Latest Articles
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyAnterior Nares Diversity and Pathobionts Represent Sinus Microbiome in Chronic RhinosinusitisThere is a clear need to better understand the pathology and specific microbiome features in chronic rhinosinusitis patients, but little is known about the bacterial topography and continuity between the different niches of the upper respiratory tract. Our work showed that the anterior nares could be an important reservoir for potential sinus pathobionts. This has implications for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of CRS. In...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyMultilaboratory Comparison of Pneumococcal Multiplex Immunoassays Used in Immunosurveillance of Streptococcus pneumoniae across EuropeSerology of Streptococcus pneumoniae is challenging due to existence of multiple clinically relevant serotypes and the introduction of multivalent vaccines in national immunization programs. Multiplex immunoassays (MIAs) are applied as high-throughput cost-effective methods for serosurveillance, and yet laboratories use their own protocols. The aims of this study were...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyRegulatory Mechanism of the Atypical AP-1-Like Transcription Factor Yap1 in Cryptococcus neoformansThe human meningitis fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, contains the atypical yeast AP-1-like protein Yap1. Yap1 lacks an N-terminal cysteine-rich domain (n-CRD), which is present in other fungal Yap1 orthologs, but has a C-terminal cysteine-rich domain (c-CRD). However, the role of c-CRD and its regulatory mechanism remain unknown. Here, we report that Yap1 is...
Observation | Applied and Environmental ScienceEmergence and Comparative Genomics Analysis of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Carrying mcr-1 in Fennec Fox Imported from Sudan to ChinaThe extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing members of the Enterobacteriaceae family are a global concern for both animal and human health. There is some information indicating a high prevalence of ESBL producers in food animals. Moreover, there have been an increasing number of reports on ESBL-producing strains resistant to the last-resort antibiotic colistin with the global dissemination of the plasmid-mediated mcr...
Observation | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Proton Pump Inhibitor Omeprazole Does Not Promote Clostridioides difficile Colonization in a Murine ModelAntibiotics are the primary risk factor for Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs), but other factors may also increase a person’s risk. In epidemiological studies, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use has been associated with CDI incidence and recurrence. PPIs have also been associated with alterations in the human intestinal microbiota in observational and...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyCandida albicans Impacts Staphylococcus aureus Alpha-Toxin Production via Extracellular AlkalinizationCandida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus are commonly coisolated from central venous catheters and deep-seated infections, including intra-abdominal sepsis. Thus, they represent a significant cause of nosocomial morbidity and mortality. Yet how these organisms behave in the context of...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyShigella flexneri Adherence Factor Expression in In Vivo-Like ConditionsBacterial pathogens have evolved to regulate virulence gene expression at critical points in the colonization and infection processes to successfully cause disease. The Shigella species infect the epithelial cells lining the colon to result in millions of cases of diarrhea and a significant global health burden. As antibiotic resistance rates increase, understanding the mechanisms of infection is vital to ensure successful...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyLoss of O-Linked Protein Glycosylation in Burkholderia cenocepacia Impairs Biofilm Formation and Siderophore Activity and Alters Transcriptional RegulatorsProtein glycosylation is increasingly recognized as a common posttranslational protein modification in bacterial species. Despite this commonality, our understanding of the role of most glycosylation systems in bacterial physiology and pathogenesis is incomplete. In this work, we investigated the effect of the disruption of O-linked glycosylation in the opportunistic pathogen...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyLeishIF4E1 Deletion Affects the Promastigote Proteome, Morphology, and InfectivityLeishmania parasites are the causative agents of a broad spectrum of diseases. The parasites migrate between sand-fly vectors and mammalian hosts, adapting to changing environments by driving a regulated program of gene expression, with translation regulation playing a key role. The leishmanias encode six different paralogs of eIF4E, the cap-binding translation initiation factor. Since these vary in function, expression profile...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyKinesin-5 Is Dispensable for Bipolar Spindle Formation and Elongation in Candida albicans, but Simultaneous Loss of Kinesin-14 Activity Is LethalCandida albicans is one of the most prevalent fungal pathogens of humans and can infect a broad range of niches within its host. This organism frequently acquires resistance to antifungal agents through rapid generation of genetic diversity, with aneuploidy serving as a particularly important adaptive mechanism. This paper describes an investigation of the sole...