Microreviews, Review
Yeast-based assays for the functional characterization of cancer-associated variants of human DNA repair genes
Tiziana Cervelli1, Samuele Lodovichi1, Francesca Bellè1 and Alvaro Galli1
This article highlights how the genetic tractability and conserved DNA repair pathways of yeast make it a powerful system for functionally characterizing human cancer-associated variants in DNA repair genes, aiding in risk assessment and therapeutic decision-making.
A novel c-di-GMP signal system regulates biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Gukui Chen1 and Haihua Liang1
This article relates to the study "The SiaA/B/C/D signaling network regulates biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa" by Chen et al. (EMBO J, 2020) that reveals a novel signaling network encoded by the siaABCD operon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that regulates biofilm and aggregate formation by controlling the diguanylate cyclase activity of SiaD through phosphorylation-dependent interactions with SiaC, highlighting a potential antimicrobial target.
Regulation of anti-microbial autophagy by factors of the complement system
Christophe Viret1, Aurore Rozières1, Rémi Duclaux-Loras1, Gilles Boschetti1, Stéphane Nancey1 and
Mathias Faure1,2
This review explores emerging evidence that components of the complement system, beyond their traditional immune roles, modulate autophagy - particularly xenophagy - thereby influencing cell-autonomous antimicrobial responses during host-pathogen interactions.
More than flipping the lid: Cdc50 contributes to echinocandin resistance by regulating calcium homeostasis in Cryptococcus neoformans
Chengjun Cao1 and Chaoyang Xue1,2
In this article, the authors comment on the study "A mechanosensitive channel governs lipid flippase-mediated echinocandin resistance in Cryptococcus neoformans" by Cao et al. (mBio, 2019), which uncovers a dual role for the lipid flippase subunit Cdc50 in Cryptococcus neoformans, linking lipid translocation and calcium signaling via its interaction with the mechanosensitive channel Crm1, thereby contributing to innate resistance against the antifungal drug caspofungin.
New insights in the mode of action of anti-leishmanial drugs by using chemical mutagenesis screens coupled to next-generation sequencing
Arijit Bhattacharya1, Sophia Bigot2, Prasad Kottayil Padmanabhan2, Angana Mukherjee2, Adriano Coelho3, Philippe Leprohon2, Barbara Papadopoulou2 and Marc Ouellette2
In this article, the authors comment on the study "Coupling chemical mutagenesis to next generation sequencing for the identification of drug resistance mutations in Leishmania" by Bhattacharya et al. (Nat Commun, 2019), which introduces Mut-seq, a chemical mutagenesis and sequencing approach, to uncover drug resistance mechanisms in Leishmania, revealing links between lipid metabolism genes and miltefosine resistance, and a protein kinase involved in translation conferring paromomycin resistance.
Microfluidic techniques for separation of bacterial cells via taxis
Jyoti P. Gurung1, Murat Gel2,3 and Matthew A. B. Baker1,3
Microfluidic tools, ideal for studying microbial motility due to their control over laminar flows at microscopic scales, enable precise analysis of various taxis behaviors and have advanced applications in synthetic biology, directed evolution, and medical microbiology.
Influence of delivery and feeding mode in oral fungi colonization – a systematic review
Maria Joao Azevedo1,2,3,4, Maria de Lurdes Pereira1,5, Ricardo Araujo2,3,6, Carla Ramalho3,7,8, Egija Zaura4 and Benedita Sampaio-Maia1,2,3
A systematic review of oral fungal colonization in infants found that while breastfeeding did not significantly affect the oral mycobiome, vaginal delivery was associated with higher oral yeast colonization, particularly of Candida albicans.
A holobiont view on thrombosis: unravelling the microbiota’s influence on arterial thrombus growth
Giulia Pontarollo1, Klytaimnistra Kiouptsi1 and Christoph Reinhardt1,2
In this article, the authors comment on the study "The microbiota promotes arterial thrombosis in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice" by Kiouptsi et al. (mBio, 2019) that showed that commensal microbiota, intricately linked to host physiology, may influence cardiovascular disease, as shown by studies using germ-free atherosclerosis-prone mice to examine how microbial presence and diet affect arterial thrombosis and lesion development.
Inhibitors of glycosomal protein import provide new leads against trypanosomiasis
July 3, 2017
This article comments on work published by Dawidowski et al. (Science, 2017), which provides the grounds for further development of the glycosome inhibitors into clinical candidates and validates the parasite protein-protein interactions as drug targets.
Protein aggregation triggers a declining libido in elder yeasts that still have a lust for life
May 29, 2017
This article comments on work published by Schlissel et al (Science 2017), showing that aging in yeast does not lead to the expected loss of heterochromatin silencing due to Sir2 inactivity, but rather to reduced mating pheromone sensitivity caused by the aggregation of the RNA-binding protein Whi3, which can be reversed by eliminating Whi3's polyglutamine domain.
Post-transcriptional regulation of ribosome biogenesis in yeast
May 1, 2017
Microorganisms adapt to environmental changes by regulating their metabolism, and one key survival strategy is to decrease energy use during adverse conditions by halting ribosome production, with recent findings showing yeast can switch between pre-rRNA processing pathways in response to environmental shifts, adding complexity to ribosome biogenesis regulation.
Placeholder factors in ribosome biogenesis: please, pave my way
April 27, 2017
In ribosome synthesis, "placeholder" factors are crucial trans-acting elements that regulate the timing and assembly of ribosomal proteins, ensuring speed and accuracy in this intricate process by preventing premature interactions and guiding the proper formation of functional ribosomal subunits.
Insights from the redefinition of Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide O-antigen and core-oligosaccharide domains
April 25, 2017
This article comments on work published by Li et al. (PloS Pathog, 2017), focusing on Helicobacter pylori infections. They are mostly asymptomatic but can lead to serious conditions, and H. pylori lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is crucial for colonization and persistence, making the study of its structure and biosynthesis pathway vital for understanding pathogenesis and developing treatments.
Evading plant immunity: feedback control of the T3SS in Pseudomonas syringae
March 17, 2017
This article comments on work published by Waite et al. (mBio, 2017), which indicates that a negative autogenous control mechanism, where the sigma factor HrpL represses its own expression, permits the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae to fine-tune its type III secretion system, potentially reducing the elicitation of plant immunity and enhancing its ability to cause disease.
Microbial flora, probiotics, Bacillus subtilis and the search for a long and healthy human longevity
March 16, 2017
This article comments on work published by Donato et al. (Nat Commun, 2017), which reveals that the probiotic Bacillus subtilis extends the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans via mechanisms including the formation of biofilms and the production of signaling molecules like NO and CSF, suggesting a potential pathway through insulin-like signaling that could impact human longevity and age-related diseases.
Chlamydia trachomatis’ struggle to keep its host alive
March 2, 2017
This article comments on work published by Sixt et al. (Cell Host Microbe, 2016), which analyzed a CpoS-deficient mutant yielding unique insights into the nature of cell-autonomous defense responses against Chlamydia.