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.
The mechanism of Tat-dependent protein translocation
Brüser and SandersThis review integrates mechanistically relevant biochemical, molecular, and structural studies on Tat-dependent translocation of folded proteins into an in its molecular detail new comprehensive explanation of how the Tat system mediates protein transport.
Sugar-induced cell death (SICD) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: insights into nitrogen-mediated rescue and apoptotic cell death pathways
Parbhudayal and ChengThis study examined mechanisms through which yeast sugar-induced cell death can be prevented. High concentrations of glucose induced a catastrophic response that was only rescued by highly preferred nitrogen sources and by preventing nuclear localization of specific cell death proteins.
From the gut to the lungs: The role of gut microbiota in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related research progress
Yang et al.This article provides new ideas and directions for the basic research and clinical practice of COPD by comprehensively sorting out the association between gut microbiota and COPD.
TOR-dependent regulation of the yeast homolog of the juvenile Batten Disease-associated gene CLN3
Pillalamarri et al.This study identifies conditions and genes that induce BTN1 expression in yeast. We show that BTN1 expression is regulated by translational control and by the mTOR1 pathway. An understanding of when and why BTN1 expression will aid in understanding the expression of CLN3, which may be helpful in the treatment of this devastating disease.
Metagenomic and microbiological analyses of historical manuscripts for bacterial community profiling and bacteria-related biodeterioration assessment
Keles and CelikBy documenting both culturable and non-culturable taxa, this work provides a foundational dataset for understanding bacterial contributions to manuscript stability and offers a methodological framework for future research on biodeterioration dynamics in Islamic and global documentary heritage.
Overcoming phagocytosis resistance of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae by directly targeting capsules
Tsubaki et al.This study highlights a promising strategy for disarming hypervirulent K. pneumoniae by directly targeting its key virulence factors and provides novel insights into antibacterial therapeutic approaches against this clinically significant pathogen.
Protein arginine methyltransferases in protozoan parasites: a new path for antiparasitic chemotherapy?
Campagnaro et al.This review discusses the activity and the relevance of arginine methyltransferases for the survival of pathogenic kinetoplastids, apicomplexans and amoebas, and how these enzymes could be exploited as drug targets.
VapA/Scs2 sustains polarized growth in Aspergillus nidulans by maintaining AP-2-mediated apical endocytosis
Georgiou et al.To explore the functional significance of ER–PM contact sites in filamentous fungi, we identified and genetically characterized all Aspergillus nidulans proteins homologous to Snc2/VAP, Ist2, or tricalbins.
Genetic make-up and regulation of the L-lysine biosynthesis pathway in Vibrio natriegens
Straube et al.This study analysed the make-up and regulation of the biosynthetic pathway for L-lysine and related L-aspartate family amino acids (AFAAs) in Vibrio natriegens DSM759 to provide a comprehensive basis for future metabolic engineering endeavours aiming at developing this strain into an amino acid overproducer.
Measurement of apoptosis by SCAN©, a system for counting and analysis of fluorescently labelled nuclei
This work reports on a system for analyses of apoptosis-like programmed cell death in fungal hyphae that is composed of several modules, which enable automatic quantification of nuclei with chromatin condensation and DNA strand break in large datasets according to nuclei-associated fluorescent markers.
Rewiring yeast acetate metabolism through MPC1 loss of function leads to mitochondrial damage and decreases chronological lifespan
This work shows that MPC1-deficient cells make up for their impairment in mitochondrial pyruvate with a metabolic rewiring which involves several intermediates of the mitochondrially localized TCA cycle and the cytosolic glyoxylate shunt but ultimately results in a pro-aging process.
Overexpression of the transcription factor Yap1 modifies intracellular redox conditions and enhances recombinant protein secretion
This article investigates the role of Yap1 during the production of recombinant secretory proteins in glucose based growth conditions in Pichia pastoris, and reports a novel role of Yap1 during ER-resident oxidative protein folding.
Functional analysis of lipid metabolism genes in wine yeasts during alcoholic fermentation at low temperature
This study confirms the importance of specific genes in growth and fermentation activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae at low temperature.
Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers increase tolerance of cells to copper and cisplatin
This study reports the identification of the drug class of Angiotensin II Type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) and shows that specific ARBs increase yeast tolerance to Cu and Cp, and affect markers of Cu-induced apoptosis. Likewise, this study finds that specific ARBs increase human cell line tolerance to Cu and decrease the prevalence of apoptotic markers.
An extensive endoplasmic reticulum-localised glycoprotein family in trypanosomatids
This work describes a novel family of type I membrane proteins (“invariant glycoproteins”) and proposes them as trypanosomatid-specific ER-localised glycoproteins, with potential contributions to life cycle progression and immunity, that utilise oligomerisation as an ER retention mechanism.
Time resolved DNA occupancy dynamics during the respiratory oscillation uncover a global reset point in the yeast growth program
Using multiple approaches, this work implies a nucleosome focusing event as a key step that resets transcription during the respiratory oscillation.
Cell wall dynamics modulate acetic acid-induced apoptotic cell death of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
This work characterizes the involvement of MAPK signaling pathways in cell death induced by acetic acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Extracellular calcium triggers unique transcriptional programs and modulates staurosporine-induced cell death in Neurospora crassa
The results presented here reveal that in Neurospora crassa, extracellular Ca2+ modulates cell death and the transcriptional alterations induced by staurosporine, and lead to the identification of two novel putative Ca2+-binding proteins, encoded by the NCU08524 and NCU06607 genes.
Laundry and textile hygiene in healthcare and beyond
Bockmühl et al.This article shows that while institutional laundering is regulated to ensure hygiene, the trend towards energy-efficient washing at lower temperatures raises concerns about the antimicrobial efficacy of domestic laundering, with a focus on addressing microbial contamination in both clinical and home settings.
Bacterial pathogens under high-tension: Staphylococcus aureus adhesion to von Willebrand factor is activated by force
Viela et al.This article comments on work published by Viela et al (mBio, 2019), which shows that the bacterial cell surface protein A to the large plasma glycoprotein von Willebrand factor interaction is tightly regulated by mechanical force.
Yeast AP-1 like transcription factors (Yap) and stress response: a current overview
Rodrigues-Pousada et al.This review summarizes current understanding of the eight Yap transcription factors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, detailing their activation by specific stress conditions and discussing their function and evolution across various fungal species.
Septin clearance from the division site triggers cytokinesis in budding yeast
Tamborrini and PiattiThis article comments on work published by Tamborrini et al (Nat Commun., 2019), which shows that septin displacement during splitting is an essential prerequisite for contractile actomyosin ring constriction during mitosis.
The influence of the microbiota on immune development, chronic inflammation, and cancer in the context of aging
Tibbs et al.This article shows that the microbiota is crucial for immune system development and that its relationship with the immune system during aging and the pathogenesis of age-related diseases, including cancer, needs further research to inform disease treatment and prevention.
Ser/Thr protein phosphatases in fungi: structure, regulation and function
Ariño et al.In this work we present the members of this family in S. cerevisiae and other fungal species, and review the most recent findings concerning their regulation and the roles they play in the most diverse aspects of cell biology.
Forty-five-year evolution of probiotic therapy
Puebla-Barragan and ReidThe field of probiotics has greatly expanded over the past 45 years, driven by the need for safer alternatives to drugs, interest in natural microbial products, and clinical proof of effectiveness, with scientific formulations increasingly defining the market and promising applications for various health areas expected in the future.
Role of pheromone recognition systems in creating new species of fission yeast
Seike and ShimodaThis article comments on work published by Seike at al. (PloS Biol., 2019), which demonstrated an “asymmetric” pheromone recognition system in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.
Adaptive bacterial response to low level chlorhexidine exposure and its implications for hand hygiene
KampfThis article shows that bacteria can adapt to low levels of Chlorhexidine digluconate (CHG), resulting in increased tolerance and cross-resistance to other antimicrobials, suggesting caution in the widespread use of CHG to minimize avoidable selection pressure for resistance.
Non-genetic impact factors on chronological lifespan and stress resistance of baker’s yeast
Sauer and MattanovichThis article comments on work published by Bisschops et al. (Microbial Cell, 2015), which illustrates how important the choice of the experimental setup is and how culture conditions influcence cellular aging and survival in biotechnological processes.
What’s old is new again: yeast mutant screens in the era of pooled segregant analysis by genome sequencing
Curtin and CordenteThis article comments on work published by Den Abt et al. (Microbial Cell, 2016), which identified genes involved in ethyl acetate formation in a yeast mutant screen based on a new approach combining repeated rounds of chemical mutagenesis and pooled segregant analysis by whole genome sequencing.
The complexities of bacterial-fungal interactions in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract
Lopez-Medina and KohThis article comments on work published by Lopez-Medina et al. (PLoS Pathog, 2015) and Fan et al. (Nat Med, 2015), which utilize an “artificial” niche, the antibiotic-treated gut with concomitant pathogenic microbe expansion, to gain insight in bacterial-fungal interactions in clinically common scenarios.
Gearing up for survival – HSP-containing granules accumulate in quiescent cells and promote survival
Yu and DangThis article comments on work published by Lee et al. (Microbial Cell, 2016), which reports that distinct granules are formed in quiescent and non-quiescent cells, which determines their respective cell fates.
Yeast screening platform identifies FDA-approved drugs that reduce Aβ oligomerization
Amen and KaganovichThis article comments on work published by Park et al. (Microbial Cell, 2016), which discovered a number of small molecules capable of modulating Aβ aggregation in a yeast model.
Groupthink: chromosomal clustering during transcriptional memory
MoranoIn this article, the authors comment on the study “NO1 transcriptional memory leads to DNA zip code-dependent interchromosomal clustering.” by Brickner et al. (Microbial Cell, 2015), discussing the importance and molecular mechanisms of chromosomal clustering during transcriptional memory.
Yeast proteinopathy models: a robust tool for deciphering the basis of neurodegeneration
Amit Shrestha et al.Protein quality control or proteostasis is an essential determinant of basic cell health and aging. Eukaryotic cells have evolved a number of proteostatic mechanisms to ensure that proteins retain functional conformation, or are rapidly degraded when proteins misfold or self-aggregate. This article discusses the use of budding yeast as a robust proxy to study the intersection between proteostasis and neurodegenerative disease.
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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.
Similar environments but diverse fates: Responses of budding yeast to nutrient deprivation.
HonigbergDiploid budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) can adopt one of several alternative differentiation fates in response to nutrient limitation, and each of these fates provides distinct biological functions. When different strain backgrounds are taken into account, these various fates occur in response to similar environmental cues, are regulated by the same signal transduction pathways, and share many of the same master regulators. I propose that the relationships between fate choice, environmental cues and signaling pathways are not Boolean, but involve graded levels of signals, pathway activation and master-regulator activity.