Latest Articles
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyComparison of Subtyping Approaches and the Underlying Drivers of Microbial Signatures for Chronic RhinosinusitisChronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a major human health problem that significantly reduces quality of life. While various microbes have been implicated, there is no clear understanding of the role they play in CRS pathogenesis. Another equally important observation made for CRS patients is that the epithelial barrier in the sinonasal cavity is defective. Finding a robust approach to subtype CRS patients would be the first step toward...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyEndocytic Markers Associated with the Internalization and Processing of Aspergillus fumigatus Conidia by BEAS-2B CellsConidia from the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus are notorious for their ability to stay airborne. This characteristic is believed to allow conidia to penetrate into the cleanest environments. Several hundred conidia are thought to be inhaled each day by a given individual and then expelled by mucociliary clearance. Given that airway epithelial cells make up a...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Glucoamylase Inhibitor Acarbose Has a Diet-Dependent and Reversible Effect on the Murine Gut MicrobiomeThe gut microbial community has a profound influence on host physiology in both health and disease. In diabetic individuals, the gut microbiota can affect the course of disease, and some medications for diabetes, including metformin, seem to elicit some of their benefits via an interaction with the microbiota. Here, we report that acarbose, a glucoamylase inhibitor for type 2 diabetes, changes the murine gut bacterial community...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyMycobacterium ulcerans Population Genomics To Inform on the Spread of Buruli Ulcer across Central AfricaBuruli ulcer is a destructive skin and soft tissue infection caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. The disease is characterized by progressive skin ulceration, which can lead to permanent disfigurement and long-term disability. Currently, the major hurdles facing disease control are incomplete understandings of both the mode of transmission and environmental reservoirs of...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceGene Expansion and Positive Selection as Bacterial Adaptations to Oligotrophic ConditionsBy combining a genome-centric metagenomic approach with a culture-based approach, we investigated the genomic adaptations of prevalent populations in an engineered oligotrophic freshwater system. We found evidence for widespread positive selection on genes involved in phosphorus and carbon scavenging pathways and for gene expansions in motility and environmental sensing to be important genomic adaptations of the abundant taxon in this...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Gut Microbiota Is Associated with Clearance of Clostridium difficile Infection Independent of Adaptive ImmunityClostridium difficile infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients in the United States. Currently, the role of the adaptive immune response in modulating levels of C. difficile colonization is unresolved. This work suggests that the indigenous gut microbiota is a...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceInterspecies Social Spreading: Interaction between Two Sessile Soil Bacteria Leads to Emergence of Surface MotilityThe wealth of studies on microbial communities has revealed the complexity and dynamics of the composition of communities in many ecological settings. Fewer studies probe the functional interactions of the community members. Function of the community as a whole may not be fully revealed by characterizing the individuals. In our two-species model community, we find an emergent trait resulting from the interaction of the soil bacteria...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyMolecular Characteristics of the Conserved Aspergillus nidulans Transcription Factor Mac1 and Its Functions in Response to Copper StarvationCopper is an essential cofactor of enzymes during a variety of biochemical processes. Therefore, Cu acquisition plays critical roles in cell survival and proliferation, especially during Cu starvation. Knowledge of the key motif(s) by which the low-Cu-responsive transcription factor Mac1 senses Cu is important for understanding how Cu uptake is controlled. Findings in this study demonstrated that the Cu fist motif, but not Cys-rich...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionA Translational Pharmacokinetic Rat Model of Cerebral Spinal Fluid and Plasma Concentrations of CefepimeThis study defines the transit of cefepime between plasma and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in a rat model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received cefepime intravenously. Plasma samples were obtained via a second dedicated intravenous catheter. CSF sampling occurred via an intracisternal catheter. Drug exposures and transfer from the plasma to the CSF during the first 24 h were calculated. The median CSF/blood percentage of penetration was 19...
Opinion/Hypothesis | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyGene Expression Changes with Minor Effects on the Population Average Have Major Effects on the Occurrence of Cells with Extreme Protein ConcentrationsThe cell-to-cell heterogeneity in a bacterial population provides a rich response to environmental changes and robust survival of an isogenic population. Especially, the rare, extreme phenotypes can be important for survival under transient lethal conditions.