Microreviews, Review
A new role for the nuclear basket network
Paola Gallardo1, Silvia Salas-Pino1 and Rafael R. Daga1
This article comments on work published by Salas-Pino et al. (J Cell Biol, 2017), which describes a novel function of the fission yeast nuclear basket component - the translocated promoter region (TPR) nucleoporin Alm1 - in proper localization of the proteasome to the nuclear envelope.
VAMP8 mucin exocytosis attenuates intestinal pathogenesis by Entamoeba histolytica
Steve Cornick1, France Moreau1, Herbert Y. Gaisano2, Kris Chadee1
This article comments on work published by Cornick et al. (mBio, 2017), which nominates SNARE-mediated exocytosis as the putative mechanism responsible for pathogen-induced mucus secretion from goblet cells.
Shutdown of interferon signaling by a viral-hijacked E3 ubiquitin ligase
Kaitlin A. Davis1 and John T. Patton2
This article comments on work published by Davis et al. (mBio, 2017), which describes molecular requirements that govern NSP1 recognition of β-TrCP, including an essential degron phosphorylation event, and the step-wise incorporation of NSP1 into hijacked cullin-RING E3 ligases (CRLs) that ubiquitinate and tag β-TrCP for degradation.
Breaking the bad: Bacillus blocks fungal virulence factors
François L. Mayer1 and James W. Kronstad1
This article comments on work published by Mayer & Kronstad (mBio, 2017), which identified the soil bacterium, Bacillus safensis as a potent inhibitor of virulence factor production by two major fungal pathogens of humans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Candida albicans.
The integrated stress response in budding yeast lifespan extension
Spike D.L. Postnikoff1, Jay E. Johnson2 and Jessica K. Tyler1
This article summarizes how the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been instrumental in unraveling the molecular and cellular determinants of aging, and how the induction of cellular stress responses has been associated with experimental lifespan extension, thus underscoring the value of yeast as a model for developing potential aging therapies for humans.
Macrophages as drivers of an opportunistic infection
Annette C. Vergunst1, Nazareth Lopez Carranza1, Lili Zhang1,2, Margarida C. Gomes1, Yara Tasrini1,
Annemarie H. Meijer3 and David O’Callaghan1
This article comments on work published by Mesureur et al. (PloS Pathog, 2017), which shows that macrophages are essential for proliferation of B. cenocepacia in the host. This suggests a new paradigm for Bcc infections and urges the development of novel anti-infectious therapies to efficiently disarm these intrinsically antibiotic resistant facultative intracellular pathogens.
Exacerbating and reversing lysosomal storage diseases: from yeast to humans
Tamayanthi Rajakumar1, Andrew B. Munkacsi1,2 and Stephen L. Sturley3
This article summarizes the use of yeast models in advancing our understanding of lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs), where they have been instrumental in researching LSD mechanisms, screening for therapeutic compounds, and exploring genetic and gene-environment interactions relevant to diseases like Batten disease, cystinosis, and Niemann-Pick type C disease, as well as their connection to broader health issues such as viral infections and obesity.
Toxin-mediated gene regulatory mechanism in Staphylococcus aureus
December 29, 2016
This article comments on work published by Joo et al. (MBio, 2016), which describes the first molecular regulatory mechanism exerted by an S. aureus toxin, setting a paradigmatic example of how S. aureus toxins may influence cell functions to adjust them to times of toxin production.
NprR, a moonlighting quorum sensor shifting from a phosphatase activity to a transcriptional activator
November 5, 2016
This article comments on work published by Perchat et al. (PLoS Pathog, 2016), which demonstrates that, in the absence of the signaling peptide NprX, the sensor NprR is a dimer, which negatively controls sporulation in Bacillus thuringiensis, independently of its transcription factor activity.
The interaction between herpes simplex virus 1 genome and promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) as a hallmark of the entry in latency
November 4, 2016
This article comments on work published by Maroul et al. (PLoS Pathog, 2016), which demonstrates that the interaction of the viral genomes with the nuclear architecture and specifically the promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies is a major determinant for the entry of HSV-1 into latency.
Francisella IglG protein and the DUF4280 proteins: PAAR-like proteins in non-canonical Type VI secretion systems?
October 30, 2016
This article comments on work published by Rigard et al. (PLoS Pathog, 2013), which identified the function of IgIG, a protein of unknown function, encoded within the Francisella Pathogenicity Island.
B cell-helping functions of gut microbial metabolites
September 23, 2016
This article comments on work published by Kim et al. (Cell Host & Microbe, 2016), which showed that the microbial metabolites short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) regulate the metabolism and gene expression in B cells to promote antibody production.
Cryptococcus flips its lid – membrane phospholipid asymmetry modulates antifungal drug resistance and virulence
August 1, 2016
This article comments on work published by Huang et al. (MBio, 2016), which reported that in the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans loss of lipid flippase activity sensitized cryptococcal cells to multiple classes of antifungal drugs and abolished fungal virulence in murine models.
A novel component of the mitochondrial genome segregation machinery in trypanosomes
July 28, 2016
This article comments on work published by Trikin et al. (PLoS Pathog, 2016), which described a new component of the mitochondrial genome segregation machinery in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei.
Bacterial genotoxin functions as immune-modulator and promotes host survival
July 28, 2016
This article comments on work published by Del Bel Belluz et al. (PLoS Pathog, 2016), which demonstrated that the typhoid toxin of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi esembles an immune-modulatory molecule rather than a toxic agent.
Inhibition of Zika virus by Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti
June 27, 2016
This article comments on work published by Dutra et al. (Cell Host Microbe, 2016), which investigated the potential of Wolbachia infections in Aedes aegypti to restrict infection and transmission of Zika virus.
House of cellulose – a new hideout for drug tolerant Mycobacterium tuberculosis
June 23, 2016
This article comments on work published by Trivedi et al. (Nat Commun, 2016), which shows that Mycobacterium tuberculosis cells organise themselves into biofilms in response to intracellular thiol reductive stress.