Latest Articles
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyProximity Staining Using Enzymatic Protein Tagging in DiplomonadsThe function of many proteins is intrinsically related to their cellular location. Novel methods for ascertainment of the ultrastructural location of proteins have been introduced in recent years, but their implementation in protists has so far not been readily realized. Here, we present an optimized proximity labeling protocol using the APEX system in the salmon pathogen ...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyIdentification of Differentiating Metabolic Pathways between Infant Gut Microbiome Populations Reveals Depletion of Function-Level Adaptation to Human Milk in the Finnish PopulationKnowing the limitations of taxonomy-based research, there is an emerging need for the development of higher-resolution techniques. The significance of this research is demonstrated by the novel method used for the analysis of function-level metagenomes. BiomeScout—the presented technology—utilizes proprietary algorithms for the detection of differences between functionalities present in metagenomic samples.
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyOutbreak of Murine Infection with Clostridium difficile Associated with the Administration of a Pre- and Perinatal Methyl Donor DietClostridium difficile infection (CDI) has become the leading cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals worldwide, owing its preeminence to the emergence of hyperendemic strains, such as ribotype 027 (RT027). A major CDI risk factor is antibiotic exposure, which alters gut microbiota, resulting in the loss of colonization resistance. Current murine models of CDI also...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Synthetic BiologyMultiplexed CRISPR-Cas9-Based Genome Editing of Rhodosporidium toruloidesMicrobial biofuel and bioproduct platforms provide access to clean and renewable carbon sources that are more sustainable and environmentally friendly than petroleum-based carbon sources. Furthermore, they can serve as useful conduits for the synthesis of advanced molecules that are difficult to produce through strictly chemical means. R. toruloides has emerged as a promising potential host for converting renewable...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyAntibodies to Peptides in Semiconserved Domains of RIFINs and STEVORs Correlate with Malaria ExposureMalaria, an infectious disease caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, causes nearly 435,000 deaths annually worldwide. RIFINs and STEVORs are two variant surface antigen families that are involved in malaria pathogenesis and immune evasion. Recent work has shown that a lack of humoral immunity to these proteins is associated with severe malaria vulnerability in...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyGlu-108 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad51 Is Critical for DNA Damage-Induced Nuclear FunctionRad51-mediated homologous recombination is the major mechanism for repairing DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in cancer cells. Thus, regulating Rad51 activity could be an attractive target. The sequential assembly and disassembly of Rad51 to the broken DNA ends depend on reversible protein-protein interactions. Here, we discovered that a dynamic interaction with molecular chaperone Hsp90 is one such regulatory event that governs the...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyA Novel Protocol for the Isolation of Fungal Extracellular Vesicles Reveals the Participation of a Putative Scramblase in Polysaccharide Export and Capsule Construction in Cryptococcus gattiiExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are fundamental components of the physiology of cells from all kingdoms. In pathogenic fungi, they participate in important mechanisms of transfer of antifungal resistance and virulence, as well as in immune stimulation and prion transmission. However, studies on the functions of fungal EVs are still limited by the lack of efficient methods for isolation of these compartments. In this study, we developed an...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyCRISPR Interference for Rapid Knockdown of Essential Cell Cycle Genes in Lactobacillus plantarumL. plantarum is an important bacterium for applications in food and health. Deep insights into the biology and physiology of this species are therefore necessary for further strain optimization and exploitation; however, the functions of essential genes in the bacterium are mainly unknown due to the lack of accessible genetic tools. The CRISPRi system developed here...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyEmergence of New Delhi Metallo-β-Lactamase (NDM-5) in Klebsiella quasipneumoniae from Neonates in a Nigerian HospitalCarbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is of global health importance, yet there is a paucity of genome-based studies in Africa. Here we report fatal blood-borne NDM-5-producing K. quasipneumoniae subsp. similipneumoniae infections from Nigeria, Africa. New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologySpatial and Temporal Analysis of the Stomach and Small-Intestinal Microbiota in Fasted Healthy HumansThe gut microbiota are linked to a variety of gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease. Despite this importance, microbiota dynamics in the upper gastrointestinal tract are understudied. Our article seeks to understand what factors impact microbiota dynamics in the healthy human upper gut. We found that the upper gastrointestinal tract contains consistently prevalent bacterial OTUs that dominate the overall...