Host-Microbe Biology
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyEffect of Environmental Factors and an Emerging Parasitic Disease on Gut Microbiome of Wild Salmonid FishCohabiting microorganisms play diverse and important roles in the biology of multicellular hosts, but their diversity and interactions with abiotic and biotic factors remain largely unsurveyed. Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly clear that many properties of host phenotypes reflect contributions from the associated microbiome. We focus on a question of how parasites, the host genetic background, and abiotic factors influence the...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyComparison of Zoonotic Bacterial Agents in Fleas Collected from Small Mammals or Host-Seeking Fleas from a Ugandan Region Where Plague Is EndemicFleas play critical roles in transmitting some infections among animals and from animals to humans. Detection of pathogens in fleas is important to determine human risks for flea-borne diseases and can help guide diagnosis and treatment. Our findings of high prevalence rates of B. elizabethae and R. felis in fleas in the Arua and Zombo districts of Uganda implicate these agents as potential causative agents of...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Human Gut Microbial Metabolome Modulates Fungal Growth via the TOR Signaling PathwayCandida albicans is a natural component of the human microbiota but also an opportunistic pathogen that causes life-threatening infections. The human gastrointestinal tract is the main reservoir of C. albicans, from where systemic infections originate as a consequence of the disruption of the...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyMolecular Mechanisms for Microbe Recognition and Defense by the Red Seaweed Laurencia dendroideaMarine bacteria are part of the healthy microbiota associated with seaweeds, but some species, such as Vibrio spp., are frequently associated with disease outbreaks, especially in economically valuable cultures. In this context, the ability of seaweeds to recognize microbes and, when necessary, activate defense mechanisms is essential for their survival. However, studies dedicated to understanding the molecular components of...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPersistence of Supplemented Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis EVC001 in Breastfed InfantsThe gut microbiome in early life plays an important role for long-term health and is shaped in large part by diet. Probiotics may contribute to improvements in health, but they have not been shown to alter the community composition of the gut microbiome. Here, we found that breastfed infants could be stably colonized at high levels by provision of B. infantis EVC001, with significant changes to the overall microbiome...
Minireview | Host-Microbe BiologyNovel Concepts for HIV Vaccine Vector DesignThe unprecedented challenges of developing effective vaccines against intracellular pathogens such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis have resulted in more rational approaches to vaccine development. Apart from the recent advances in the design and selection of improved epitopes and adjuvants, there are also ongoing efforts to optimize delivery platforms.
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyEpstein-Barr Virus Induces Adhesion Receptor CD226 (DNAM-1) Expression during Primary B-Cell Transformation into Lymphoblastoid Cell LinesEpstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common human herpesvirus that establishes latency in B cells. While EBV infection is asymptomatic for most individuals, immune-suppressed individuals are at significantly higher risk of a form of EBV latent infection in which infected B cells are reactivated, grow unchecked, and generate lymphomas. This form of latency is modeled in the laboratory by infecting B cells from the blood of normal human donors...
Observation | Host-Microbe BiologyFaecalibacterium Gut Colonization Is Accelerated by Presence of Older SiblingsFaecalibacterium prausnitzii has been suggested to constitute a key marker of a healthy gut, yet the factors shaping the colonization of this highly oxygen-sensitive, non-spore-forming species in the intestinal environment remain poorly understood. Here, we provide evidence from three separate infant study populations that F. prausnitzii colonization in the...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyTwo Phosphoglucomutase Paralogs Facilitate Ionophore-Triggered Secretion of the Toxoplasma MicronemesCa2+-dependent exocytosis is essential for the life cycle of apicomplexan parasites. Toxoplasma gondii harbors a phosphoglucomutase (PGM) ortholog, PRP1, previously associated with Ca2+-dependent microneme secretion. Here it is shown that genetic deletion of either PRP1, its PGM2 ortholog, or both genes is dispensable for the parasite’s lytic...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologySubgingival Microbiome Colonization and Cytokine Production during Early Dental Implant HealingDental implants are a common treatment option offered to patients for tooth replacement. However, little is known regarding initial colonization of the subgingival microbiome and simultaneous longitudinal cytokine production in humans during the early healing phase following implant placement. We report findings from an in vivo study that assessed initial colonization of the subgingival microbiome and concomitant early cytokine...