Article
Microbiology
Haoran Guo, Tong Zhao, Can Huang, Jingyu Chen
Summary: This study investigates the role of PhoP/PhoQ in the intrinsic resistance of Yersinia enterocolitica to polymyxin. It is found that PhoP/PhoQ plays an important role in maintaining membrane permeability, intercellular metabolism, and reducing membrane depolarization. LPS modification with structures like L-Ara4N and palmitate decreases the binding ability of polymyxin to Y. enterocolitica. Deletion of PhoP/PhoQ downregulates the transcription of LPS modification genes and PmrA/PmrB-related genes.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Adelaide Miarinjara, David M. Bland, James R. Belthoff, B. Joseph Hinnebusch
Summary: The study demonstrated that P. irritans is susceptible to infection but has low transmission efficiency. Despite sporadic transmission at later time points, the incidence of proventricular blockage required for this mode of transmission was low. Results suggest that P. irritans is a feeble vector compared to similar rodent flea species, especially when infected through feeding on bacteremic human blood.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Xiao-Peng Guo, Hai-Qin Yan, Wenhui Yang, Zhe Yin, Viveka Vadyvaloo, Dongsheng Zhou, Yi-Cheng Sun
Summary: Multiple genetic changes in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis have led to the emergence of Yersinia pestis, the etiological agent of plague transmitted by fleas. The mutations in rcsA and rcsD genes are important for the evolution of Y. pestis flea-borne transmission. The frameshift mutation in rcsD alters the Rcs phosphorylation signal cascade, allowing fine-tuning of biofilm production for successful transmission.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Amanda R. Goldberg, Courtney J. Conway, Dean E. Biggins
Summary: The study indicates that plague is negatively impacting the survival of northern Idaho ground squirrels and two coexisting species. The experiment results suggest that vaccination and flea control can improve survival, potentially mitigating the pressure of enzootic plague.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Anna M. M. Kolodziejek, Scott W. W. Bearden, Sarah Maes, John M. M. Montenieri, Kenneth L. L. Gage, Carolyn J. J. Hovde, Scott A. A. Minnich
Summary: Ail is a critical virulence factor of Y. pestis and it is not required for serum protection in the flea vector. This study provides insights into the evolution of highly virulent Y. pestis and its relationship with Ail-mediated serum resistance.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Liting Xiao, Junyan Jin, Kai Song, Xiuwei Qian, Yarong Wu, Zhulin Sun, Ziyao Xiong, Yanbing Li, Yanting Zhao, Leiming Shen, Yiming Cui, Wenwu Yao, Yujun Cui, Yajun Song
Summary: The study investigates the functions and regulatory mechanisms of purR in Yersinia pestis. The results show that deleting purR has no significant impact on the growth, biofilm formation, or virulence of the bacteria under different stress conditions. RNA-seq and EMSA analyses reveal that PurR binds to the promoter regions of multiple genes involved in purine biosynthesis and may have additional regulatory functions.
Article
Microbiology
Amelia R. Silva-Rohwer, Kiara Held, Janelle Sagawa, Nicolas L. Fernandez, Christopher M. Waters, Viveka Vadyvaloo
Summary: The transmission of plague-causing Yersinia pestis is facilitated through biofilm-mediated blockage in its flea vector, with CsrA playing a key role in controlling c-di-GMP synthesis and biofilm formation.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Chenxiao Lang, Yimin Zhang, Yanwei Mao, Xiaoyin Yang, Xiaoyun Wang, Xin Luo, Pengcheng Dong, Lixian Zhu
Summary: The study revealed that acid tolerance response (ATR) of Salmonella persists in a low-temperature environment and the PhoP/Q system plays a critical role in ATR. The D value of adapted strains was significantly higher than non-adapted strains, posing a threat to food safety.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Amelie Dewitte, Elisabeth Werkmeister, Francois Pierre, Florent Sebbane, Sebastien Bontemps-Gallo
Summary: The causative agent of plague, Yersinia pestis, circulates primarily among rodent populations and their fleas. By obstructing the flea's proventriculus, Y. pestis can maintain transmission to mammalian hosts. Consolidating a bacteria-entrapping mass within the proventriculus increases the likelihood of flea blockage and allows Y. pestis to persist in flea populations for a longer duration. Targeting bacterial mass consolidation could significantly reduce the transmission of Y. pestis by fleas.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hanna J. Laukaitis, Triston T. Cooper, Chanakan Suwanbongkot, Victoria Verhoeve, Timothy J. Kurtti, Ulrike G. Munderloh, Kevin R. Macaluso
Summary: This study assessed genetic mutants of Rickettsia felis in a flea transmission model to identify genes involved in vector infection. The alteration of sca1 expression resulted in unique infection phenotypes, with the mutant strain showing enhanced growth kinetics in vitro but significantly reduced loads during flea infection, leading to limited transmission potential.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
David A. Eads, Marc R. Matchett, Julia E. Poje, Dean E. Biggins
Summary: Analysis of data from different time periods and regions revealed that using the method of swabbing fleas from burrows does not consistently explain flea burdens on prairie dogs or provide reliable information on plague prevalence. The study also highlights the limitations of burrow swabbing in accurately representing flea species composition and phenology on prairie dogs.
VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Colin J. Carlson, Sarah N. Bevins, Boris V. Schmid
Summary: After examining data on human and animal cases of plague in the western United States since 1950, researchers found that plague foci are associated with high-elevation rodent communities. They also discovered that due to changing climate, rodent communities at high elevations have become more conducive to establishing plague reservoirs, leading to increased spillover risk to humans. Additionally, human cases are concentrated in specific endemic areas, with spillover events driven by higher rodent species richness and climatic anomalies.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Yarong Wu, Tongyu Hao, Xiuwei Qian, Xianglilan Zhang, Yajun Song, Ruifu Yang, Yujun Cui
Summary: By analyzing the Yersinia pestis genomes, we found that indels play an important role in the adaptive evolution of Y. pestis. We also identified potential targets for further research on the physiological mechanisms of this pathogen.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Naazneen Khan, Aniruddha Sasmal, Zahra Khedri, Patrick Secrest, Andrea Verhagen, Saurabh Srivastava, Nissi Varki, Xi Chen, Hai Yu, Travis Beddoe, Adrienne W. Paton, James C. Paton, Ajit Varki
Summary: This study found that the evolution paths of A and B subunits of AB5 toxins are different and proposed a nomenclature for B subunits based on bacterial species names. The study also found poor correlation between phylogenetic trees of B subunits and species phylogeny, indicating ongoing lateral gene transfers between different species. These findings help explain the host range and pathogenesis of Yersinia pestis.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
David A. Eads, Travis M. Livieri, Phillip Dobesh, Eddie Childers, Lauren E. Noble, Michele C. Vasquez, Dean E. Biggins
Summary: A study in South Dakota, USA showed that the use of FipBit pellets can effectively suppress the transmission of sylvatic plague, protecting black-tailed prairie dogs from flea infestations.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES
(2021)