Latest Articles
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyCell Division Protein FtsZ Is Unfolded for N-Terminal Degradation by Antibiotic-Activated ClpPAcyldepsipeptide (ADEP) antibiotics effectively kill multidrug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens, including vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The antibacterial activity of ADEP depends on a...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDivergent Evolution of PcF/SCR74 Effectors in Oomycetes Is Associated with Distinct Recognition Patterns in Solanaceous PlantsImmune receptors at the plant cell surface can recognize invading microbes. The perceived microbial molecules are typically widely conserved and therefore the matching surface receptors can detect a broad spectrum of pathogens. Here we describe a family of Phytophthora small extracellular proteins that consists of conserved subfamilies that are widely recognized by solanaceous plants. Remarkably, one subclass of SCR74 proteins...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyEndoribonuclease YbeY Is Essential for RNA Processing and Virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosaThe increasing bacterial antibiotic resistance imposes a severe threat to human health. For the development of effective treatment and prevention strategies, it is critical to understand the mechanisms employed by bacteria to grow in the human body. Posttranscriptional regulation plays an important role in bacterial adaptation to environmental changes. RNases and small RNAs are key players in this regulation. In this study, we...
Perspective | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceThe Complicated and Confusing Ecology of Microcystis BloomsBlooms of the toxin-producing cyanobacterium Microcystis are increasing globally, leading to the loss of ecosystem services, threats to human health, as well as the deaths of pets and husbandry animals. While nutrient availability is a well-known driver of algal biomass, the factors controlling “who” is present in fresh waters are more complicated. Microcystis possesses multiple strategies to adapt to temperature,...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyTol-Pal System and Rgs Proteins Interact to Promote Unipolar Growth and Cell Division in Sinorhizobium melilotiBacterial cell proliferation involves cell growth and septum formation followed by cell division. For cell growth, bacteria have evolved different complex mechanisms. The most prevalent growth mode of rod-shaped bacteria is cell elongation by incorporating new peptidoglycans in a dispersed manner along the sidewall. A small share of rod-shaped bacteria, including the alphaproteobacterial Rhizobiales, grow unipolarly. Here, we...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionRecognition Patterns of the C1/C2 Epitopes Involved in Fc-Mediated Response in HIV-1 Natural Infection and the RV114 Vaccine TrialAntibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) correlated with a reduced risk of infection from HIV-1 in the RV144 vaccine trial, the only HIV-1 vaccine trial to date to show any efficacy. Antibodies specific for CD4-induced envelope (Env) epitopes within constant region 1 and 2 (cluster A region) were induced in the RV144 trial and their ADCC activities were implicated in the vaccine efficacy. We present structural analyses of the...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyMicrowave-Generated Steam Decontamination of N95 Respirators Utilizing Universally Accessible MaterialsDue to the rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is an increasing shortage of protective gear necessary to keep health care providers safe from infection. As of 9 April 2020, the CDC reported 9,282 cumulative cases of COVID-19 among U.S. health care workers (CDC COVID-19 Response Team, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 69:477–481, 2020, https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6915e6...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyUpregulation of CD47 Is a Host Checkpoint Response to Pathogen RecognitionImmune responses to infectious agents are initiated when a pathogen or its components bind to pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). PRR binding sets off a cascade of events that activates immune responses. We now show that, in addition to activating immune responses, PRR signaling also initiates an immunosuppressive response, probably to limit inflammation. The importance of the current findings is that blockade of immunomodulatory...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyErwinia carotovora Quorum Sensing System Regulates Host-Specific Virulence Factors and Development Delay in Drosophila melanogasterIntegration of genetic networks allows bacteria to rapidly adapt to changing environments. This is particularly important in bacteria that interact with multiple hosts. Erwinia carotovora is a plant pathogen that uses Drosophila melanogaster as a vector. To interact with these two hosts, Ecc15...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyThe Response of Acinetobacter baumannii to Hydrogen Sulfide Reveals Two Independent Persulfide-Sensing Systems and a Connection to Biofilm RegulationAlthough hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has long been known as a respiratory poison, recent reports in numerous bacterial pathogens reveal that H2S and more downstream oxidized forms of sulfur collectedly termed reactive sulfur species (RSS) function as antioxidants to combat host efforts to clear the infection. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of the transcriptional and proteomic response of...