Research – Page 6 – Microbial Cell

Research, Research Articles

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 Monticolo^3,5, Alfonso Esposito³, Giuliano Bonanomi^3,6, Rosanna Capparelli³, Marco Iannaccone^3,7, Alessandro Foscari², Carmine Landi⁸, Palma Parascandola⁸, Massimo Sanchez⁹, Valentina Tirelli⁹, Bruna de Falco³, Virginia Lanzotti³ and Stefano Mazzoleni^3,6

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 <i>Escherichia coli</i> cell heterogeneity and ampicillin resistance and persistence

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 <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> with mutated H3 residues

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 B<sub>12</sub> precursor 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole is a flavin antagonist in <i>Salmonella</i>

The coenzyme B₁₂ precursor 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole is a flavin antagonist in Salmonella

Lahiru Malalasekara¹ and Jorge C. Escalante-Semerena^1,*

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 <i>KTI13</i> (alias <i>DPH8</i>) operates in the initiation step of diphthamide synthesis on elongation factor 2

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 Brunette^1,#, Anupam Sharma^1,2,#, Ryan Bell¹, Lawrence Puente¹ and Lynn A Megeney^1,2,3,*

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.

Metallothionein Cup1 attenuates nitrosative stress in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Yuki Yoshikawa^1,2,#, Ryo Nasuno^1,3,#, Naoki Takaya⁴ and Hiroshi Takagi^1,*

Our findings suggest that the yeast metallothionein Cup1 contributes to nitrosative stress tolerance, possibly as a constitutive rather than an inducible defense mechanism.

GFP fusions of Sec-routed extracellular proteins in Staphylococcus aureus reveal surface-associated coagulase in biofilms

Dominique C. S. Evans^1,2,#, Amanda B. Khamas^1,#, Lisbeth Marcussen¹, Kristian S. Rasmussen³, Janne K. Klitgaard³, Birgitte H. Kallipolitis³, Janni Nielsen¹, Daniel E. Otzen¹, Mark C. Leake^2,4 and Rikke L. Meyer^1,5

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.

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A cobalt concentration sensitive Btu-like system facilitates cobalamin uptake in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120

February 20, 2024

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

February 19, 2024

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

January 9, 2024

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

January 5, 2024

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.