Microbiology, Virology & Host Pathogen Interaction
The bacterial quorum sensing signal DSF hijacks Arabidopsis thaliana sterol biosynthesis to suppress plant innate immunityThis study highlights that DSF, the quorum sensing signal produced by bacterial phytopathogens, is able to directly modulate plant plasma membrane dynamics by interfering with host lipid profile and thereby, suppress plant immunity responses.
Peptide-based quorum sensing systems in Paenibacillus polymyxaDiscovery of conserved communication systems in the agriculturally important Paenibacillus bacteria. These systems are widespread, and some species encode more than 25 different peptide-receptor pairs.
An evolutionary approach to systematic discovery of novel deubiquitinases, applied to LegionellaThe analysis of the relationships between different deubiquitinase classes leads to the definition of an aromatic “gatekeeper” motif that distinguishes DUBs from other cysteine proteases and helps to predict new bacterial DUBs.
TMPRSS2 and furin are both essential for proteolytic activation of SARS-CoV-2 in human airway cellsThe spike protein S of SARS-CoV-2 is activated by TMPRSS2 and furin. Inhibition of either one of these proteases can render the S protein unable to mediate virus entry and, therefore, provides a promising approach for COVID-19 treatment.
Structural basis of HapEP88L-linked antifungal triazole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatusThe mutation P88L in subunit HapE of the CCAAT transcription factor causes resistance of Aspergillus fumigatus to azole drugs due to altered binding, bending, and transcription of target promoters.
Paneth cell α-defensin misfolding correlates with dysbiosis and ileitis in Crohn’s disease model miceThis study provides novel insight into Crohn’s disease where α-defensin misfolding resulting from excessive ER stress in Paneth cells induces dysbiosis and disease progression.
Simultaneous multiple allelic replacement in the malaria parasite enables dissection of PKG functionThis work combines the use of an inducible Cre recombinase and different lox sites to simultaneously create multiple allelic replacements. We show that an essential malarial cGMP-dependent protein kinase functions exclusively during the release of the parasite from its host cell.
A novel class of polymorphic toxins in BacteroidetesBacteria often use toxins to mediate their interaction with the environment. This study reveals a new class of polymorphic toxins, which contain an N-terminal TANFOR domain, in Bacteroidetes.
The health status alters the pituitary function and reproduction of mice in a Cxcr2-dependent mannerThis study explores the effects of microbiota on reproductive function of Cxcr2 knockout animals. Cxcr2 is involved in the control of pituitary action and the subsequent development of mammary gland, uterus and ovary.
Gammaherpesvirus-infected germinal center cells express a distinct immunoglobulin repertoireGerminal center B cells infected with gammaherpesvirus display altered repertoire with biased usage of lambda light chain and skewed utilization of IGHV genes.