Microbiology, Virology & Host Pathogen Interaction
- Conservation of cell-intrinsic immune responses in diverse nonhuman primate species
The transcriptomic response of diverse nonhuman primate (NHP) species to poly(I:C) is highly conserved, and this novel RNA sequencing dataset will help improve NHP genome annotations.
- XIAP controls RIPK2 signaling by preventing its deposition in speck-like structures
This study provides evidence that the NOD1/2-associated kinase RIPK2 localizes to detergent insoluble cytosolic complexes upon activation and suggests novel regulatory mechanisms for RIPK2 signaling.
- Assembly mechanisms of the bacterial cytoskeletal protein FilP
FilP is a coiled-coil protein that self-assembles into striated filaments and meshwork that shares structural and biochemical characteristics with metazoan intermediate filaments.
- Tamoxifen blocks retrograde trafficking of Shiga toxin 1 and 2 and protects against lethal toxicosis
This study reports an unexpected role of late endosome–lysosome fusion in early endosome-to-Golgi trafficking of Shiga toxins and identifies tamoxifen to be a potent inhibitor of Shiga toxicosis.
- An unusual and vital protein with guanylate cyclase and P4-ATPase domains in a pathogenic protist
Toxoplasma gondii harbors an alveolate-specific guanylate cyclase linked to P-type ATPase motifs, which is an essential actuator of cGMP-dependent gliding motility, egress, and invasion during acute infection.
- Evidence for vesicle-mediated antigen export by the human pathogen Babesia microti
The human pathogen Babesia microti undergoes unique morphogenesis during its development within human and mouse red blood cells and uses a novel vesicle-based system for export of antigens into the host cell and environment.
- The S. Typhi effector StoD is an E3/E4 ubiquitin ligase which binds K48- and K63-linked diubiquitin
Salmonella Typhi is estimated to cause 100,000–200,000 deaths annually, yet its infection strategy remains elusive. This article reports of the first Typhi-specific effector, which has an E3/E4 ubiquitin ligase activity and can uniquely bind K48- and K63-linked diubiquitin.
- PKAc is not required for the preerythrocytic stages of Plasmodium berghei
The mutant salivary gland sporozoites lacking PKAc are able to glide, invade hepatocytes, and mature into hepatic merozoites, which release successfully from the merosome, however, fail to initiate blood stage infection when inoculated into mice.
- Constitutive STAT5 activation regulates Paneth and Paneth-like cells to control Clostridium difficile colitis
STAT5 controls the intestinal epithelial stem cell niche by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and lack of active pYSTAT5 induces Clostridium difficile infection. STAT5 may be a transcription factor that restricts niche cell differentiation.
- BZLF1 interacts with chromatin remodelers promoting escape from latent infections with EBV
How herpesviruses escape from their latent states is enigmatic, but BZLF1, an important transcription factor of EBV, recruits cellular chromatin remodelers to viral DNA to overcome its epigenetic repression and initiate viral transcription.