Molecular Biology and Physiology
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyThe Major Chromosome Condensation Factors Smc, HBsu, and Gyrase in Bacillus subtilis Operate via Strikingly Different Patterns of MotionAll types of cells need to compact their chromosomes containing their genomic information several-thousand-fold in order to fit into the cell. In eukaryotes, histones achieve a major degree of compaction and bind very tightly to DNA such that they need to be actively removed to allow access of polymerases to the DNA. Bacteria have evolved a basic, highly dynamic system of DNA compaction, accommodating rapid adaptability to changes in...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyProduction of Diverse Beauveriolide Analogs in Closely Related Fungi: a Rare Case of Fungal ChemodiversityFungal chemotaxonomy is an approach to classify fungi based on the fungal production profile of metabolites, especially the secondary metabolites. We found an atypical example that could question the reliability of fungal chemical classifications in this study, i.e., the more closely related entomopathogenic species Beauveria bassiana and...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyUse of CRISPR-Cas9 To Target Homologous Recombination Limits Transformation-Induced Genomic Changes in Candida albicansGenome editing is essential to nearly all research studies aimed at gaining insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying various biological processes, including those in the opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans. The adaptation of the CRISPR-Cas9 system greatly facilitates genome engineering in many organisms. However, our understanding of the effects of CRISPR-...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyAntibiotic Resistance in Vibrio cholerae: Mechanistic Insights from IncC Plasmid-Mediated Dissemination of a Novel Family of Genomic Islands Inserted at trmEThe increasing association of the etiological agent of cholera, Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 and O139, with multiple antibiotic resistance threatens to deprive health practitioners of this effective tool. Drug resistance in cholera results mainly from acquisition of mobile genetic elements. Genomic islands conferring multidrug resistance and mobilizable by IncC...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyGeneration of Viable Candida albicans Mutants Lacking the “Essential” Protein Kinase Snf1 by Inducible Gene DeletionEssential genes are those that are indispensable for the viability and growth of an organism. Previous studies indicated that the protein kinase Snf1, a central regulator of metabolic adaptation, is essential in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, because no homozygous snf1 deletion mutants of ...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyThe Parameter-Fitness Landscape of lexA Autoregulation in Escherichia coliFeedback mechanisms are critical to control physiological responses. In gene regulation, one important example, termed negative autoregulation (NAR), occurs when a transcription factor (TF) inhibits its own production. NAR is common across the tree of life, enabling rapid homeostatic control of gene expression. NAR behavior can be described in accordance with its core biochemical parameters, but how constrained these parameters are by...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyCharacterization of Extracellular Vesicles Produced by Aspergillus fumigatus ProtoplastsFungal cells use extracellular vesicles (EVs) to export biologically active molecules to the extracellular space. In this study, we used protoplasts of Aspergillus fumigatus, a major fungal pathogen, as a model to evaluate the role of EV production in cell wall biogenesis. Our results demonstrated that wall-less...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyRedesigned TetR-Aptamer System To Control Gene Expression in Plasmodium falciparumMalaria elimination efforts have been repeatedly hindered by the evolution and spread of multidrug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. The absence of a commercially available vaccine emphasizes the need for a better understanding of Plasmodium biology in order to further translational research. This has been partly facilitated by targeted gene...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyF Plasmids Are the Major Carriers of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Human-Associated Commensal Escherichia coliRising antibiotic resistance in human-associated bacterial pathogens is a serious threat to our ability to treat many infectious diseases. It is critical to understand how acquired resistance genes move in and through bacteria associated with humans, particularly for species such as Escherichia coli that are very common in the human gut but can also be dangerous...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyIntegrative Analysis of Proteome and Transcriptome Dynamics during Bacillus subtilis Spore RevivalThis study demonstrated the progress of macromolecular synthesis during Bacillus subtilis spore germination and outgrowth. The transcriptome analysis has additionally allowed us to trace gene expression during this transformation process. For the first time, the basic survival kit for spore-based life has been identified. In addition, in this analysis based on...