Host-Microbe Biology
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPseudomonas aeruginosa Increases the Sensitivity of Biofilm-Grown Staphylococcus aureus to Membrane-Targeting Antiseptics and AntibioticsThe thick mucus in the airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients predisposes them to frequent, polymicrobial respiratory infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are frequently coisolated from the airways of individuals with CF, as well as from diabetic foot ulcers and other...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyEndogenous Retrovirus-Derived Long Noncoding RNA Enhances Innate Immune Responses via Derepressing RELA ExpressionEndogenous retroviruses are transposable genetic elements comprising 8% to 10% of the human and mouse genomes. Although most ERVs have been inactivated due to deleterious mutations, some are still transcribed. However, the biological functions of transcribed ERVs are largely unknown. Here, we identified a full-length ERV-derived lncRNA, designated lnc-EPAV, as a positive regulator of host innate immune responses. We found that silencing...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDissecting the Gene Expression, Localization, Membrane Topology, and Function of the Plasmodium falciparum STEVOR Protein FamilyMalaria claims about half a million lives each year. Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most severe form of the disease, uses proteins that are translocated to the surface of infected erythrocytes for immune evasion. To circumvent the detection of these gene products by the immune system, the parasite evolved a complex strategy that includes gene...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyCharge-Mediated Pyrin Oligomerization Nucleates Antiviral IFI16 Sensing of Herpesvirus DNAThe ability of mammalian cells to detect the genomes of nuclear-replicating viruses via cellular DNA sensors is fundamental to innate immunity. Recently, mounting evidence is supporting the universal role of polymerization in these host defense factors as a signal amplification strategy. Yet, what has remained unclear are the intrinsic properties that govern their immune signal transmission. Here, we uncover the biochemical basis for...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPseudomonas aeruginosa Regulatory Protein AnvM Controls Pathogenicity in Anaerobic Environments and Impacts Host DefenseInfections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one of the most frequently isolated human pathogens, can create huge financial burdens. However, knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa remains elusive. We identified AnvM as a novel regulator of virulence in...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyHepatitis C Virus Induces the Ubiquitin-Editing Enzyme A20 via Depletion of the Transcription Factor Upstream Stimulatory Factor 1 To Support Its ReplicationHepatitis C virus establishes chronic infection in approximately 85% of the patients whom it infects. However, the mechanism of how HCV evades host immunity to establish persistence is unclear. In this report, we demonstrate that HCV could induce the expression of the ubiquitin-editing enzyme A20, an important negative regulator of the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and NF-κB signaling pathways. This induction of A20 enhanced HCV...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyBrucella abortus Infection of Placental Trophoblasts Triggers Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Mediated Cell Death and Fetal Loss via Type IV Secretion System-Dependent Activation of CHOPBrucella abortus infects the placenta of pregnant cows, where it replicates to high levels and triggers abortion of the calf. The aborted material is highly infectious and transmits infection to both cows and humans, but very little is known about how B. abortus causes abortion. By studying this...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyStable Occupancy of the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus-Encoded Deubiquitinase Blocks Viral InfectionCrimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus is an important human pathogen with a wide global distribution for which no therapeutic interventions are available. CCHFV encodes a cysteine protease belonging to the ovarian tumor (OTU) family which is involved in host immune suppression. Here we demonstrate that artificially prolonged binding of the OTU to a substrate inhibits virus infection. This provides novel insights into CCHFV OTU function...
Opinion/Hypothesis | Host-Microbe BiologyOn the Emergence of Candida auris: Climate Change, Azoles, Swamps, and BirdsThe most enigmatic aspect of the rise of Candida auris as a human pathogen is that it emerged simultaneously on three continents, with each clade being genetically distinct. Although new pathogenic fungal species are described regularly, these are mostly species associated with single cases in individuals who are immunosuppressed.
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyRocA Binds CsrS To Modulate CsrRS-Mediated Gene Regulation in Group A StreptococcusBacterial two-component regulatory systems, comprising a membrane-bound sensor kinase and cytosolic response regulator, are critical in coordinating the bacterial response to changing environmental conditions. More recently, auxiliary regulators which act to modulate the activity of two-component systems, allowing integration of multiple signals and fine-tuning of bacterial responses, have been identified. RocA is a regulatory protein...