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Minireview | Host-Microbe BiologyCoronaviruses Associated with the Superfamily MusteloideaAmong the animal superfamily Musteloidea, which includes those commonly known as mustelids, naturally occurring and species-specific alphacoronavirus infections have been observed in both mink (Mustela vison/Neovison vison) and domestic ferrets (...
Minireview | Host-Microbe BiologySame Game, Different Players: Emerging Pathogens of the CF LungIncidences of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) and Aspergillus fumigatus have increased around the world over the past decade and have become a significant health threat to immunocompromised individuals such as those with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is characterized by the buildup of mucus in the lungs which become chronically infected by a myriad of pathogens.
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Minireview | Host-Microbe BiologyPreserve a Voucher Specimen! The Critical Need for Integrating Natural History Collections in Infectious Disease StudiesDespite being nearly 10 months into the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, the definitive animal host for SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the causal agent of COVID-19, remains unknown. Unfortunately, similar problems exist for other betacoronaviruses, and no vouchered specimens exist to corroborate host species identification for most of these pathogens.
Minireview | Host-Microbe BiologyMechanisms of Attenuation by Genetic Recoding of VirusesThe development of safe and effective vaccines against viruses is central to disease control. With advancements in DNA synthesis technology, the production of synthetic viral genomes has fueled many research efforts that aim to generate attenuated viruses by introducing synonymous mutations.
Minireview | Therapeutics and PreventionDesigning the Next Generation of Vaccines: Relevance for Future PandemicsThe development of vaccines is one of the greatest medical interventions in the history of global infectious diseases and has contributed to the annual saving of at least 2 to 3 million lives worldwide. However, many diseases are not preventable through currently available vaccines, and the potential of modulating the immune response during vaccination has not been fully exploited.
Minireview | Applied and Environmental ScienceIron Flocs and the Three Domains: Microbial Interactions in Freshwater Iron MatsFreshwater iron mats are dynamic geochemical environments with broad ecological diversity, primarily formed by the iron-oxidizing bacteria. The community features functional groups involved in biogeochemical cycles for iron, sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen.
Minireview | Host-Microbe BiologyDefensive Properties of Mucin Glycoproteins during Respiratory Infections—Relevance for SARS-CoV-2Mucus plays a pivotal role in protecting the respiratory tract against microbial infections. It acts as a primary contact site to entrap microbes and facilitates their removal from the respiratory tract via the coordinated beating of motile cilia. The major components of airway mucus are heavily O-glycosylated mucin glycoproteins, divided into gel-forming mucins and transmembrane mucins. The gel-forming mucins MUC5AC and MUC5B...
Minireview | Therapeutics and PreventionAntimicrobial Peptides: a New Frontier in Antifungal TherapyInvasive fungal infections in humans are generally associated with high mortality, making the choice of antifungal drug crucial for the outcome of the patient. The limited spectrum of antifungals available and the development of drug resistance represent the main concerns for the current antifungal treatments, requiring alternative strategies. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), expressed in several organisms and used as first-line defenses...
Minireview | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyBacterial Cell Wall Quality Control during Environmental StressNearly all bacteria are encased in a peptidoglycan cell wall, an essential polysaccharide structure that protects the cell from osmotic rupture and reinforces cell shape. The integrity of this protective barrier must be maintained across the diversity of environmental conditions wherein bacteria replicate. However, at the cell surface, the cell wall and its synthesis machinery face unique challenges that threaten their integrity....
Minireview | Host-Microbe BiologyMolecular Mimicry: a Paradigm of Host-Microbe Coevolution Illustrated by LegionellaThrough coevolution with host cells, microorganisms have acquired mechanisms to avoid the detection by the host surveillance system and to use the cell’s supplies to establish themselves. Indeed, certain pathogens have evolved proteins that imitate specific eukaryotic cell proteins, allowing them to manipulate host pathways, a phenomenon termed molecular mimicry. Bacterial “eukaryotic-like proteins” are a remarkable example of molecular...