bacteria
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyA MicroRNA Network Controls Legionella pneumophila Replication in Human Macrophages via LGALS8 and MX1Cases of Legionella pneumophila pneumonia occur worldwide, with potentially fatal outcome. When causing human disease, Legionella injects a plethora of virulence factors to reprogram macrophages to circumvent immune defense and create a replication niche. By analyzing Legionella-induced changes in miRNA expression and genomewide chromatin...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyIn Vivo Assay Reveals Microbial OleA Thiolases Initiating Hydrocarbon and β-Lactone BiosynthesisMicrobially produced β-lactones are found in antibiotic, antitumor, and antiobesity drugs. Long-chain olefinic membrane hydrocarbons have potential utility as fuels and specialty chemicals. The metabolic pathway to both end products share bacterial enzymes denoted as OleA, OleC, and OleD that transform acyl-CoA cellular intermediates into β-lactones. Bacteria producing membrane hydrocarbons via the Ole pathway additionally express a β-...
Minireview | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceMore than Simple Parasites: the Sociobiology of Bacteriophages and Their Bacterial HostsBacteria harbor viruses called bacteriophages that, like all viruses, co-opt the host cellular machinery to replicate. Although this relationship is at first glance parasitic, there are social interactions among and between bacteriophages and their bacterial hosts. These social interactions can take on many forms, including cooperation, altruism, and cheating. Such behaviors among individuals in groups of bacteria have been well...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyRNA G-Quadruplex Structures Mediate Gene Regulation in BacteriaG-quadruplex in RNA (rG4) mediates various biological functions and cellular processes in eukaryotic organisms. However, the presence, locations, and functions of rG4 are still elusive in prokaryotes. Here, we found that rG4 is an abundant RNA secondary structure across a wide range of bacterial species. Subsequently, the transcriptome-wide rG4 structure sequencing (rG4-seq) revealed that the model...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceAntibiotics and Host-Tailored Probiotics Similarly Modulate Effects on the Developing Avian Microbiome, Mycobiome, and Host Gene ExpressionAlternative approaches are greatly needed to reduce the need for antibiotic use in food animal production. This study utilized a pipeline for the development of a host-tailored probiotic to enhance performance in commercial turkeys and modulate their microbiota, similar to the effects of low-dose antibiotic administration. We determined that a host-tailored probiotic, developed in the context of the commercial turkey gut microbiome, was...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyA Genome-Wide Knockout Screen in Human Macrophages Identified Host Factors Modulating Salmonella InfectionSalmonella exploits macrophages to gain access to the lymphatic system and bloodstream to lead to local and potentially systemic infections. With an increasing number of antibiotic-resistant isolates identified in humans, Salmonella infections have become major threats to public health. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify alternative approaches to anti-infective therapy, including host-directed therapies. In...
Observation | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Nutritional Environment Influences the Impact of Microbes on Drosophila melanogaster Life SpanD. melanogaster ingests microorganisms growing within its rotting vegetation diet. Some of these microbes form associations with flies, while others pass through the gut with meals. Fly-microbe-diet interactions are dynamic, and changes to the fly culture medium can influence microbial growth in the overall environment. In turn, these alterations in microbial growth...
Minireview | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyMechanisms, Detection, and Relevance of Protein Acetylation in ProkaryotesPosttranslational modification of a protein, either alone or in combination with other modifications, can control properties of that protein, such as enzymatic activity, localization, stability, or interactions with other molecules. N-ε-Lysine acetylation is one such modification that has gained attention in recent years, with a prevalence and significance that rival those of phosphorylation.
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyIdentification of Novel Protein Lysine Acetyltransferases in Escherichia coliNε-Lysine acetylation is one of the most abundant and important posttranslational modifications across all domains of life. One of the best-studied effects of acetylation occurs in eukaryotes, where acetylation of histone tails activates gene transcription. Although bacteria do not have true histones, Nε-lysine acetylation is prevalent; however, the role of these modifications is mostly unknown. We constructed an...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceRethinking the Coral Microbiome: Simplicity Exists within a Diverse Microbial BiosphereWe propose that the coral holobiont should be conceptualized as a diverse transient microbial community that is responsive to the surrounding environment and encompasses a simple, redundant, resident microbiome and a small conserved core microbiome. Most importantly, we show that the coral microbiome is comparable to the microbiomes of other organisms studied thus far. Accurately characterizing the coral-microbe interactions provides an...