Research, Research Reports
A metagenomic approach to unveil the association between fecal gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in diarrhea caused by diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in children
Pablo Gallardo1,2, Mariana Izquierdo2, Tomeu Viver3, Esteban Bustos-Caparros3, Dana Piras2, Roberto M. Vidal4, Hermie J.M. Harmsen1 and Mauricio J. Farfan2
Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) is the main cause of diarrhea in children under five years old. The virulence of DEC is tightly regulated by environmental signals influenced by the gut microbiota and its metabolites. Our results increase the knowledge of the association between short chain fatty acids during diarrhea and changes in the microbiota composition associated with the presence of DEC pathogens.
The effect of multiple sclerosis therapy on gut microbiota dysbiosis: a longitudinal prospective study
Andreea-Cristina Paraschiv1,a, Vitalie Vacaras1,2,a, Cristina Nistor1,2, Cristiana Vacaras3, Stefan Strilciuc1 and Dafin F Muresanu1,2
The gut microbiota, a complex ecosystem with various immune functions, plays a significant role in MS, and its response to different treatments is highlighted in this study. In clinical practice, maintaining a healthy microbiota is crucial for individuals with MS.
Comparison of microbial communities and the profile of sulfate-reducing bacteria in patients with ulcerative colitis and their association with bowel diseases: a pilot study
Ivan Kushkevych1, Kristýna Martínková1, Lenka Mráková1, Francesco Giudici2, Simone Baldi2, David Novak3, Márió Gajdács4, Monika Vítězová1, Dani Dordevic5, Amedeo Amedei2 and Simon K.-M. R. Rittmann6
Considerable evidence has accumulated regarding the molecular relationship between gut microbiota (GM) composition and the onset (clinical presentation and prognosis) of ulcerative colitis UC. Our findings highlight, among other observations, significant variations in the gut microbial composition among patients with varying disease severity and activity.
Replicative aging in yeast involves dynamic intron retention patterns associated with mRNA processing/export and protein ubiquitination
Jesús Gómez-Montalvo1, Alvaro de Obeso Fernández del Valle1, Luis Fernando De la Cruz Gutiérrez1, Jose Mario Gonzalez-Meljem1 and Christian Quintus Scheckhuber1
Saccharomyces cerevisiae has yielded relevant insights into some of the basic mechanisms of organismal aging. Among these are genomic instability, oxidative stress, caloric restriction and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our work uncovers a previously unexplored layer of the transcriptional program of yeast aging and, more generally, expands the knowledge on the occurrence of alternative splicing in baker´s yeast.
Quantifying yeast lipidomics by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and comparison to mass spectrometry-based shotgun lipidomics
Thorsten Meyer1, Oskar Knittelfelder2, Martin Smolnig1 and Patrick Rockenfeller1
Lipidomic analysis in diverse biological settings has become a frequent tool to increase our understanding of the processes of life. Here we describe a method to analyse basic lipidomics in yeast using HPTLC and offer comparison to measurement of the same samples with MS-based shotgun lipidomics.
A cobalt concentration sensitive Btu-like system facilitates cobalamin uptake in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120
Julia Graf1, Leonard Fresenborg1,2, Hans-Michael Seitz2,3, Rafael Pernil1 and Enrico Schleiff1,2,4,5
Metal homeostasis is central to all forms of life, as metals are essential micronutrients with toxic effects at elevated levels. Our results provide novel information on the uptake of cobalamin and the regulation of the cellular cobalt content in cyanobacteria.
Predictable regulation of survival by intratumoral microbe-immune crosstalk in patients with lung adenocarcinoma
Shuo Shi1, Yuwen Chu2,3, Haiyan Liu4,5, Lan Yu6,7,8, Dejun Sun8,9, Jialiang Yang2,3,5, Geng Tian2,3, Lei Ji2,3, Cong Zhang10 and Xinxin Lu11
Intratumoral microbiota can regulate the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and mediate tumor prognosis by promoting inflammatory response or inhibiting anti-tumor effects. Our study demonstrated that intratumoral microbiota-immune crosstalk was strongly associated with prognosis in LUAD patients, which would provide new targets for the development of precise therapeutic strategies.
Two TonB-dependent outer membrane transporters involved in heme uptake in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120
Julia Graf1, Martin Schöpperle1,2, Rafael Pernil1 and Enrico Schleiff1,3,4
Low availability of micronutrients such as iron has enforced the evolution of uptake systems in all kingdoms of life. In our study, we conclude that heme transport might not be restricted to Anabaena, but at the same time is not specific to a cyanobacterial order and thus might be related to the habitat of origin, a notion which needs to be challenged in the future.
The last two transmembrane helices in the APC-type FurE transporter act as an intramolecular chaperone essential for concentrative ER-exit
Yiannis Pyrris1, Georgia F. Papadaki1, Emmanuel Mikros2 and George Diallinas1,3
FurE is a H+ symporter specific for the cellular uptake of uric acid, allantoin, uracil, and toxic nucleobase analogues in the fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Being member of the NCS1 protein family, FurE is structurally related to the APC-superfamily of transporters.
A time-resolved high-throughput screening of fission yeast deletion mutants for oxidative stress resistance
July 22, 2026
By capturing dynamic trajectories rather than static outcomes, this study exposes hidden layers of growth under oxidative stress and identifies new genetic determinants of cellular resilience in fission yeast.
Clonal spread and environmental persistence of carbapenem-resistant high-risk Pseudomonas aeruginosa in critical-care units of a Chilean national referral center for burn and trauma patients (2022)
July 20, 2026
This study highlight the circulation of high-risk P. aeruginosa clones in Chile and underscore the importance of molecular epidemiology in guiding infection control, optimizing antimicrobial therapy, and mitigating the clinical and economic burden of CRPA.
The transcriptome of dendritic cells redraws the boundaries between pathogenicity and commensalism in yeast
July 7, 2026
Our immune system meets many fungi, but reacts strongly to only a few. The comparison of key fungal species showed that responses differ mainly in timing and not just genes, highlighting the need to rethink what makes fungi harmful vs. harmless.
Yippee-like protein Moh1 links gene expression to metabolism and selective stress resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
June 29, 2026
This study demonstrates that the conserved yeast protein Moh1 links metabolism, gene expression, and cell structure, thereby altering cell envelope permeability and leading to selective stress responses.
Fungistatic effect of sorbic acid on yeast cells via translational repression involving eIF2α phosphorylation and formation of Ded1- and eIF2B-granules
June 17, 2026
The findings of this study provide new insights into the physiological effects of sorbic acid on yeast cells, specifically regarding the regulation of translation-related factors.
Genomic epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae circulating in a Chilean tertiary-care hospital (2021–2022): Molecular characterization, resistance-virulence convergence, and clinical associations
May 21, 2026
This study characterized carbapenem-resistant Kp (CR-Kp) strains isolated at the Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile (HCUCH) 2021-2022 and explored associations with clinical characteristics.
TOR-dependent regulation of the yeast homolog of the juvenile Batten Disease-associated gene CLN3
March 11, 2026
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.