Host-Microbe Biology
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Human Cytomegalovirus Chemokine vCXCL-1 Modulates Normal Dissemination Kinetics of Murine Cytomegalovirus In VivoAn adequate in vivo analysis of HCMV’s viral chemokine vCXCL-1 has been lacking. Here we generate recombinant MCMVs expressing vCXCL-1 to study vCXCL-1 function in vivo using MCMV as a surrogate. We demonstrate that vCXCL-1 increases MCMV dissemination kinetics for both primary and secondary dissemination. Additionally, we provide evidence, that the murine neutrophil is largely a bystander in the mouse’s response to...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyElectronic Health Informatics Data To Describe Clearance Dynamics of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) and e Antigen (HBeAg) in Chronic Hepatitis B Virus InfectionAdvances in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are urgently required if we are to meet international targets for elimination by the year 2030. Here we demonstrate how routine clinical data can be harnessed through an unbiased electronic pipeline, showcasing the significant potential for amassing large clinical data sets that can help to inform advances in patient care and provide insights that...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyKingella kingae Surface Polysaccharides Promote Resistance to Neutrophil Phagocytosis and KillingKingella kingae is a Gram-negative commensal in the oropharynx and represents a leading cause of joint and bone infections in young children. The mechanisms by which K. kingae evades host innate immunity during pathogenesis of disease remain poorly understood. In this study, we established that the...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyTwo Accessory Proteins Govern MmpL3 Mycolic Acid Transport in MycobacteriaThe cell envelope of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes the disease tuberculosis, is a complex structure composed of abundant lipids and glycolipids, including the signature lipid of these bacteria, mycolic acids. In this study, we identified two new components of the transport machinery that constructs this complex cell wall. These two accessory...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyMouse Norovirus Infection Arrests Host Cell Translation Uncoupled from the Stress Granule-PKR-eIF2α AxisViruses hijack host machinery and regulate cellular homeostasis to actively replicate their genome, propagate, and cause disease. In retaliation, cells possess various defense mechanisms to detect, destroy, and clear infecting viruses, as well as signal to neighboring cells to inform them of the imminent threat. In this study, we demonstrate that the murine norovirus (MNV) infection stalls host protein translation and the production of...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDetermination of an Interaction Network between an Extracellular Bacterial Pathogen and the Human HostDual RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) offers the promise of determining an interactome at a transcriptional level between a bacterium and the host but has yet to be done on any bacterial infection in human tissue. We performed dual RNA-seq and metabolomics analyses on wounded and infected sites following experimental infection of the arm with H. ducreyi. Our results suggest...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyUpregulation of BST-2 by Type I Interferons Reduces the Capacity of Vpu To Protect HIV-1-Infected Cells from NK Cell ResponsesThe restriction factor BST-2 and the NK cell ligands NTB-A and PVR are among a growing list of membrane proteins found to be downregulated by HIV-1 Vpu. BST-2 antagonism enhances viral release, while NTB-A and PVR downmodulation contributes to NK cell evasion. However, it remains unclear how Vpu can target multiple cellular factors simultaneously. Here we provide evidence that under physiological conditions, BST-2 is preferentially...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPulmonary Iron Limitation Induced by Exogenous Type I IFN Protects Mice from Cryptococcus gattii Independently of T CellsCryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii cause fatal infection in immunodeficient and immunocompetent individuals. While these fungi are sibling species, C. gattii infects very few AIDS patients, while...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyCicada Endosymbionts Have tRNAs That Are Correctly Processed Despite Having Genomes That Do Not Encode All of the tRNA Processing MachineryThe smallest bacterial genomes, in the range of about 0.1 to 0.5 million base pairs, are commonly found in the nutritional endosymbionts of insects. These tiny genomes are missing genes that encode proteins and RNAs required for the translation of mRNAs, one of the most highly conserved and important cellular processes. In this study, we found that the bacterial endosymbionts of cicadas have genomes which encode incomplete tRNA sets and...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyContributions of Candida albicans Dimorphism, Adhesive Interactions, and Extracellular Matrix to the Formation of Dual-Species Biofilms with Streptococcus gordoniiMicrobial communities have a great impact in health and disease. C. albicans interacts with multiple microorganisms in the oral cavity, frequently forming polymicrobial biofilms. We report on the synergistic interactions between C. albicans and the Gram-positive bacterium...