A time-resolved high-throughput screening of fission yeast deletion mutants for oxidative stress resistance
By capturing dynamic trajectories rather than static outcomes, this study exposes hidden layers of growth under oxidative stress and identifies new genetic determinants of cellular resilience in fission yeast.
Clonal spread and environmental persistence of carbapenem-resistant high-risk Pseudomonas aeruginosa in critical-care units of a Chilean national referral center for burn and trauma patients (2022)
This study highlight the circulation of high-risk P. aeruginosa clones in Chile and underscore the importance of molecular epidemiology in guiding infection control, optimizing antimicrobial therapy, and mitigating the clinical and economic burden of CRPA.
The transcriptome of dendritic cells redraws the boundaries between pathogenicity and commensalism in yeast
Our immune system meets many fungi, but reacts strongly to only a few. The comparison of key fungal species showed that responses differ mainly in timing and not just genes, highlighting the need to rethink what makes fungi harmful vs. harmless.
Yippee-like protein Moh1 links gene expression to metabolism and selective stress resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
This study demonstrates that the conserved yeast protein Moh1 links metabolism, gene expression, and cell structure, thereby altering cell envelope permeability and leading to selective stress responses.
Fungistatic effect of sorbic acid on yeast cells via translational repression involving eIF2α phosphorylation and formation of Ded1- and eIF2B-granules
The findings of this study provide new insights into the physiological effects of sorbic acid on yeast cells, specifically regarding the regulation of translation-related factors.
A time-resolved high-throughput screening of fission yeast deletion mutants for oxidative stress resistance
Pirsalehi et al.By capturing dynamic trajectories rather than static outcomes, this study exposes hidden layers of growth under oxidative stress and identifies new genetic determinants of cellular resilience in fission yeast.
Clonal spread and environmental persistence of carbapenem-resistant high-risk Pseudomonas aeruginosa in critical-care units of a Chilean national referral center for burn and trauma patients (2022)
Ibarra et al.This study highlight the circulation of high-risk P. aeruginosa clones in Chile and underscore the importance of molecular epidemiology in guiding infection control, optimizing antimicrobial therapy, and mitigating the clinical and economic burden of CRPA.
The transcriptome of dendritic cells redraws the boundaries between pathogenicity and commensalism in yeast
Rizzetto et al.Our immune system meets many fungi, but reacts strongly to only a few. The comparison of key fungal species showed that responses differ mainly in timing and not just genes, highlighting the need to rethink what makes fungi harmful vs. harmless.
Yippee-like protein Moh1 links gene expression to metabolism and selective stress resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Olgun et al.This study demonstrates that the conserved yeast protein Moh1 links metabolism, gene expression, and cell structure, thereby altering cell envelope permeability and leading to selective stress responses.
Fungistatic effect of sorbic acid on yeast cells via translational repression involving eIF2α phosphorylation and formation of Ded1- and eIF2B-granules
Yoshiyama et al.The findings of this study provide new insights into the physiological effects of sorbic acid on yeast cells, specifically regarding the regulation of translation-related factors.
Occlusal types shape oral microbiome stomatotypes and metabolic landscapes: A multi-omics perspective on host-microbe interaction
Duan et alThis study reveals how occlusal types shape oral microbiome “stomatotypes” and metabolic profiles in adolescents. It offers fresh insights that host anatomy drives microecology which may be associated with personalized oral health.
Prohibitins: emerging host targets of bacteria and viruses at the plasma membrane, mitochondria, and cytoplasm
Rivera-Palomino and TheissProhibitins are emerging as central host hubs exploited by bacteria and viruses to rewire signaling and mitochondrial dynamics. The current review discusses Prohibitins in host-pathogen interplay and their potential as novel anti-infective targets.
Outer membrane vesicles in Vibrio species: Roles in biofilm formation and pathogenesis
Shambhavi and SinghThis review explores current knowledge on outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) in Vibrio species, highlighting their roles in pathogenesis, host interaction, and marine ecology; and identifies major knowledge gaps, outlining key methodological challenges and future prospects for OMV-based applications.
Genomic epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae circulating in a Chilean tertiary-care hospital (2021–2022): Molecular characterization, resistance-virulence convergence, and clinical associations
Araya et al.This study characterized carbapenem-resistant Kp (CR-Kp) strains isolated at the Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile (HCUCH) 2021-2022 and explored associations with clinical characteristics.
A humanized yeast-based toolkit for monitoring phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity at both single cell and population levels
Coronas-Serna et alIn this study, a humanized yeast system for functional studies on higher eukaryotic Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) was developed by restricting PI3K activity in yeast to specific plasma membrane microdomains, utilizing engineered reporters to monitor activity at a single-cell level and employing novel tools to study the performance of yeast plasma membrane (PM) microdomain-directed PI3K, revealing location-specific effects on yeast growth and endocytosis.
A chemical genetic screen reveals a role for proteostasis in capsule and biofilm formation by Cryptococcus neoformans
Mayer et alThis study demonstrates that the bipolar disorder drug lithium inhibits the formation of key virulence factors, biofilm, and polysaccharide capsule, in Cryptococcus neoformans by dysregulating the ubiquitin/proteasome system, shedding light on the impact of lithium and providing insights into potential alternative pharmaceutical approaches for combating this fungal pathogen.
Nutritional and meiotic induction of transiently heritable stress resistant states in budding yeast
Gutierrez et al.This study demonstrates that transient exposures to environmental stresses induce persistent states of elevated stress resistance in yeast cells, termed cellular memory, suggesting a form of epigenetic inheritance, and shows that this phenomenon occurs not only in meiotically produced spores but also in haploid cells subjected to glucose withdrawal, adding new insights into the developmentally and nutritionally induced cellular memory.
Specific mutations in the permease domain of septal protein SepJ differentially affect functions related to multicellularity in the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena
Ramos-León et al.In this study, the multifunctional roles of the SepJ protein in the multicellular function of the Anabaena filament were investigated, revealing that specific amino acids and stretches within the protein are essential for the formation of long filaments, heterocyst differentiation, and intercellular communication, shedding light on the structure and diverse functions of SepJ in the model heterocyst-forming cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120.
Trehalose-6-phosphate promotes fermentation and glucose repression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Vicente et al.This study examined the capability of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS1) homologues from various species to complement the phenotypic defects of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae tps1 mutant, resulting in the classification of complementation into different groups based on metabolic patterns and fermentation capacity, shedding light on the role of TPS1 and trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) as critical factors in sugar fermentation and glucose repression.
The translationally controlled tumor protein TCTP is involved in cell cycle progression and heat stress response in the bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei
Jojic et al.This study reveals the involvement of the translationally controlled tumor protein TCTP in cell cycle regulation and heat stress response in the bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei, shedding light on its role in these cellular processes.
Single telomere length analysis in Ustilago maydis, a high-resolution tool for examining fungal telomere length distribution and C-strand 5’-end processing
Swapna et al.This article introduces the development of single telomere length analysis (STELA) for Ustilago maydis, a basidiomycete fungus, enabling the precise measurement of telomere lengths and distributions. The study demonstrates STELA’s utility in revealing the existence of relatively short telomeres in wild-type cells, preferential loss of long telomeres in a mutant defective in telomere replication, and the characterization of telomere C-strand 5’ ends, highlighting U. maydis as a strong model for telomere research.
Temporal analysis of the autophagic and apoptotic phenotypes in Leishmania parasites
Basmaciyan et al.This article details a comprehensive analysis of miltefosine-induced cell death and autophagy in Leishmania major, providing criteria for clear identification of apoptotic and autophagic cells, demonstrating the sequential nature of autophagy followed by apoptosis in nutrient-deprived conditions, and cautioning against using the generic kinase inhibitor staurosporine as a Leishmania apoptosis inducer, with the aim of improving the understanding of these processes and their targeting for new anti-leishmanial drugs.
Snf1 cooperates with the CWI MAPK pathway to mediate the degradation of Med13 following oxidative stress
Willis et al.This article explores the response of eukaryotic cells to environmental stress, highlighting the role of the conserved cyclin C-Cdk8 kinase in determining pro-survival or pro-death programs. Specifically, it discusses how oxidative stress triggers the destruction of Med13 by the SCFGrr1 ubiquitin ligase, releasing cyclin C to promote mitochondrial fission and cell death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Additionally, it reveals that the AMP kinase Snf1 activates a separate degron in Med13, contributing to the complex regulation of Med13 degradation following H2O2 stress through the coordination of the cell wall integrity and MAPK pathways.
Placeholder factors in ribosome biogenesis: please, pave my way
Espinar-Marchena et al.In ribosome synthesis, “placeholder” factors are crucial trans-acting elements that regulate the timing and assembly of ribosomal proteins, ensuring speed and accuracy in this intricate process by preventing premature interactions and guiding the proper formation of functional ribosomal subunits.
Insights from the redefinition of Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide O-antigen and core-oligosaccharide domains
Li et al.This article comments on work published by Li et al. (PloS Pathog, 2017), focusing on Helicobacter pylori infections. They are mostly asymptomatic but can lead to serious conditions, and H. pylori lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is crucial for colonization and persistence, making the study of its structure and biosynthesis pathway vital for understanding pathogenesis and developing treatments.
Evading plant immunity: feedback control of the T3SS in Pseudomonas syringae
Christopher Waite et al.This article comments on work published by Waite et al. (mBio, 2017), which indicates that a negative autogenous control mechanism, where the sigma factor HrpL represses its own expression, permits the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae to fine-tune its type III secretion system, potentially reducing the elicitation of plant immunity and enhancing its ability to cause disease.
Microbial flora, probiotics, Bacillus subtilis and the search for a long and healthy human longevity
Facundo Rodriguez Ayala et al.This article comments on work published by Donato et al. (Nat Commun, 2017), which reveals that the probiotic Bacillus subtilis extends the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans via mechanisms including the formation of biofilms and the production of signaling molecules like NO and CSF, suggesting a potential pathway through insulin-like signaling that could impact human longevity and age-related diseases.
Chlamydia trachomatis’ struggle to keep its host alive
Barbara S. Sixt et al.This article comments on work published by Sixt et al. (Cell Host Microbe, 2016), which analyzed a CpoS-deficient mutant yielding unique insights into the nature of cell-autonomous defense responses against Chlamydia.
New insights into the function of a versatile class of membrane molecular motors from studies of Myxococcus xanthus surface (gliding) motility
Tâm Mignot and Marcelo NöllmannThis article comments on work published by Faure et al. (Nature, 2016), which deciphers force transmission at focal adhesion complexes that are involved in gliding motility in bacteria.
Advancing host-directed therapy for tuberculosis: new therapeutic insights from the Toxoplasma gondii
Chul-Su YangThis article comments on work published by Koh et al. (PLoS Pathog, 2017), which uncovered that infection-induced signaling pathways suggest possibilities for the development of novel therapeutic modalities for TB that target the intracellular signaling pathways permitting the replication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB).
Breaking the bilayer: OMV formation during environmental transitions
Katherine E. Bonnington, Meta J. KuehnThis article comments on work published by Bonnington & Kuehn (MBio, 2016), which shows how gram-negative bacteria maintain the barrier properties of the outer membrane (OM) in a wide array of physiological conditions despite their inability to degrade lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and protein material present in the outer leaflet of the OM.
The tug-of-war over MTOR in Legionella infections
Stanimir S. IvanovThis article comments on work published by Abshire et al (PLoS Pathog, 2016), which uncovered that the host metabolic checkpoint kinase Mechanistic target of rapamycin (MTOR) is a central regulator of the pathogen niche expansion program.
Targeting GATA transcription factors – a novel strategy for anti-aging interventions?
Zimmermann et al.This article comments on work published by Carmona-Gutierrez et al. (Nat Commun., 2019), which identified a natural compound, 4,4′-dimethoxychalcone, inducing autophagy and prolonging lifespan in different organisms through a mechanism that involves GATA transcription factors.
In the beginning was the word: How terminology drives our understanding of endosymbiotic organelles
OborníkThis In the Pit article argues that the naming conventions for biological entities influence research perspectives and methodologies, advocating for mitochondria and plastids to be classified and named as bacteria due to their endosymbiotic origins, with potential implications for our understanding of bacterial prevalence, definitions of the microbiome and multicellularity, and the concept of endosymbiotic domestication.
What’s in a name? How organelles of endosymbiotic origin can be distinguished from endosymbionts
GruberThis In the Pit article suggests redefining the relationship between hosts and endosymbionts, like mitochondria and plastids, as a single species based on “sexual symbiont integration,” the loss of independent speciation, and congruence in genetic recombination and population sizes, rather than solely on historic classifications or structural properties.
Microbial wars: competition in ecological niches and within the microbiome
Bauer et al.In this Editorial Bauer et al. provide a brief overview on microbial competition and discuss some of its roles and consequences that directly affect humans.
Exploring the mechanism of amebic trogocytosis: the role of amebic lysosomes
Gilmartin and PetriIn this article, the authors comment on the study “Inhibition of Amebic Lysosomal Acidification Blocks Amebic Trogocytosis and Cell Killing” by Gilmartin et al. (MBio, 2017), discussing the the role of amebic lysosomes in Trogocytosis, the intracellular transfer of fragments of cell material.
Uncovering the hidden: complexity and strategies for diagnosing latent tuberculosis
Flores-ValdezThis editorial postulates that advanced proteomic and transcriptomic techniques are evolving and may enhance the detection of latent tuberculosis, thereby distinguishing true M. tuberculosis infections from other conditions, which is vital for controlling potential reactivation and transmission.
The Yin & Yang of Mitochondrial Architecture – Interplay of MICOS and F1Fo-ATP synthase in cristae formation
Rampelt and van der LaanThis Editorial posits that mitochondrial cristae architecture is shaped by the interplay of MICOS and ATP synthase, with a recent study illuminating their roles in cristae formation and maintenance.
When a ribosomal protein grows up – the ribosome assembly path of Rps3
Brigitte PertschyThis article comments on two papers by Mitterer et al., which followed yeast protein Rps3, highlighting the sophisticated mechanisms for protein protection, nuclear transport, and integration into pre-ribosomal particles for final assembly with 40S subunits.
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Peer-reviewed, open-access research using unicellular organisms (and multicellular microorganisms) to understand cellular responses and human disease.
The journal (founded in 2014) is led by its Editors-in-Chief Frank Madeo, Didac Carmona-Gutierrez, and Guido Kroemer
Microbial Cell has been publishing original scientific literature since 2014, and from the very beginning has been managed by active scientists through an independent Publishing House (Shared science Publishers). The journal was conceived as a platform to acknowledge the importance of unicellular organisms, both as model systems as well as in the biological context of human health and disease.
Ever since, Microbial Cell has very positively developed and strongly grown into a respected journal in the unicellular research community and even beyond. This scientific impact is reflected in the yearly number of citations obtained by articles published in Microbial Cell, as recorded by the Web of Science (Clarivate, formerly Thomson/Reuters):
The scientific impact of Microbial Cell is also mirrored in a series of milestones:
2015: Microbial Cell is included in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), a selection of developing journals drafted by Clarivate Analytics based on the candidate’s publishing standards, quality, editorial content, and citation data. Note: As an ESCI-selected journal, Microbial Cell is currently being evaluated in a rigorous and long process to determine an inclusion in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), which allows the official calculation of Clarivate Analytics’ impact factor.
2016: Microbial Cell is awarded the so-called DOAJ Seal by the selective Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). The DOAJ Seal is an exclusive mark of certification for open access journals granted by DOAJ to journals that adhere to outstanding best practice and achieve an extra high and clear commitment to open access and high publishing standards.
2017: Microbial Cell is included in Pubmed Central (PMC), allowing the archiving of all the journal’s articles in PMC and PubMed.
2019: Microbial Cell is indexed in the prestigious abstract and citation database Scopus after a thorough selection process. This also means that Microbial Cell obtains, for the first time, an official Scopus CiteScore as well as an official journal ranking in the Scimago Journal and Country Ranking.
2022: Microbial Cell’s CiteScore reaches a value of 7.2 for the year 2021, positioning Microbial Cell among the top microbiology journals (previously available CiteScores: 2019: 5.4; 2020: 5.1).
2022: Microbial Cell is indexed in the highly selective Science Citation Index Expanded™, which covers approx. 9,500 of the world’s most impactful journals across 178 scientific disciplines. In their journal selection and curation process, Clarivate´s editors apply 24 ‘quality’ criteria and four ‘impact’ criteria to select the most influential journals in their respective fields. This selection is also a pre-requisite for inclusion in the JCR, which features the impact factor.
2022: Microbial Cell is listed in the Journal Citation Reports™ (JCR), and obtains its first official Journal Impact Factor™ (JIF) for the year 2021: 5.316.Check Article Types and Manuscript Preparation guidelines. Submit online via Scholastica.
Sulfur dioxide resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: beyond SSU1
García-Ríos and GuillamónThis article discusses the importance of understanding sulfite resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae due to its use in winemaking and the potential role of the transcription factor Com2. While the SSU1 gene and its activity have been correlated with sulfite tolerance, the work by Lage et al. (2019) indicates that Com2 might control a large percentage of the genes activated by SO2 and contribute to the yeast’s protective response, offering new insights into the molecular factors influencing this oenological trait.