Regulation of extracellular vesicles for protein secretion in Aspergillus nidulans
This study reveals that Aspergillus nidulans boosts extracellular vesicle production when ER-trafficked enzymes are induced, uncovering how fungi remodel their secretome through vesicle-mediated secretion to adapt to changing environments and biofilm formation.
Transcriptomic response to different heme sources in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes
This study uncovers how the Chagas disease parasite adapts to changes in heme, an essential molecule for its survival, providing transcriptional clues to heme metabolism and identifying a previously unreported heme-binding protein in T. cruzi.
Luminal acetylation of microtubules is not essential for Plasmodium berghei and Toxoplasma gondii survival
Acetylation of α-tubulin at lysine 40 is not essential for cytoskeletal stability in Plasmodium berghei or Toxoplasma gondii, suggesting redundancy and plasticity in microtubule regulation in these parasites.
The dual-site agonist for human M2 muscarinic receptors Iper-8-naphtalimide induces mitochondrial dysfunction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
S. cerevisiae is a model to study human GPCRs. N-8-Iper, active against glioblastoma via M2 receptor, causes mitochondrial damage in yeast by binding Ste2, highlighting evolutionary conservation of GPCRs.
Integrative Omics reveals changes in the cellular landscape of peroxisome-deficient pex3 yeast cells
To uncover the consequences of peroxisome deficiency, we compared Saccharomyces cerevisiae wild-type with pex3 cells, which lack peroxisomes, employing quantitative proteomics and transcriptomics technologies.
Regulation of extracellular vesicles for protein secretion in Aspergillus nidulans
Rebekkah E. Pope1, Patrick Ballmann2, Lisa Whitworth3 and Rolf A. Prade1,*
This study reveals that Aspergillus nidulans boosts extracellular vesicle production when ER-trafficked enzymes are induced, uncovering how fungi remodel their secretome through vesicle-mediated secretion to adapt to changing environments and biofilm formation.
Transcriptomic response to different heme sources in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes
Evelyn Tevere1,a, María G. Mediavilla1,a, Cecilia B. Di Capua1, Marcelo L. Merli1, Carlos Robello2,3, Luisa Berná2,4 and Julia A. Cricco
This study uncovers how the Chagas disease parasite adapts to changes in heme, an essential molecule for its survival, providing transcriptional clues to heme metabolism and identifying a previously unreported heme-binding protein in T. cruzi.
Sir2 regulates selective autophagy in stationary-phase yeast cells
Ji-In Ryua, Juhye Junga, and Jeong-Yoon Kim
This study establishes Sir2 as a previously unrecognized regulator of selective autophagy during the stationary phase and highlight how cells dynamically control organelle degradation.
Cross-species complementation of bacterial- and eukaryotic-type cardiolipin synthases
Petra Gottier1, Mauro Serricchio1, Rita Vitale2, Angela Corcelli2, and Peter Bütikofer1
This article shows that cardiolipin is crucial for cellular respiration and membrane integrity, with cardiolipin synthase enzymes like TbCLS in Trypanosoma brucei being potential drug targets due to their essential role in survival. The study demonstrates TbCLS’s ability to restore cardiolipin production in yeast, highlighting the specificity and potential co-localization required for cardiolipin synthesis and remodeling, and underscoring the differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cardiolipin synthase mechanisms.
Identification of SUMO conjugation sites in the budding yeast proteome
Miguel Esteras1, I-Chun Liu1, Ambrosius P. Snijders2, Adam Jarmuz1 and Luis Aragon1
The authors present a proteomic study that mapped SUMO acceptor lysines in budding yeast, identifying 257 potential conjugation sites, including both known and novel substrates, and providing a significant resource for future research into the functional implications of SUMOylation in yeast.
Ydj1 governs fungal morphogenesis and stress response, and facilitates mitochondrial protein import via Mas1 and Mas2
Jinglin L. Xie2,#, Iryna Bohovych3,#, Erin O.Y. Wong2, Jean-Philippe Lambert4, Anne-Claude Gingras2,4, Oleh Khalimonchuk3,5,6, Leah E. Cowen2 and Michelle D. Leach1,2
The authors descibe the role of the Hsp40 chaperone Ydj1 in Candida albicans, noting its localization to the cytosol and mitochondrial membrane, its necessity for stress responses and filamentation, and its involvement in a protein interaction network related to co-chaperones, filamentation regulators, and mitochondrial processing peptidases, with a particular focus on the impact of Ydj1 on mitochondrial morphology, function, and the import of precursor proteins.
Farnesol inhibits translation to limit growth and filamentation in C. albicans and S. cerevisiae
Nkechi E. Egbe1,2, Tawni O. Dornelles1, Caroline M. Paget1, Lydia M. Castelli1,3 and Mark P. Ashe1
Farnesol, a quorum-sensing molecule, inhibits the switch from yeast to filamentous growth in Candida albicans by impeding translation initiation, differing from fusel alcohols that affect the initiation factor eIF2B, as it disrupts mRNA interaction with the ribosome and prevents preinitiation complex formation.
Cristae architecture is determined by an interplay of the MICOS complex and the F1FO ATP synthase via Mic27 and Mic10
Katharina Eydt1,2, Karen M. Davies3, Christina Behrendt4, Ilka Wittig1,5 and Andreas S. Reichert1,2,4,*
This article investigates the roles of MICOS subunits Mic27 and Mic10, revealing their antagonistic and cooperative interactions in crista junction formation and cristae membrane curvature, and proposes a model where F1FO-ATP synthase is connected to MICOS, influencing CJ formation.
Integrative modules for efficient genome engineering in yeast
Triana Amen1 and Daniel Kaganovich1
The study introduces a set of vectors with integrative modules designed for effective genome integration into standard marker loci of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, enabling precise expression levels using various promoters and demonstrating the capability of stable multi-gene integration, which is useful for tasks like multi-color cellular imaging and metabolic engineering.
The neuroprotective steroid progesterone promotes mitochondrial uncoupling, reduces cytosolic calcium and augments stress resistance in yeast cells
Slaven Stekovic1,*, Christoph Ruckenstuhl1,*, Philipp Royer1, Christof Winkler-Hermaden1, Didac Carmona-Gutierrez1, Kai-Uwe Fröhlich1, Guido Kroemer3-8, and Frank Madeo1,2
Progesterone, known for its role in the reproductive system, also acts as a neurosteroid and has been suggested to aid recovery from traumatic brain injury; a study using yeast models shows that progesterone can protect against apoptosis, reduce oxidative stress and calcium spikes, and increase mitochondrial function, independent of traditional progesterone receptors or calcium transporters.
A simple microfluidic platform to study age-dependent protein abundance and localization changes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Margarita Cabrera1,†, Daniele Novarina1, Irina L. Rempel1, Liesbeth M. Veenhoff1, and Michael Chang1
We have developed a user-friendly microfluidic system paired with a genetic approach to enrich and study ageing mother yeast cells, enabling the monitoring of protein abundance and localization changes during the crucial first half of their replicative lifespan, leading to the discovery of novel age-dependent protein behaviors.
Thiol trapping and metabolic redistribution of sulfur metabolites enable cells to overcome cysteine overload
Anup Arunrao Deshpande1,#, Muskan Bhatia1,#, Sunil Laxman2, Anand Kumar Bachhawat1
In this study, researchers investigate the mechanisms for handling cysteine overload using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, finding that overexpressing the high affinity cysteine transporter, YCT1, enables yeast cells to rapidly accumulate high levels of intracellular cysteine. The study demonstrates that cells can manage potentially toxic levels of cysteine by converting it to non-reactive thiol forms and utilizing the metabolic products for cell growth.
Metabolic disharmony and sibling conflict mediated by T6SS
Vera Troselj1 and Daniel Wall1
In this article, the authors comment on the study “Physiological Heterogeneity Triggers Sibling Conflict Mediated by the Type VI Secretion System in an Aggregative Multicellular Bacterium” by Troselj et al. (MBio, 2018) discussing that M. xanthus uses T6SS to eliminate less fit cells from their population and identified toxic effector and cognate immunity protein (TsxEI) that mediates this sibling antagonism.
Helicobacter hepaticus polysaccharide induces an anti-inflammatory response in intestinal macrophages
Camille Danne1 and Fiona Powrie1
In this article, the authors comment on the study “A Large Polysaccharide Produced by Helicobacter hepaticus Induces an Anti-inflammatory Gene Signature in Macrophages. ” by Danne et al, (Cell Host Microbe 2017), discussing the interactions between H. hepaticus and intestinal macrophages that promote mutualism.
Endolysosomal pathway activity protects cells from neurotoxic TDP-43
Christine Leibiger1,#, Jana Deisel1,#, Andreas Aufschnaiter2, Stefanie Ambros1, Maria Tereshchenko1, Bert M. Verheijen3,4, Sabrina Büttner2,5, and Ralf J. Braun1
In this article, the authors comment on the study “TDP-43 controls lysosomal pathways thereby determining its own clearance and cytotoxicity” by Leibiger et al. (Hum Mol Genet, 2018), proposing that ameliorating endolysosomal pathway activity enhances cell survival in TDP‑43-associated diseases.
Two distinct penicillin binding proteins promote cell division in different Salmonella lifestyles
Sónia Castanheira1, Juan J. Cestero1, Francisco García-del Portillo1, M. Graciela Pucciarelli1,2,3
In this article, the authors comment on the study “A Specialized Peptidoglycan Synthase Promotes Salmonella Cell Division inside Host Cells” by Castanheira et al. (mBio, 2017), discussing insights in two distinct penicillin binding proteins that promote cell division in different Salmonella lifestyles.
New perspectives from South-Y-East, not all about deathA report of the 12th lnternational Meeting on Yeast Apoptosis in Bari, Italy, May 14th-18th, 2017
Nicoletta Guaragnella1,#, Mariarita Stirpe2,#, William Burhans3, Manuela Côrte-Real4, Campbell Gourlay5, Paula Ludovico6,7, Frank Madeo8,9, Dina Petranovic10, Joris Winderickx11, Cristina Mazzoni2 and Sergio Giannattasio1
In this article Guaragnella et al. report on the 12th International Meeting on Yeast Apoptosis (IMYA12), which was held in Bari, Italy from May 14th to 18th, 2017, where more than 100 participants, among which senior and young scientists from Europe, USA, North Africa and Japan, had an intense and open exchange of achievements and ideas in the field of yeast regulated cell death (RCD).
pH homeostasis links the nutrient sensing PKA/TORC1/Sch9 ménage-à-trois to stress tolerance and longevity
Marie-Anne Deprez1,°, Elja Eskes1,°, Tobias Wilms1, Paula Ludovico2, Joris Winderickx1
In this article, Deprez et al. discuss accumulating evidence indicates that pH homeostasis plays a prominent role in the determination of ageing and longevity, thereby providing new perspectives and avenues to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Guidelines and recommendations on yeast cell death nomenclature
Didac Carmona-Gutierrez1,‡,*, Maria Anna Bauer1,‡, Andreas Zimmermann1, Andrés Aguilera2, Nicanor Austriaco3, Kathryn Ayscough4, Rena Balzan5, Shoshana Bar-Nun6, Antonio Barrientos7,8, Peter Belenky9, Marc Blondel10, Ralf J. Braun11, Michael Breitenbach12, William C. Burhans13, Sabrina Büttner1,14, Duccio Cavalieri15, Michael Chang16, Katrina F. Cooper17, Manuela Côrte-Real18, Vítor Costa19–21, Christophe Cullin22, Ian Dawes23, Jörn Dengjel24, Martin B. Dickman25, Tobias Eisenberg1,26, Birthe Fahrenkrog27, Nicolas Fasel28, Kai-Uwe Fröhlich1, Ali Gargouri29, Sergio Giannattasio30, Paola Goffrini31, Campbell W. Gourlay32, Chris M. Grant33, Michael T. Greenwood34, Nicoletta Guaragnella30, Thomas Heger35, Jürgen Heinisch36, Eva Herker37, Johannes M. Herrmann38, Sebastian Hofer1, Antonio Jiménez-Ruiz39, Helmut Jungwirth1, Katharina Kainz1, Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis40, Paula Ludovico41,42, Stéphen Manon43, Enzo Martegani44, Cristina Mazzoni45, Lynn A. Megeney46–48, Chris Meisinger49, Jens Nielsen50–52, Thomas Nyström53, Heinz D. Osiewacz54, Tiago F. Outeiro55–58, Hay-Oak Park59, Tobias Pendl1, Dina Petranovic50,51, Stephane Picot60,61, Peter Polčic62, Ted Powers63, Mark Ramsdale64, Mark Rinnerthaler65, Patrick Rockenfeller1,32, Christoph Ruckenstuhl1, Raffael Schaffrath66, Maria Segovia67, Fedor F. Severin68, Amir Sharon69, Stephan J. Sigrist70, Cornelia Sommer-Ruck1, Maria João Sousa18, Johan M. Thevelein71,72, Karin Thevissen73, Vladimir Titorenko74, Michel B. Toledano75, Mick Tuite32, F.-Nora Vögtle49, Benedikt Westermann11, Joris Winderickx76, Silke Wissing77, Stefan Wölfl78, Zhaojie J. Zhang79, Richard Y. Zhao80, Bing Zhou81, Lorenzo Galluzzi82–84,*, Guido Kroemer84–90,*, Frank Madeo1,26,*
In this review, we propose unified criteria for the definition of accidental, regulated, and programmed forms of cell death in yeast based on a series of morphological and biochemical criteria. Specifically, we provide consensus guidelines on the differential definition of terms including apoptosis, regulated necrosis, and autophagic cell death, as we refer to additional cell death routines that are relevant for the biology of yeast.
Burkholderia gladioli strain NGJ1 deploys a prophage tail-like protein for mycophagy
Rahul Kumar1, Sunil Kumar Yadav1, Durga Madhab Swain1 and Gopaljee Jha1
In this article, the authors comment on the study “A prophage tail-like protein is deployed by Burkholderia bacteria to feed on fungi” by Swain et al. (Nature Communications, 2017), discussing that a prophage tail-like protein (Bg_9562) is essential for mycophagy. The protein may help the bacteria to survive in certain ecological niches and, considering its broad-spectrum antifungal activity, may be potentially useful in biotechnological applications to control fungal diseases.
The emerging role of complex modifications of tRNALysUUU in signaling pathways
Patrick C. Thiaville1,2,3,4 and Valérie de Crécy-Lagard2,4
This comment discusses the article “Loss of wobble uridine modification in tRNA anticodons interferes with TOR pathway signaling” by Scheidt et al (Microbial Cell, 2014).
Only functional localization is faithful localization
Roland Lill1,2,3
This article comments on work published by Peleh et al. (Microbial Cell 2014), which analyzes the localization of Dre2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
One cell, one love: a journal for microbial research
Didac Carmona-Gutierrez1, Guido Kroemer2-6 and Frank Madeo1
In this inaugural article of Microbial Cell, we highlight the importance of microbial research in general and the journal’s intention to serve as a publishing forum that supports and enfolds the scientific diversity in this area as it provides a unique, high-quality and universally accessible source of information and inspiration.
What’s the role of autophagy in trypanosomes?
Katherine Figarella1 and Néstor L. Uzcátegui1,2
This article comments on Proto et al. (Microbial Cell, 2014), who report first insights into the molecular mechanism of autophagy in African trypanosomes by generating reporter bloodstream form cell lines.
Microbial Cell
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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.
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Metabolic pathways further increase the complexity of cell size control in budding yeast
Jorrit M. Enserink
This article comments on work published by Soma et al. (Microbial Cell, 2014), which teased apart the effect of metabolism and growth rate on setting of critical cell size in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.