host-pathogen interactions
Commentary | Host-Microbe BiologymSphere of Influence: an Inupiat Journey in ScienceDr. Kathryn Milligan-Myhre works in the field of host-microbe interactions. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on the people and scientific ideas that influenced her journey from a small town in Alaska to a faculty position at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyFunctional Characterization of Secreted Aspartyl Proteases in Candida parapsilosisAspartyl proteases are present in various organisms and, among virulent species, are considered major virulence factors. Host tissue and cell damage, hijacking of immune responses, and hiding from innate immune cells are the most common behaviors of fungal secreted proteases enabling pathogen survival and invasion. C. parapsilosis, an opportunistic human-pathogenic...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologySAMHD1 Regulates Human Papillomavirus 16-Induced Cell Proliferation and Viral Replication during Differentiation of KeratinocytesHPVs are causative agents in human cancers and are responsible for around of 5% of all cancers. A better understanding of the viral life cycle in keratinocytes will facilitate the development of novel therapeutics to combat HPV-positive cancers. Here, we present a unique keratinocyte model to identify host proteins that specifically interact with HPV16. Using this system, we report that a cellular gene, SAMHD1, is regulated by HPV16 at...
Commentary | Host-Microbe BiologymSphere of Influence: Clearing a Path for High-Resolution Visualization of Host-Pathogen Interactions In VivoShumin Tan works in the field of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-host interactions. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how the paper “Single-cell phenotyping within transparent intact tissue through whole-body clearing” by B. Yang et al. (Cell 158:945–958, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2014.07....
Commentary | Host-Microbe BiologymSphere of Influence: Finding a Direction—How Do Mitochondria Know Where To Go?Lena Pernas works in the field of metabolism of infection. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how work by Brian Cunniff (B. Cunniff, A. J. McKenzie, N. H. Heintz, and A. K. Howe, Mol Biol Cell 27:2662–2674, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1091/mbc.e16-05-0286) and Thomas Schwarz (G. Pekkurnaz, J. C. Trinidad, X. Wang, D. Kong, and T. L. Schwarz, Cell 158:54–68, 2014,...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyCandida glabrata Has No Enhancing Role in the Pathogenesis of Candida-Associated Denture Stomatitis in a Rat ModelMany denture wearers suffer from Candida-associated denture stomatitis (DS), a fungal infection of the hard palate in contact with dentures. Biofilm formation by Candida albicans on denture/palate surfaces is considered a central process in the infection onset. Although Candida glabrata is...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyUnsupervised Learning Approach for Comparing Multiple Transposon Insertion Sequencing StudiesForward genetic screens are powerful tools for functional genomics. The comparison of similar forward genetic screens performed in different organisms enables the identification of genes with similar or different phenotypes across organisms. Transposon insertion sequencing is a widely used method for conducting genome-scale forward genetic screens in bacteria, yet few bioinformatic approaches have been developed to compare the results...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologycsrB Gene Duplication Drives the Evolution of Redundant Regulatory Pathways Controlling Expression of the Major Toxic Secreted Metalloproteases in Vibrio tasmaniensis LGP32The conserved CsrB sRNAs are an example of sibling sRNAs, i.e., sRNAs which are present in multiple copies in genomes. This report illustrates how new copies arise through gene duplication events and highlights two evolutionary advantages of having such multiple copies: differential regulation of the multiple copies allows integration of different input signals into the regulatory network of which they are parts, and the high redundancy...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyTranscriptional Heterogeneity of Cryptococcus gattii VGII Compared with Non-VGII Lineages Underpins Key Pathogenicity PathwaysThe transcriptional profiles of related pathogens and their responses to host-induced stresses underpin their pathogenicity. Expression differences between related pathogens during host interaction can indicate when and how these genes contribute to virulence, ultimately informing new and improved treatment strategies for those diseases. In this paper, we compare the transcriptional profiles of five isolates representing four lineages...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyImpact of Engineered Expression of Mitochondrial Association Factor 1b on Toxoplasma gondii Infection and the Host Response in a Mouse ModelThe parasite Toxoplasma gondii currently infects approximately one-third of the world’s population and causes life-threatening toxoplasmosis in individuals with undeveloped or weakened immune systems. Current treatments are unable to cure T. gondii infection, leaving infected individuals with slow-...