Host-Microbe Biology
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyInternalization of Erythrocyte Acylpeptide Hydrolase Is Required for Asexual Replication of Plasmodium falciparumNearly half a million deaths were attributed to malaria in 2017. Protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium cause disease in humans while replicating asexually within the host’s erythrocytes, with P. falciparum responsible for most of the mortality. Understanding how Plasmodium spp. have adapted to their unique host erythrocyte environment is...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyAn Ssd1 Homolog Impacts Trehalose and Chitin Biosynthesis and Contributes to Virulence in Aspergillus fumigatusThe incidence of life-threatening infections caused by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is increasing along with an increase in the number of fungal strains resistant to contemporary antifungal therapies. The fungal cell wall and the associated carbohydrates required for its synthesis and maintenance are attractive drug targets given that many genes...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyZika Virus Infects Trabecular Meshwork and Causes Trabeculitis and Glaucomatous Pathology in Mouse EyesOcular complications due to ZIKV infection remains a major public health concern because of their ability to cause visual impairment or blindness. Most of the previous studies have shown ZIKV-induced ocular pathology in the posterior segment (i.e., retina) of the eye. However, some recent clinical reports from affected countries highlighted the importance of ZIKV in affecting the anterior segment of the eye and causing congenital...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyLaryngotracheal Microbiota in Adult Laryngotracheal StenosisThe laryngotracheal region resides at the intersection between the heavily studied nasal cavity and lungs; however, examination of the microbiome in chronic inflammatory conditions of the subglottis and trachea remains scarce. To date, studies have focused on the microbiota of the vocal folds, or the glottis, for laryngeal carcinoma, as well as healthy larynges, benign vocal fold lesions, and larynges exposed to smoking and refluxate....
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyAtomic Force Microscopy Demonstrates that Candida glabrata Uses Three Epa Proteins To Mediate Adhesion to Abiotic SurfacesCandida glabrata cell wall proteins mediate the attachment of C. glabrata to abiotic surfaces through molecular interactions that are poorly understood. Here, we study the forces engaged in Epa-dependent adhesion using single-cell techniques. Fungal adhesion to hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyGalectin-3 Inhibits Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Growth and Impacts Paracoccidioidomycosis through Multiple MechanismsParacoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is the most prevalent systemic mycosis in Latin America. Although the immune mechanisms to control PCM are still not fully understood, several events of the host innate and adaptive immunity are crucial to determine the progress of the infection. Mammalian β-galactoside-binding protein galectin-3 (Gal-3) plays significant roles during microbial infections and has been studied for its immunomodulatory roles,...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyBspR/BtrA, an Anti-σ Factor, Regulates the Ability of Bordetella bronchiseptica To Cause Cough in RatsWhooping cough is a contagious respiratory disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. This disease is characterized by severe paroxysmal coughing, which becomes a heavy burden for patients and occasionally results in death; however, its pathogenesis remains largely unknown. The major obstacle to analyzing Bordetella-induced coughing is the lack of conventional...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyAnalysis of the In Vivo Transcriptome of Bordetella pertussis during Infection of MiceIn vitro growth conditions for bacteria do not fully recapitulate the host environment. RNA sequencing transcriptome analysis allows for the characterization of the infection gene expression profiles of pathogens in complex environments. Isolation of the pathogen from infected tissues is critical because of the large amounts of host RNA present in crude lysates of infected organs. A filtration method was developed that enabled...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyA Novel Virulence Phenotype Rapidly Assesses Candida Fungal Pathogenesis in Healthy and Immunocompromised Caenorhabditis elegans HostsOpportunistic pathogens are commensals capable of causing disease and are serious threats to human health. It is critical to understand the mechanisms and host contexts under which opportunistic pathogens become virulent. In this work, we present a novel assay to quickly and quantitatively measure pathogen virulence in healthy and immunocompromised nematode hosts. We found that Candida species, one of the most prominent fungal...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyRapidly Processed Stool Swabs Approximate Stool Microbiota ProfilesCollection of fecal swab samples simplifies handling, processing, and archiving compared to collection of stool. This study confirms that fecal swabs reliably replicate the bacterial composition and diversity of stool samples, provided that the swabs are processed shortly after collection. These findings support the use of fecal swabs, when shipping and handling are done properly, to streamline measurements of intestinal microbiota....