Research, Research Reports
Extracellular DNA secreted in yeast cultures is metabolism-specific and inhibits cell proliferation
Elisabetta de Alteriis1, Guido Incerti2, Fabrizio Cartenì3, Maria Luisa Chiusano3, Chiara Colantuono3, Emanuela Palomba4, Pasquale Termolino4, Francesco Monticolo3,5, Alfonso Esposito3, Giuliano Bonanomi3,6, Rosanna Capparelli3, Marco Iannaccone3,7, Alessandro Foscari2, Carmine Landi8, Palma Parascandola8, Massimo Sanchez9, Valentina Tirelli9, Bruna de Falco3, Virginia Lanzotti3 and Stefano Mazzoleni3,6
Our study demonstrates that extracellular DNA released by living cells can impact the growth rate of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures, showing similarities to extrachromosomal circular DNA and leading to cell cycle arrest in the S phase, suggesting potential new functional roles of exDNA.
Basal level of ppGpp coordinates Escherichia coli cell heterogeneity and ampicillin resistance and persistence
Paulina Katarzyna Grucela1 and Yong Everett Zhang1
The universal stringent response alarmone ppGpp (guanosine penta and tetra phosphates) plays a crucial role in various aspects of fundamental cell physiology (e.g., cell growth rate, cell size) and thus bacterial tolerance to and survival of external stresses, including antibiotics. In tihs study, we discuss the fundamental role of basal level of ppGpp in regulating cell homogeneity and ampicillin persistence.
Investigation of the acetic acid stress response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with mutated H3 residues
Nitu Saha1, Swati Swagatika1 and Raghuvir Singh Tomar1
Yeast cells respond to acetic acid in diverse ways. Here, we have elucidated the deleterious effects of acetic acid on different histone mutants
The coenzyme B12 precursor 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole is a flavin antagonist in Salmonella
Lahiru Malalasekara1 and Jorge C. Escalante-Semerena1,*
Here we investigated why 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (DMB) inhibits in S. Typhimurium. Briefly, we determined that the structural similarities of the substituted benzene ring of DMB with the isoalloxazine moiety of flavins is responsible for the deleterious effects of this CoB12 precursor.
Yeast gene KTI13 (alias DPH8) operates in the initiation step of diphthamide synthesis on elongation factor 2
Meike Arend1, Koray Ütkür1, Harmen Hawer1, Klaus Mayer2, Namit Ranjan3, Lorenz Adrian4, Ulrich Brinkmann2 and Raffael Schaffrath1
We show here that apart from its effector role for Elongator-dependent tRNA modification in yeast, Kti13 alias Dph8 also operates in step one of the diphthamide modification pathway.
Caspase 3 exhibits a yeast metacaspase proteostasis function that protects mitochondria from toxic TDP43 aggregates
Steve Brunette1,#, Anupam Sharma1,2,#, Ryan Bell1, Lawrence Puente1 and Lynn A Megeney1,2,3,*
Caspase 3 activation is a hallmark of cell death and there is a strong correlation between elevated protease activity and evolving pathology in neurodegenerative disease, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These results suggest that caspase 3 is not inherently pathogenic, but may act as a compensatory proteostasis factor, to limit TDP-43 protein inclusions and protect organelle function in aggregation related degenerative disease.
GFP fusions of Sec-routed extracellular proteins in Staphylococcus aureus reveal surface-associated coagulase in biofilms
Dominique C. S. Evans1,2,#, Amanda B. Khamas1,#, Lisbeth Marcussen1, Kristian S. Rasmussen3, Janne K. Klitgaard3, Birgitte H. Kallipolitis3, Janni Nielsen1, Daniel E. Otzen1, Mark C. Leake2,4 and Rikke L. Meyer1,5
We show that msfGFP can be used to generate extracellular fluorescent fusion proteins in S. aureus, applicable for proteins that are secreted through the Sec pathway. When fused to coagulase, msfGFP did not hinder the biological function, and the fusion protein localised to the fibrin pseudocapsule surrounding clusters of S. aureus cells.
Atg1, a key regulator of autophagy, functions to promote MAPK activation and cell death upon calcium overload in fission yeast
Teruaki Takasaki1, Ryosuke Utsumi1, Erika Shimada1, Asuka Bamba1, Kanako Hagihara2, Ryosuke Satoh1, and Reiko Sugiura1
Here, we provide evidence that the fission yeast Atg1 regulates cell death responses upon intracellular calcium load in addition to its role in promoting Pmk1 MAPK.
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.