Microbiology, Virology & Host Pathogen Interaction
Topical TMPRSS2 inhibition prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection in differentiated human airway culturesThere is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutic strategies to prevent viral transmission and COVID-19 disease—we show that topical application of camostat, a TMPRSS2 inhibitor, could be a simple, safe, and effective strategy for restricting upper airway infection.
Malaria abrogates O’nyong–nyong virus pathologies by restricting virus infection in nonimmune cellsThis study reveals that acute blood-stage malaria promotes resistance to ONNV infection by inducing IFNg-dependent antiviral status in human and murine nonimmune cells.
Age-related differences in immune dynamics during SARS-CoV-2 infection in rhesus macaquesIncreased age is a risk factor for severe COVID-19. Multi-omics profiling in rhesus macaques suggests that aging may delay or impair cellular immune responses and the return to immune homeostasis.
Preclinical and randomized phase I studies of plitidepsin in adults hospitalized with COVID-19This proof-of-concept study shows that plitidepsin, a marine peptide that inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication, has a favorable safety profile and may be an efficacious treatment for patients with COVID-19.
Sensitive visualization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA with CoronaFISHWe design an RNA-FISH method to target the plus and minus strands of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and apply it to image the virus in cell lines, lung tissue, and nasal swabs, by fluorescence and electron microscopy.
Artemisinin-independent inhibitory activity of Artemisia sp. infusions against different Plasmodium stages including relapse-causing hypnozoitesInfusions from two Artemisia species, one containing artemisinin, the other not, equally inhibit pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic stages of different Plasmodium species, including two relapsing species.
TICAM-1/TRIF associates with Act1 and suppresses IL-17 receptor–mediated inflammatory responsesTICAM-1/TRIF, a TLR3 adaptor molecule, associates with Act1 to inhibit the interaction between IL-17RA and Act1, resulting in attenuated IL-17-mediated inflammatory responses.
Existence of log-phase Escherichia coli persisters and lasting memory of a starvation pulseThe authors characterize the growth condition dependence of survival of bacteria exposed to lethal antibiotics for a week. 1-h starvation pulse is shown to cause an increase in survival for days.
Elevation in sphingolipid upon SARS-CoV-2 infection: possible implications for COVID-19 pathologySARS-CoV-2 infection alters the levels of sphingolipids early post infection. This phenomenon is reflected by increased levels of sphingolipids, including gangliosides, in infected cells, as well as in serum in a SARS-CoV-2 murine model.
Structural basis of membrane recognition of Toxoplasma gondii vacuole by Irgb6Upon Toxoplasma gondii infection, Irgb6 is recruited to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) where Irgb6 disrupts it. We solved the atomic structures of Irgb6 in two distinct nucleotide states, revealing a unique PVM-binding interface sensitive to GTPase cycling.