Microreviews – Page 8 – Microbial Cell

Microreviews, Review

DNA polymerase III protein, HolC, helps resolve replication/transcription conflicts

Susan T. Lovett¹

This article comments on work published by Cooper et al. (mBio, 2021), which isolated and identified spontaneous suppressor mutants in a strain devoid of the holC gene, which encodes an accessory protein to the core clamp loader complex and is the only protein of the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme that binds to single-strand DNA binding protein.

Too much of a good thing: Overproduction of virulence factors impairs cryptococcal pathogenicity

Julia C. V. Reuwsaat¹, Tamara L. Doering², and Livia Kmetzsch^1,3

This article comments on work published by Reuwsaat et al. (mBio, 2021), which identified the transcription factor Pdr802 as essential for Cryptococcus neoformans adaptation to and survival under host conditions both in vitro and in vivo.

Host-bacteria metabolic crosstalk drives S. aureus biofilm

Kira L. Tomlinson¹ and Sebastián A. Riquelme¹

This article comments on work published by Tomlinson et al. (Nat Comm, 2021), which demonstrates that Staphylococcus aureus induces the production of the immunoreglatory metabolite itaconate in airway immune cells by stimulating mitochondrial oxidant stress. Itaconate in turn inhibits S. aureus glycolysis and growth, and promoted carbon flux through bacterial metabolic pathways that support biofilm production.

Mechanisms underlying lactic acid tolerance and its influence on lactic acid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Arne Peetermans^1,2, María R. Foulquié-Moreno^1,2 and Johan M. Thevelein^1,2,3

This article reviews the manner in which Saccharomyces cerevisiae deals with the accumulation of lactic acid as a singular stress factor as well as in combination with other stresses. In addition, different methods to improve lactic acid tolerance in S. cerevisiae using targeted and non-targeted engineering methods are discussed.

When the pandemic opts for the lockdown: Secretion system evolution in the cholera bacterium

Francis J. Santoriello^1,2 and Stefan Pukatzki^1,2

This article comments on work published by Santoriello et al. (Nat Comm, 2020), which demonstrates that the T6SS island Auxiliary Cluster 3 (Aux3) is unique to pandemic strains of V. cholerae.

Biofilms by bacterial human pathogens: Clinical relevance – development, composition and regulation – therapeutical strategies

Adina Schulze^1,#, Fabian Mitterer^1,#, Joao P. Pombo¹ and Stefan Schild^1,2,3

This review focuses on bacterial biofilms formed by human pathogens, highlights their relevance for diverse diseases and discusses therapeutical intervention strategies targeting biofilms.

Maintaining phagosome integrity during fungal infection: do or die?

Mabel Yang¹, Glenn F.W. Walpole^1,2 and Johannes Westman¹

This article refers to the paper "Lysosome Fusion Maintains Phagosome Integrity during Fungal Infection" by Westman et al. (Cell Host Microbe, 2020), which shows that macrophages respond to pathogen growth by expanding the phagosome membrane through a calcium-dependent mechanism involving lysosome insertion, maintaining membrane integrity and preventing rupture.

Milestones in Bacillus subtilis sporulation research

Eammon P. Riley¹, Corinna Schwarz², Alan I. Derman² and Javier Lopez-Garrido²

In this review, the foundational discoveries that shaped the sporulation field are discussed, from its origins to the present day, tracing a chronology that spans more than one hundred eighty years.

A novel antibacterial strategy: histone and antimicrobial peptide synergy

Leora Duong¹, Steven P. Gross^2,3 and Albert Siryaporn^1,3

This article refers to the study "Mammalian histones facilitate antimicrobial synergy by disrupting the bacterial proton gradient and chromosome organization" by Doolin et al. (Nat Comm, 2020) that shows that histones enhance the antimicrobial activity of peptides, disrupt bacterial membranes, and inhibit transcription, offering new insights into natural antimicrobial mechanisms.

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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.