Host-Microbe Biology
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyTuberculosis State Is Associated with Expression of Toll-Like Receptor 2 in Sputum MacrophagesMycobacterium tuberculosis is an intracellular pathogen that parasitizes the host macrophage. While approximately two billion people are infected worldwide, only 5 to 10% become diseased with pulmonary tuberculosis, at least in the absence of comorbidities. Tuberculosis control requires development of noninvasive methods probing the host immune status to help...
Resource Report | Host-Microbe BiologyModeling Group B Streptococcus and Blood-Brain Barrier Interaction by Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Brain Endothelial CellsHere for the first time, human iPSC-derived BMECs were used to model bacterial interaction with the BBB. Unlike models previously used to study these interactions, iPSC-derived BMECs possess robust BBB properties, such as the expression of complex tight junctions that are key components for the investigation of bacterial effects on the BBB. Here, we demonstrated that GBS interacts with the iPSC-derived BMECs and specifically disrupts...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyGene Acquisition by a Distinct Phyletic Group within Streptococcus pneumoniae Promotes Adhesion to the Ocular EpitheliumChanges in the gene content of pathogens can modify their ability to colonize and/or survive in different body sites in the human host. In this study, we investigate a gene acquisition event and its role in the pathogenesis of Streptococccus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). Our findings suggest that the gene encoding the predicted surface protein SspB has been transferred from...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyMicrobiota Diversification and Crash Induced by Dietary Oxalate in the Mammalian Herbivore Neotoma albigulaThe bacteria associated with mammalian hosts exhibit extensive interactions with overall host physiology and contribute significantly to the health of the host. Bacteria are vital to the mitigation of the toxic effects of oxalate specifically as mammals do not possess the enzymes to degrade this compound, which is present in the majority of kidney stones. Contrary to the body of literature on a few oxalate-degrading specialists, our...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyNorovirus Escape from Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Is Limited to Allostery-Like MechanismsThe simplest and most common way for viruses to escape antibody neutralization is by mutating residues that are essential for antibody binding. Escape mutations are strongly selected for by their effect on viral fitness, which is most often related to issues of protein folding, particle assembly, and capsid function. The studies presented here demonstrated that a broadly neutralizing antibody to mouse norovirus binds to an exposed...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyCopper Chaperone CupA and Zinc Control CopY Regulation of the Pneumococcal cop OperonAs mechanisms of copper toxicity are emerging, bacterial processing of intracellular copper, specifically inside Streptococcus pneumoniae, remains unclear. In this study, we investigated two proteins encoded by the copper export operon: the repressor, CopY, and the copper chaperone, CupA. Zinc suppressed transcription of the copper export operon by increasing the...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDifferential Roles for Inner Membrane Complex Proteins across Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona DevelopmentThe inner membrane complex (IMC) is a defining feature of apicomplexan parasites key to both their motility and unique cell division. To provide further insights into the IMC, we analyzed the dynamics and functions of representative alveolin domain-containing IMC proteins across developmental stages. Our work shows universal but distinct roles for IMC1, -3, and -7 during Toxoplasma asexual division but more specialized...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyBacterial Lipopolysaccharide Destabilizes Influenza VirusesInfluenza A virus (IAV), transmitted primarily via the fecal-oral route in wild birds, encounters high concentrations of bacteria and their products. Understanding the extent to which bacteria affect the infectivity of IAV will lead to a broader understanding of viral ecology in reservoir hosts and may lead to insights for the development of therapeutics in respiratory infection. Herein we show that bacteria and lipopolysaccharide (LPS...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyHigh-Fat Diet Changes Fungal Microbiomes and Interkingdom Relationships in the Murine GutRecent research shows that gut microbes are involved in the development of obesity, a growing health problem in developed countries that is linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease. However, studies showing links between microbes and metabolism have been limited to the analysis of bacteria and have ignored the potential contribution of fungi in metabolic health. This study provides evidence that ingestion of a high-fat diet...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Gut Microbiota of Healthy Aged Chinese Is Similar to That of the Healthy YoungWe report the large-scale use of compositional data analysis to establish a baseline microbiota composition in an extremely healthy cohort of the Chinese population. This baseline will serve for comparison for future cohorts with chronic or acute disease. In addition to the expected difference in the microbiota of children and adults, we found that the microbiota of the elderly in this population was similar in almost all respects to...