Latest Articles
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyMucor circinelloides Thrives inside the Phagosome through an Atf-Mediated Germination PathwayMucorales are a group of ancient saprophytic fungi that cause neglected infectious diseases collectively known as mucormycoses. The molecular processes underlying the establishment and progression of this disease are largely unknown. Our work presents a transcriptomic study to unveil the Mucor circinelloides genetic network triggered in fungal spores in response to...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyEvolution of Fluconazole-Resistant Candida albicans Strains by Drug-Induced Mating Competence and Parasexual RecombinationSexual reproduction is an important mechanism in the evolution of species, since it allows the combination of advantageous traits of individual members in a population. The pathogenic yeast Candida albicans is a diploid organism that normally propagates in a clonal fashion, because heterozygosity at the mating type locus (MTL) inhibits mating between cells....
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyA Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase 9 Domain (ADAM9) Is a Major Susceptibility Factor in the Early Stages of Encephalomyocarditis Virus InfectionViral myocarditis is a leading cause of death in the United States, contributing to numerous unexplained deaths in people ≤35 years old. Enteroviruses contribute to many cases of human myocarditis. Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) infection causes viral myocarditis in rodent models, but its receptor requirements have not been fully identified. CRISPR-Cas9 screens can identify host dependency factors essential for EMCV infection and...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyPeptidoglycan Remodeling Enables Escherichia coli To Survive Severe Outer Membrane Assembly DefectIn Gram-negative bacteria, the outer membrane protects the cell against many toxic molecules, and the peptidoglycan layer provides protection against osmotic challenges, allowing bacterial cells to survive in changing environments. Maintaining cell envelope integrity is therefore a question of life or death for a bacterial cell. Here we show that Escherichia coli...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPolyomavirus T Antigen Induces APOBEC3B Expression Using an LXCXE-Dependent and TP53-Independent MechanismThe APOBEC3B DNA cytosine deaminase is overexpressed in many different cancers and correlates with elevated frequencies of C-to-T and C-to-G mutations in 5′-TC motifs, oncogene activation, acquired drug resistance, and poor clinical outcomes. The mechanisms responsible for APOBEC3B overexpression are not fully understood. Here, we show that the polyomavirus truncated T antigen (truncT) triggers APOBEC3B overexpression through its RB-...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionDidehydro-Cortistatin A Inhibits HIV-1 by Specifically Binding to the Unstructured Basic Region of TatTat activates virus production, and limited Tat transactivation correlates with HIV-1 latency. The Tat inhibitor dCA locks HIV in persistent latency. This drug class enables block-and-lock functional cure approaches, aimed at reducing residual viremia during therapy and limiting viral rebound. dCA may also have additional therapeutic benefits since Tat is also neurotoxic. Unfortunately, Tat inhibitors are not clinically available. We...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDopamine Is a Siderophore-Like Iron Chelator That Promotes Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Virulence in MiceHere we show that dopamine increases bacterial iron incorporation and promotes Salmonella Typhimurium growth both in vitro and in vivo. These observations suggest the potential hazards of pharmacological catecholamine administration in patients with bacterial sepsis but also suggest that the inhibition of bacterial iron acquisition might provide a useful approach to antimicrobial therapy.
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Small RNA Teg41 Regulates Expression of the Alpha Phenol-Soluble Modulins and Is Required for Virulence in Staphylococcus aureusThe alpha phenol-soluble modulins (αPSMs) are among the most potent toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Their biological role during infection has been studied in detail; however, the way they are produced by the bacterial cell is not well understood. In this work, we identify a small RNA molecule called Teg41 that plays an important role in αPSM production by...
Minireview | Host-Microbe BiologyHost-Microbe Coevolution: Applying Evidence from Model Systems to Complex Marine Invertebrate HolobiontsMarine invertebrates often host diverse microbial communities, making it difficult to identify important symbionts and to understand how these communities are structured. This complexity has also made it challenging to assign microbial functions and to unravel the myriad of interactions among the microbiota.
Observation | Host-Microbe BiologyIdentification of Novel Acinetobacter baumannii Host Fatty Acid Stress Adaptation StrategiesA shift in the Western diet since the industrial revolution has resulted in a dramatic increase in the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids, with a concurrent decrease in the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. This decrease in omega-3 fatty acid consumption has been associated with significant disease burden, including increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Here we provide evidence that DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, has superior...