virulence
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyPseudomonas aeruginosa gshA Mutant Is Defective in Biofilm Formation, Swarming, and Pyocyanin ProductionPseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous bacterium that can cause severe opportunistic infections, including many hospital-acquired infections. It is also a major cause of infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. P. aeruginosa is intrinsically resistant to a number of drugs and is capable of...
Minireview | Therapeutics and PreventionTargeting Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus by Chemical Inhibition of the Accessory Gene Regulator System In VivoMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents one of the most serious health concerns worldwide. The WHO labeled it as a “high-priority” pathogen in 2017, also citing the more recently emerged vancomycin-intermediate and -resistant strains.
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Candida albicans TOR-Activating GTPases Gtr1 and Rhb1 Coregulate Starvation Responses and Biofilm FormationCandida albicans is the major fungal pathogen of humans and is responsible for a wide range of infections, including life-threatening systemic infections in susceptible hosts. Target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) is an essential regulator of metabolism in this fungus, and components of this complex are under increased investigation as targets for new antifungal drugs. The present study characterized the role of GTR1,...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyGrf10 and Bas1 Regulate Transcription of Adenylate and One-Carbon Biosynthesis Genes and Affect Virulence in the Human Fungal Pathogen Candida albicansCandida albicans is a commensal and a common constituent of the human microbiota; however, it can become pathogenic and cause infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised people. C. albicans exhibits remarkable metabolic versatility as it can colonize multiple body sites as a commensal or pathogen. Understanding how C. albicans adapts metabolically to each ecological niche is essential for...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyOpacification Domain of Serum Opacity Factor Inhibits Beta-Hemolysis and Contributes to Virulence of Streptococcus pyogenesStreptococcus pyogenes is a major human pathogen causing more than 700 million infections annually. As a successful pathogen, S. pyogenes produces many virulence factors that facilitate colonization, proliferation, dissemination, and tissue damage. Serum opacity factor (SOF), an extracellular protein, is one of the virulence factors made by S. pyogenes. The underlying mechanism of how SOF contributes to...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyStaurosporine Induces Filamentation in the Human Fungal Pathogen Candida albicans via Signaling through Cyr1 and Protein Kinase AThe impact of fungal pathogens on human health is devastating. One of the most pervasive fungal pathogens is Candida albicans, which kills ~40% of people suffering from bloodstream infections. Treatment of these infections is extremely difficult, as fungi are closely related to humans, and there are limited drugs that kill the fungus without host toxicity. The capacity of C. albicans to transition between yeast and...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyNew Insights into Autoinducer-2 Signaling as a Virulence Regulator in a Mouse Model of Pneumonic PlagueYersinia pestis is the bacterial agent that causes the highly fatal disease plague. The organism represents a significant concern because of its potential use as a bioterror agent, beyond the several thousand naturally occurring human infection cases occurring globally each year. While there has been development of effective antibiotics, the narrow therapeutic window and challenges posed by the existence of antibiotic-resistant...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyCharacterization of Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates from Air and Surfaces of the International Space StationAs durations of manned space missions increase, it is imperative to understand the long-term consequence of microbial exposure on human health in a closed human habitat. To date, studies aimed at bacterial and fungal contamination of space vessels have highlighted species compositions biased toward hardy, persistent organisms capable of withstanding harsh conditions. In the current study, we assessed traits of two independent ...
Resource Report | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceDNA from Dust: Comparative Genomics of Large DNA Viruses in Field Surveillance SamplesDespite both clinical and laboratory data that show increased virulence in field isolates of MDV-1 over the last half century, we do not yet understand the genetic basis of its pathogenicity. Our knowledge of genome-wide variation between strains of this virus comes exclusively from isolates that have been cultured in the laboratory. MDV-1 isolates tend to lose virulence during repeated cycles of replication in the laboratory, raising...
