Editorial – Microbial Cell

Commentary, Editorial

Sulfur dioxide resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: beyond SSU1

Estéfani García-Ríos¹ and José Manuel Guillamón¹

This 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.

Targeting GATA transcription factors – a novel strategy for anti-aging interventions?

Andreas Zimmermann¹, Katharina Kainz^1,2, Sebastian J. Hofer^1,3, Maria A. Bauer¹, Sabrina Schroeder¹, Jörn Dengjel⁴, Federico Pietrocola⁵, Oliver Kepp^6-9, Christoph Ruckenstuhl¹, Tobias Eisenberg^1,3,10,11, Stephan J. Sigrist¹², Frank Madeo^1,3,10, Guido Kroemer^{6-9, 13-15} and Didac Carmona-Gutierrez¹

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

Miroslav Oborník ^1,2

This 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

Ansgar Gruber¹

This 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

Maria A. Bauer¹, Katharina Kainz¹, Didac Carmona-Gutierrez¹ and Frank Madeo^1,2

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

Allissia A. Gilmartin¹ and William A. Petri, Jr^1,2,3

In 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

Mario Alberto Flores-Valdez

This 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 F₁F_o-ATP synthase in cristae formation

Heike Rampelt¹ and Martin van der Laan²

This 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 Pertschy

This 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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It takes four to tango: the cooperative adventure of scientific publishing

February 21, 2025

This Editorial is the 500th article published in Microbial Cell, a journey that started in 2014 and has seen the journal grow steadily and maintain itself as a respected community platform. The foundation that has allowed for and driven this development – as for any responsible journal – is composed of four essential pillars: the readers, the authors, the editors and the referees.

The rise of Candida auris: from unique traits to co-infection potential

August 1, 2022

Candida auris is a multidrug resistant (MDR) fungal pathogen with a crude mortality rate of 30-60%. First identified in 2009, C. auris has been rapidly rising to become a global risk in clinical settings and was declared an urgent health threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A concerted global action is thus needed to successfully tackle the challenges created by this emerging fungal pathogen. In this brief article, we underline the importance of unique virulence traits, including its easy transformation, its persistence outside the host and its resilience against multiple cellular stresses, as well as of environmental factors that have mainly contributed to the rise of this superbug.

A hundred spotlights on microbiology: how microorganisms shape our lives

April 4, 2022

Viral, bacterial, fungal and protozoal biology is of cardinal importance for the evolutionary history of life, ecology, biotechnology and infectious diseases. Various microbiological model systems have fundamentally contributed to the understanding of molecular and cellular processes, including the cell cycle, cell death, mitochondrial biogenesis, vesicular fusion and autophagy, among many others. Microbial interactions within the environment have profound effects on many fields of biology, from ecological diversity to the highly complex and multifaceted impact of the microbiome on human health. Also, biotechnological innovation and corresponding industrial operations strongly depend on microbial engineering. With this wide range of impact in mind, the peer-reviewed (...)

Murals meet microbes: at the crossroads of microbiology and cultural heritage

December 6, 2021

This article comments on the duality of microorganisms in the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, which encompasses the negative impact of damaging microorganisms and recent advances in using specific microorganisms and microbial-based technologies for cultural heritage preservation.

The long and winding road of reverse genetics in Trypanosoma cruzi

August 5, 2021

This Editorial provides a brief historic overview that highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the molecular strategies that have been developed to genetically modify Trypanosoma cruzi, emphasizing the future directions of the field.

Neuropathogenesis caused by Trypanosoma brucei, still an enigma to be unveiled

April 5, 2021

This Editorial addresses the meningo-encephalitic stage of Trypanosoma brucei infection and the resultig neuropathogenesis as well as the impact that the application of tools developed in the last years in the field of neuroscience will have on the study of neglected tropical diseases.