Review
Cell Biology
Johannes Westman, Sergio Grinstein
Summary: The ability of phagosomes to halt microbial growth is closely linked to their ability to acidify their luminal pH, but certain pathogens can survive and replicate inside phagosomes by targeting the pH-regulatory machinery of host cells to survive or escape.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Zahady D. Velasquez, Lisbeth Rojas-Baron, Camilo Larrazabal, Marcelo Salierno, Ulrich Gaertner, Learta Pervizaj-Oruqaj, Susanne Herold, Carlos Hermosilla, Anja Taubert
Summary: The study reveals that Neospora caninum interferes with host cell cycle progression and significantly affects the nuclear phenotype of primary bovine endothelial host cells.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Asahiro Morishita, Kyoko Oura, Tomoko Tadokoro, Koji Fujita, Joji Tani, Tsutomu Masaki
Summary: The liver is a non-immunological organ involved in metabolic activities, nutrient storage, and detoxification. Resident immune cells in the liver drive immunological reactions and certain microRNAs are associated with the immune response to pathogens, although the exact mechanism of miRNA interference in these interactions remains unclear.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Jin-Ming Chen, Shan-Shan Zhao, De-Liang Tao, Jing-Yu Li, Xin Yang, Ying-Ying Fan, Jun-Ke Song, Qun Liu, Guang-Hui Zhao
Summary: This study reveals that the expression of host miRNAs changes during N. caninum infection, and the upregulation of chi-miR-146a may promote the propagation of N. caninum in host cells.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Marcus Truong, Jan Slapeta
Summary: Researchers optimized single-plex probe-based qPCR assays into a multiplexed qPCR panel to detect cyst-forming coccidia, specifically T. gondii and N. caninum. The multiplexed qPCR assay showed a high level of analytical sensitivity, with a limit of detection of 100 copies of target sequence synthetic DNA. This assay can be used for effective detection of parasite DNA in animal tissue for diagnostic purposes.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Xu Zhang, Yuru Wang, Pengtao Gong, Xiaocen Wang, Nan Zhang, Mengge Chen, Ran Wei, Xichen Zhang, Xin Li, Jianhua Li
Summary: This study investigated the host cell mitophagy induced by Neospora caninum and its role in parasite infection. The results showed that N. caninum can induce mitophagy in host cells and regulate the production of inflammatory cytokines. Promoting mitophagy worsened the parasite infection and inhibited the inflammatory response, while inhibiting mitophagy had the opposite effects.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Paula M. Tribelli, Nancy Lopez
Summary: This review provides an overview of temperature-response mechanisms in Pseudomonas species and highlights their relevance to human and animal health as well as agricultural applications.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Vera Vozandychova, Pavla Stojkova, Kamil Hercik, Pavel Rehulka, Jiri Stulik
Summary: Ubiquitination, similar to phosphorylation and acetylation, plays a crucial role in regulating various cell processes. Understanding how pathogens manipulate host ubiquitination processes is important for vaccine development and disease treatment. Pathogenic bacteria encode effector proteins targeting the host ubiquitin machinery to disrupt host defense processes.
Review
Biology
Hajarooba Gnanagobal, Javier Santander
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the interactions between marine Gram-positive pathogens and fish hosts, which cause economic losses in global marine fish aquaculture. Understanding these host-pathogen interactions is crucial for developing effective prophylactic measures and treatments.
Article
Plant Sciences
Rene Lemcke, Elisabet Sjoekvist, Stefano Visentin, Manoj Kamble, Euan K. James, Rasmus Hjortshoj, Kathryn M. Wright, Anna Avrova, Adrian C. Newton, Neil D. Havis, Simona Radutoiu, Michael F. Lyngkjaer
Summary: Ramularia collo-cygni is the causal agent of Ramularia leaf spot disease on barley, posing an increasing threat to farmers worldwide. Analysis of barley cultivars with different tolerance to RLS infected by aggressive or mild R. collo-cygni isolates revealed that fungal biomass does not correlate with tolerance, and both cultivars exhibit cell wall reinforcement at the point of contact with fungal hyphae. Transcriptome analysis showed significant transcriptional differences between cultivars early in fungal colonization, particularly in kinases, calmodulins, and defense proteins, while metabolite analysis identified defense compounds correlating with responses at transcriptome and morphological levels. These comprehensive responses provide molecular tools for improving barley tolerance to R. collo-cygni.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Marc N. Faber, David Smith, Daniel R. G. Price, Philip Steele, Katie A. Hildersley, Liam J. Morrison, Neil A. Mabbott, Alasdair J. Nisbet, Tom N. McNeilly
Summary: In this study, bovine gastric epithelial organoids were created as in vitro infection models to study the interactions between gastro-intestinal nematode (GIN) parasites and the host. The researchers found that prior to invasion, the organoids rapidly expanded and developed a "ballooning" phenotype, which could also be induced by exposure to parasite excretory/secretory products. This study highlights the importance of using organoids as physiologically relevant in vitro models to study GIN invasion.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Rukmini Mukherjee, Ivan Dikic
Summary: Ubiquitination is an important posttranslational modification that regulates cellular functions. Pathogens have evolved mechanisms to evade or counteract host responses regulated by ubiquitin, and even exploit the ubiquitin system for their own benefit. Host cellular signaling networks undergo significant changes upon pathogen attack to protect the cell and limit pathogen growth. Mechanistic insights into ubiquitin regulation of host-pathogen interactions provide valuable information on bacterial and viral pathogenesis and host cell organization and response.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Easter Ndlovu, Lucas Malpartida, Taranum Sultana, Tanya E. S. Dahms, Etienne Dague
Summary: Candida is a common opportunistic fungal pathogen in humans, and its adhesion to host cells is crucial for parasitic and pathogenic processes. Studies have shown an increased risk of candidiasis when tissue barriers are weakened or immune defenses are compromised, such as during cancer treatment. Using atomic force microscopy, researchers found that there was significant adhesion between Candida and human cells, with a stronger adhesion to cancer cells due to their different mechanical properties. The disruption of cell cytoskeleton affected the adhesion between Candida and human cells, suggesting the manipulation of cell properties as a potential therapeutic strategy.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Hannah P. Berguson, Lauren W. Caulfield, Michael S. Price
Summary: This review summarizes the current knowledge on the mutants in carbon metabolism and their effect on the host immune response of Cryptococcus neoformans. Understanding these critical interactions will provide fresh perspectives on potential treatments and the natural history of cryptococcal disease.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Physiology
Mian Muhammad Awais, Muhammad Shakeel, Jingchen Sun
Summary: miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs of about 22 nucleotides that have been reported to regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level, involved in various biological processes such as immunity, development, metabolism, and host-pathogen interactions. Both cellular and viral miRNAs may play vital roles in host-pathogen interactions, with viral infections altering host miRNA expression profiles.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Man-Yao Li, Xiao-Nan Gao, Jun-Yang Ma, Hany M. Elsheikha, Wei Cong
Summary: The global prevalence of T. gondii infection in wild marine mammals is estimated to be approximately 22.44%. The prevalence is higher in adult animals compared to younger age groups. North America has the highest prevalence among continents, and Spain has the highest prevalence among countries. Climatic variables, including a mean annual temperature >20 degrees C and an annual precipitation >800 mm, are associated with higher prevalence.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Hany M. Elsheikha, Alaa T. Al-Sandaqchi, Mohammad S. R. Harun, Francesca Winterton, Ali Altharawi, Nashwa A. Elsaied, Carl W. Stevenson, William MacNaughtan, John G. M. Mina, Paul W. Denny, Gianfelice Cinque, Ka Lung Andrew Chan
Summary: This study used FTIR microspectroscopy and synchrotron-based FTIR microspectroscopy to analyze the chemical changes associated with T. gondii infection of hBMECs. The results showed that both methods were able to reveal the chemical alterations in the infected cells. Furthermore, RNA sequencing analysis revealed significant changes in host cell genes and pathways in response to T. gondii infection.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zifan Tang, Jiarui Cui, Aneesh Kshirsagar, Tianyi Liu, Michele Yon, Suresh Kuchipudi, Weihua Guan
Summary: This article presents a new self-testing platform for SARS-CoV-2 virus, using self-collected saliva samples and providing results within 45 minutes. The platform has a sensitivity comparable to FDA-approved nucleic acid testing methods and shows good agreement with clinical samples.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yashavantha L. Vishweshwaraiah, Brianna Hnath, Brendan Rackley, Jian Wang, Abhinay Gontu, Morgan Chandler, Kirill A. Afonin, Suresh Kuchipudi, Neil Christensen, Neela H. Yennawar, Nikolay Dokholyan
Summary: This study provides an important methodology for targeting the conserved, non-RBD structural motifs of the spike protein for SARS-CoV-2 epitope vaccine design and demonstrates the potential utility of epitope grafting in rational vaccine design.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cyril Rauch, Panagiota Kyratzi, Sarah Blott, Sian Bray, Jonathan Wattis
Summary: Current genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are expensive for analyzing small gene effects in complex/omnigenic traits due to the need for a large number of individuals. Genomic informational field theory (GIFT), inspired by field theory in physics, offers a different method that can extract information even with precise phenotype measurements and a small population size.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mohamed A. Helal, Ahmed M. Abdel-Gawad, Omnia M. Kandil, Marwa M. E. Khalifa, Alison A. Morrison, David J. Bartley, Gareth W. Cave, Hany M. Elsheikha
Summary: In this study, chitosan coated PLGA particles were used to encapsulate essential oil components, which showed potent anthelmintic activity against ovine gastrointestinal nematodes. The encapsulated particles improved the bioavailability and efficacy of the essential oil components.
Article
Parasitology
Lenu B. Fakae, Mohammad S. R. Harun, Darren Shu Jeng Ting, Harminder S. Dua, Gareth W. V. Cave, Xing-Quan Zhu, Carl W. Stevenson, Hany M. Elsheikha
Summary: We investigated the anti-acanthamoebic effect of green tea Camellia sinensis solvent extract and its chemical components against Acanthamoeba castellanii. The extract and two specific components, epigallocatechin-3-gallate and caffeine, were found to inhibit both the replication and encystation of the parasite. The extract did not show cytotoxicity to human corneal epithelial cells and Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Further pre-clinical studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the extract in vivo.
Article
Virology
Kurt J. Vandegrift, Michele Yon, Meera Surendran Nair, Abhinay Gontu, Santhamani Ramasamy, Saranya Amirthalingam, Sabarinath Neerukonda, Ruth H. Nissly, Shubhada K. Chothe, Padmaja Jakka, Lindsey LaBella, Nicole Levine, Sophie Rodriguez, Chen Chen, Veda Sheersh Boorla, Tod Stuber, Jason R. Boulanger, Nathan Kotschwar, Sarah Grimke Aucoin, Richard Simon, Katrina L. Toal, Randall J. Olsen, James J. Davis, Dashzeveg Bold, Natasha N. Gaudreault, Krishani Dinali Perera, Yunjeong Kim, Kyeong-Ok Chang, Costas D. Maranas, Juergen A. Richt, James M. Musser, Peter J. Hudson, Vivek Kapur, Suresh V. Kuchipudi
Summary: There is growing evidence of SARS-CoV-2 spillover from humans to various animal species, including deer. This study investigated the active and asymptomatic infection of the Omicron variant in free-ranging deer in New York City. The findings revealed that a small number of deer had been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, with two deer showing evidence of reinfection or early seroconversion. This suggests that variants of concern are still circulating and may reestablish transmission cycles in US deer populations, highlighting the need for a coordinated One Health response.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jin-Lei Wang, Ting-Ting Li, Hany M. Elsheikha, Qin-Li Liang, Zhi-Wei Zhang, Meng Wang, L. David Sibley, Xing-Quan Zhu
Summary: Phenotypic switching between tachyzoite and bradyzoite is crucial for the pathogenicity and adaptability of Toxoplasma gondii. The protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) was found to play a key regulatory role in starch metabolism and bradyzoite differentiation in T. gondii.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Xiao-Nan Zheng, Jin-Lei Wang, Hany M. M. Elsheikha, Meng Wang, Zhi-Wei Zhang, Li-Xiu Sun, Xin-Cheng Wang, Xing-Quan Zhu, Ting-Ting Li
Summary: The analysis of the subcellular localization and function of dense granule proteins is crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of Toxoplasma gondii infection. This study identified 15 novel GRAs and determined their localization and functions in different life cycle stages and strains of T. gondii. Deletion of TGME49_266410 and TGME49_315910 significantly affected parasite growth and virulence, demonstrating their importance in T. gondii pathogenicity.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Virology
Shubhada K. Chothe, Padmaja Jakka, Veda Sheersh Boorla, Santhamani Ramasamy, Abhinay Gontu, Ruth H. Nissly, Justin Brown, Gregory Turner, Brent J. Sewall, DeeAnn M. Reeder, Kenneth A. Field, Julie B. Engiles, Saranya Amirthalingam, Abirami Ravichandran, Lindsey LaBella, Meera Surendran Nair, Costas D. Maranas, Suresh V. Kuchipudi
Summary: A study has found that little brown bats, a widely distributed North American bat species, could be at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and potentially serve as a natural reservoir. The combination of in vitro and in silico methods can be used to assess the susceptibility of bats and other animal species to SARS-CoV-2.
Editorial Material
Ecology
Suresh V. Kuchipudi, Cedric Tan, Lucy van Dorp, Maureen Lichtveld, Bradley Pickering, Jeff Bowman, Samira Mubareka, Francois Balloux
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating in animal reservoirs may increase the risk of novel variants emerging, highlighting the need for comprehensive surveillance.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Wei Wang, Yi Yang, Huanping Guo, Ming-Han Li, Xiao-Qing Chen, Xin-Yu Wei, Yu Chen, Hany M. M. Elsheikha, Xiao-Xuan Zhang
Summary: Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we identified RNA modifications in three strains of Toxoplasma gondii and compared the diversity and patterns of modifications between different strains. We found significant differences in the modified nucleotides in tRNA and sncRNA, which were correlated with the expression of virulence proteins. These findings provide new insights into the diversity of RNA modifications in T. gondii and their potential role in virulence.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Shubhada K. Chothe, Maurice Byukusenge, Manoj K. Sekhwal, Lingling Li, Lindsey Cecelia LaBella, Padmaja Jakka, Kay Palchak, Rhiannon Barry, Michele Yon, Ruth H. Nissly, Kathleen M. Kelly, Bhushan M. Jayarao, Meera Surendran Nair, Suresh V. Kuchipudi
Summary: We present the complete genomic sequence of bovine coronavirus (BCoV) isolated from a goat in Pennsylvania in 2022. BCoV is known to cause calf scours and winter dysentery in cattle.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2023)
Article
Virology
Santhamani Ramasamy, Abhinay Gontu, Sabarinath Neerukonda, Diana Ruggiero, Becky Morrow, Sheweta Gupta, Saranya Amirthalingam, John M. Hardham, Joshua T. Lizer, Michele Yon, Ruth H. Nissly, Padmaja Jakka, Shubhada K. Chothe, Lindsey C. LaBella, Deepanker Tewari, Meera Surendran Nair, Suresh V. Kuchipudi
Summary: This study assesses the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 variant infections in domestic and community cats in an urban setting. While no cats tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA, 35 cats (12.86%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The study also compares two different assays for SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection in cats and identifies the presence of antibodies to pre-Omicron and Omicron variants.
