Host-Microbe Biology
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPhagosomal F-Actin Retention by Cryptococcus gattii Induces Dendritic Cell ImmunoparalysisCryptococcus yeast species typically display characteristics of opportunistic pathogens, with the exception of C. gattii, which can cause life-threatening respiratory and disseminated brain infections in otherwise healthy people. The pathogenesis of C. gattii is not well understood, but an...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyStaphylococcal DNA Repair Is Required for InfectionTo cause infection, bacteria must survive attack by the host immune system. For many bacteria, including the major human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, the greatest threat is posed by neutrophils. These immune cells ingest the invading organisms and try to kill them with a cocktail of chemicals that includes reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ability of...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDistinct Cytokine Profiles Correlate with Disease Severity and Outcome in Longitudinal Studies of Acute Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis D Virus Infection in ChimpanzeesStudies performed in chimpanzees at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) demonstrated a significant difference in ALT levels during acute hepatitis of different viral etiologies, with a hierarchy in the extent of liver damage according to the infecting virus: the highest level was in HDV superinfection, followed by infection with a precore HBV mutant, HBV/HDV coinfection, and, lastly, wild-type HBV infection. Our study demonstrates...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Role of the Gut Microbiome in Resisting Norovirus Infection as Revealed by a Human Challenge Study...The role of the human gut microbiome in determining whether an individual infected with norovirus will be symptomatic is poorly understood. This study provides important data on microbes that distinguish asymptomatic from symptomatic microbiomes and links these features to infection responses in a human challenge study. The results have implications for understanding resistance to and treatment of norovirus infections.
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologySeed-Derived Microbial Colonization of Wild Emmer and Domesticated Bread Wheat (Triticum dicoccoides and T. aestivum) Seedlings Shows Pronounced Differences in Overall Diversity and CompositionGenetic and physiological changes associated with plant domestication have been studied for many crop species. Still little is known about the impact of domestication on the plant-associated microbiota. In this study, we analyze the seed-associated and soil-derived bacterial and fungal microbiota of domesticated bread wheat and wild emmer wheat. We show a significant difference in the seed-associated, but not soil-derived, bacterial...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Expression of von Willebrand Factor-Binding Protein Determines Joint-Invading Capacity of Staphylococcus aureus, a Core Mechanism of Septic ArthritisSeptic arthritis remains one of the most dangerous joint diseases with a rapidly progressive disease character. Despite advances in the use of antibiotics, permanent reductions in joint function due to joint deformation and deleterious contractures occur in up to 50% of patients with septic arthritis. So far, it is still largely unknown how S. aureus initiates and...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyStructure of the Receptor Binding Domain of EnvP(b)1, an Endogenous Retroviral Envelope Protein Expressed in Human TissuesOrganisms can access genetic and functional novelty by capturing viral elements within their genomes, where they can evolve to drive new cellular or organismal processes. We demonstrate that a retroviral envelope gene, EnvP(b)1, has been maintained and its fusion activity preserved for 40 to 71 million years. It is expressed as a protein in multiple healthy human tissues. We determined the structure of its inferred receptor binding...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe TLR3/IRF1/Type III IFN Axis Facilitates Antiviral Responses against Enterovirus Infections in the IntestineEnterovirus infections are significant sources of human diseases and public health risks worldwide, but little is known about the mechanism of innate immune response in host intestine epithelial surface during the viral replication. We reported the epithelial immune response in cultured human normal and cancerous cells (IECs), mouse tissues, and human clinical intestine specimens following infection with enterovirus 71. The results...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Native Microbiome is Crucial for Offspring Generation and Fitness of Aurelia auritaAll multicellular organisms are associated with a diverse and specific community of microorganisms; consequently, the microbiome is of fundamental importance for health and fitness of the multicellular host. However, studies on microbiome contribution to host fitness are in their infancy, in particular, for less well-established hosts such as the moon jellyfish Aurelia aurita. Here, we studied the impact of the native...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDirect and Indirect Inhibition of Salmonella Peptide Deformylase by Nitric OxideWe have previously shown that the host-derived antimicrobial mediator nitric oxide (NO·) mobilizes zinc from bacterial metalloproteins. The present study demonstrates that NO· inactivates the essential iron-containing enzyme peptide deformylase, both by promoting its mismetallation by zinc and by directly modifying its metal-binding site. We explain how free intracellular zinc is detrimental for cells and reveal a new mechanism of NO·-...