Latest Articles
EditorialZika Virus Focuses the Gain-of-Function DebateThis year, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) will be making recommendations to the U.S. Government regarding the ongoing saga of gain-of-function (GOF) experiments with highly infectious respiratory pathogens, such as influenza virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus, and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus.
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyTranscriptome Sequencing Reveals Wide Expression Reprogramming of Basal and Unknown Genes in Leptospira biflexa BiofilmsIn this work, we describe the first transcriptome based on RNA-seq technology focused on studying transcriptional changes associated with biofilm growth in a member of the genus Leptospira. As many pathogenic species of this genus can survive inside the host but also persist in environmental water, mostly forming biofilms, identifying the molecular basis of this capacity can impact the understanding of how leptospires are able...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceIS26-Mediated Formation of Transposons Carrying Antibiotic Resistance GenesIn Gram-negative bacteria, IS26 recruits antibiotic resistance genes into the mobile gene pool by forming transposons carrying many different resistance genes. In addition to replicative transposition, IS26 was recently shown to use a novel conservative movement mechanism in which an incoming IS26 targets a preexisting one. Here, we have demonstrated how IS26-bounded class I transposons can be...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyNovel Highly Pathogenic Avian A(H5N2) and A(H5N8) Influenza Viruses of Clade 2.3.4.4 from North America Have Limited Capacity for Replication and Transmission in MammalsHighly pathogenic H5 influenza viruses have been introduced into North America from Asia, causing extensive morbidity and mortality in domestic poultry. The introduced viruses have reassorted with North American avian influenza viruses, generating viral genotypes not seen on other continents. The experiments and analyses presented here were designed to assess the impact of this genetic diversification on viral phenotypes, particularly...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyAntibody Binding Alters the Characteristics and Contents of Extracellular Vesicles Released by Histoplasma capsulatumDiverse fungal species release extracellular vesicles, indicating that this is a common pathway for the delivery of molecules to the extracellular space. However, there has been no study reporting the impact of antibody binding to the fungal cell on extracellular vesicle release. In the present work, we observed that treatment of H. capsulatum cells with Hsp60-binding...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyRelative Contributions of Prenylation and Postprenylation Processing in Cryptococcus neoformans PathogenesisCryptococcus neoformans is an important human fungal pathogen that causes disease and death in immunocompromised individuals. The growth and morphogenesis of this fungus are controlled by conserved Ras-like GTPases, which are also important for its pathogenicity. Many of these proteins require proper subcellular localization for full function, and they are directed...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceCulture-Independent Metagenomic Surveillance of Commercially Available Probiotics with High-Throughput Next-Generation SequencingThe rapidly growing supplement industry operates without a formal premarket approval process. Consumers rely on product labels to be accurate and true. Those products containing live microbials report both identity and viability on most product labels. This study used next-generation sequencing technology as an analytical tool in conjunction with classic culture methods to examine the validity of the labels on supplement products...
Opinion/Hypothesis | Host-Microbe BiologyStructural Constraints on Human Norovirus Binding to Histo-Blood Group Antigens
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyA Single Residue in Ebola Virus Receptor NPC1 Influences Cellular Host Range in ReptilesIdentifying cellular factors that determine susceptibility to infection can help us understand how Ebola virus is transmitted. We asked if the EBOV receptor Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) could explain why reptiles are resistant to EBOV infection. We demonstrate that cells derived from the Russell’s viper are not susceptible to infection because EBOV cannot bind to viper NPC1. This resistance to infection can be mapped to a single amino acid...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Rhoptry Pseudokinase ROP54 Modulates Toxoplasma gondii Virulence and Host GBP2 LoadingThe interactions between intracellular microbes and their host cells can lead to the discovery of novel drug targets. During Toxoplasma infections, host cells express an array of immunity-related GTPases (IRGs) and guanylate binding proteins (GBPs) that load onto the parasite-containing vacuole to clear the parasite. To counter this mechanism, the parasite secretes effector proteins that traffic to the vacuole to disarm the...