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-metalloproteome-pseudomonashttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-metalloproteome-pseudomonasKaren PendergrassNative metalloproteomics maps how Pseudomonas aeruginosa partitions iron across four protein complexes, with denitrification raising iron demand in anoxia.Paper reviewMon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/arnr-4fe4s-nitric-oxide-sensinghttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/arnr-4fe4s-nitric-oxide-sensingKaren PendergrassArnR uses a [4Fe-4S] cluster to sense nitric oxide: NO nitrosylates the cluster, abolishing DNA binding and derepressing nitrate-respiration and hmp genes.Paper reviewMon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/heavy-metals-obesity-pregnancy-upbeathttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/heavy-metals-obesity-pregnancy-upbeatKaren PendergrassUPBEAT links maternal manganese and phosphorus to later outcomes. What the evidence means, and how to test host and microbial metal handling.Paper reviewMon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-sulfur-clusters-oxygen-diseasehttps://microbialmetallomics.com/library/iron-sulfur-clusters-oxygen-diseaseKaren PendergrassHow iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster biogenesis and oxygen shape human disease: NFS1 in lung cancer, hyperoxia injury, and hypoxia therapy for Friedreich ataxia.Paper reviewMon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000