Host-Microbe Biology
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe secRNome of Listeria monocytogenes Harbors Small Noncoding RNAs That Are Potent Inducers of Beta InterferonInterferons are potent and broadly acting cytokines that stimulate cellular responses to nucleic acids of unusual structures or locations. While protective when induced following viral infections, the induction of interferons is detrimental to the host during L. monocytogenes infection. Here, we identify specific sRNAs, secreted by the bacterium, with the capacity to...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDeleterious Effects of Neonicotinoid Pesticides on Drosophila melanogaster Immune PathwaysSublethal exposure to certain pesticides (e.g., neonicotinoid insecticides) is suspected to contribute to honey bee (Apis mellifera) population decline in North America. Neonicotinoids are known to interfere with immune pathways in the gut of insects, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We used a...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyArachidonic Acid Kills Staphylococcus aureus through a Lipid Peroxidation MechanismDespite the ability of the human immune system to generate a plethora of molecules to control Staphylococcus aureus infections, S. aureus is among the pathogens with the greatest impact on human health. One class of host molecules toxic to...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyEpigenetic Suppression of Interferon Lambda Receptor Expression Leads to Enhanced Human Norovirus Replication In VitroNoroviruses are one of the most widespread causes of gastroenteritis, yet no suitable therapeutics are available for their control. Moreover, to date, knowledge of the precise cellular processes that control the replication of the human norovirus remains ill defined. Recent work has highlighted the importance of type III interferon (IFN) responses in the restriction of viruses that infect the intestine. Here, we analyzed the adaptive...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Sensing Molecule Alters Skeletal Muscle Protein Homeostasis by Perturbing the Antioxidant Defense SystemPseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that is resistant to treatment, causes serious acute, persistent, and relapsing infections in humans. There is increasing evidence that bacterial excreted small molecules play a critical role during infection. We have shown that a quorum sensing (QS)-regulated excreted small molecule, 2-AA, which is abundantly produced by...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyIncreased Epithelial Oxygenation Links Colitis to an Expansion of Tumorigenic BacteriaOne of the environmental factors important for colorectal cancer formation is the gut microbiota, but the habitat filters that control its cancer-inducing activity remain unknown. Here, we show that chemically induced colitis elevates epithelial oxygenation in the colon, thereby driving an expansion of colibactin-producing Escherichia coli, a prooncogenic driver...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyUnraveling Melanin Biosynthesis and Signaling Networks in Cryptococcus neoformansMelanins are dark green, brown, or black pigments that serve as antioxidant, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers that protect fungal pathogens from radiation and host immune responses. Cryptococcus neoformans, the major etiological agent of fungal meningoencephalitis, also utilizes melanin as a key virulence factor. In this basidiomycete pathogen, melanin...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyGroup A Streptococcus Induces LAPosomes via SLO/β1 Integrin/NOX2/ROS Pathway in Endothelial Cells That Are Ineffective in Bacterial Killing and Suppress XenophagyOur previous reports showed that the LC3-associated GAS-containing single membrane vacuoles are inefficient for bacterial clearance in endothelial cells, which may result in bacteremia. However, the characteristics and the induction mechanisms of these LC3-positive vacuoles are still largely unknown. Here we provide the first evidence that these LC3-positive GAS-containing single membrane compartments appear to be LAPosomes, which are...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyInfluenza Virus Polymerase Mutation Stabilizes a Foreign Gene Inserted into the Virus Genome by Enhancing the Transcription/Replication Efficiency of the Modified SegmentThe reverse genetics method of influenza virus generation has enabled us to generate recombinant viruses bearing modified viral proteins. Recombinant influenza viruses expressing foreign genes have become useful tools in basic research, and such viruses can be utilized as efficient virus vectors or multivalent vaccines. However, the insertion of a foreign gene into the influenza virus genome often impairs virus replication, and the...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyHydrodynamic Shape Changes Underpin Nuclear Rerouting in Branched Hyphae of an Oomycete PathogenDespite their fungal morphology, oomycetes constitute a distinct group of protists related to brown algae and diatoms. Many oomycetes are pathogens and cause diseases of plants, insects, mammals, and humans. Extensive efforts have been made to understand the molecular basis of oomycete infection, but durable protection against these pathogens is yet to be achieved. We use a plant-pathogenic oomycete to decipher a key physiological...