Article
Microbiology
Shannon G. Murphy, Andrew N. Murtha, Ziyi Zhao, Laura Alvarez, Peter Diebold, Jung-Ho Shin, Michael S. VanNieuwenhze, Felipe Cava, Tobias Doerr
Summary: In Vibrio cholerae, endopeptidases are essential for proper cell elongation and division, while aPBPs become crucial for maintaining structural integrity during endopeptidase insufficiency, and the Rod system remains active but contributes minimally to cell expansion under these conditions.
Review
Microbiology
Laura Alvarez, Sara B. Hernandez, Felipe Cava
Summary: The cell wall of most bacteria, composed of peptidoglycan, plays a crucial role in protecting them from environmental stressors. Vibrio cholerae has become a major model for studying cell wall genetic determinants, regulatory links, and adaptive mechanisms, shedding light on novel insights. This review provides a comprehensive overview of V. cholerae's cell wall biology and genetics, emphasizing the similarities and differences with Escherichia coli.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MICROBIOLOGY, VOL 75, 2021
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marios F. Sardis, Jessica L. Bohrhunter, Neil G. Greene, Thomas G. Bernhardt
Summary: Bacterial cells are surrounded by cell walls made of the heteropolymer peptidoglycan (PG), with penicillin-binding proteins (aPBPs) playing key roles in building the PG network. Research has shown that the lipoprotein LpoA has a significant impact on the activity of PBP1a in cells and is crucial for glycan synthesis activity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Victoria A. Lund, Haneesh Gangotra, Zhen Zhao, Joshua A. F. Sutton, Katarzyna Wacnik, Kristen DeMeester, Hai Liang, Cintia Santiago, Catherine Leimkuhler Grimes, Simon Jones, Simon J. Foster
Summary: The synthesis and hydrolysis of peptidoglycan, which is essential for bacterial viability and targeted by antibiotics, have been studied using novel labeling approaches and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. The research provides molecular-level details of how peptidoglycan dynamics are controlled during growth and division.
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ming Liu, Meng-Yu Zhao, Heng Wang, Zeng-Hang Wang, Zhao Wang, Ying Liu, Yin-Peng Li, Tao Dong, Yang Fu
Summary: This study identified a novel T6SS toxin family called VgrG3(cp), which affects bacterial cell division and integrity by degrading the cell wall. This allows Vibrio cholerae to gain dominance within polymicrobial communities.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Mei Luo, Guozhong Chen, Chunrong Yi, Baoshuai Xue, Xiaoman Yang, Yao Ma, Zixin Qin, Jin Yan, Xiaoyun Liu, Zhi Liu
Summary: During long-term colonization in adult mice, Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) increased its fitness by producing nonmotile mutants through deletion of the cyclin gene dps. Methionine metabolism pathway may be involved in the increased colonization in the adult mice.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
John C. Macbeth, Rui Liu, Salma Alavi, Ansel Hsiao
Summary: The composition of the gut microbiome at the time of infection or vaccination appears to be crucial for providing robust mucosal immunity against Vibrio cholerae. In cholera-endemic areas, dysbiotic human gut microbiomes may suppress the immune response against V. cholerae via CD4+ lymphocytes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hiroya Oki, Kazuki Kawahara, Minato Iimori, Yuka Imoto, Haruka Nishiumi, Takahiro Maruno, Susumu Uchiyama, Yuki Muroga, Akihiro Yoshida, Takuya Yoshida, Tadayasu Ohkubo, Shigeaki Matsuda, Tetsuya Iida, Shota Nakamura
Summary: Colonization is a crucial step in Vibrio cholerae infection. The interaction between the minor pilin and the secreted protein plays a key role in this process, and it could be a potential therapeutic target.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Milena Jaskolska, David W. Adams, Melanie Blokesch
Summary: Horizontal gene transfer is a key driver of bacterial evolution, facilitated by mobile genetic elements such as plasmids and bacteriophages. This study identifies two conserved plasmid defence systems in Vibrio cholerae, responsible for the ongoing cholera pandemic. These systems rapidly eliminate small plasmids and defend against bacteriophage infection. Additionally, they increase the burden of large conjugative plasmids, leading to a fitness disadvantage for plasmid-carrying cells. These findings explain the rarity of plasmids in pandemic strains and have implications for understanding antibiotic resistance plasmid dissemination and the evolution of pandemic V. cholerae.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Satpal S. Chodha, Adam C. Brooks, Peter J. Davis, Revathy Ramachandran, Dhruba K. Chattoraj, Ling Chin Hwang
Summary: This study determines the subcellular localization principles of ParA2 protein in bacterium V. cholerae and proposes a "Tug-of-war" model that uses dynamic oscillations of ParA2 to spatially regulate symmetric segregation and positioning of bacterial chromosomes.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Claire Vit, Egill Richard, Florian Fournes, Clemence Whiteway, Xavier Eyer, Delphine Lapaillerie, Vincent Parissi, Didier Mazel, Celine Loot
Summary: In this study, it was found that cassette recruitment in the Vibrio cholerae chromosomal integron mainly occurs at the attIA site, with newly inserted cassettes being expressed and selected due to the presence of a promoter in the vicinity of this site. The RecA protein plays a critical role in this process, but the V. cholerae integron integrase is not active in other bacteria.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Landon J. Getz, Justin M. Brown, Lauren Sobot, Alexandra Chow, Jastina Mahendrarajah, Nikhil A. Thomas
Summary: Pathogenic Vibrio species cause 3-5 million life-threatening human infections annually. The winged helix-turn-helix (wHTH) transcriptional regulator HlyU positively regulates the expression of bacterial hemolysin and toxin genes, while histone-like nucleoid structural protein (H-NS) silences their expression. HlyU is required for virulence gene expression associated with type 3 Secretion System-1 (T3SS1) in Vibrio parahaemolyticus, although its mechanism of action is not understood.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Mohammad Tarequl Islam, Kevin Liang, Fabini D. Orata, Monica S. Im, Munirul Alam, Christine C. Lee, Yann F. Boucher
Summary: A group of bacteria that closely resemble Vibrio cholerae were isolated by the CDC, but couldn't be classified properly using preliminary identification methods. Genetic, phylogenetic, and phenotypic analysis suggests that these isolates represent a novel species of the Vibrio genus, named Vibrio tarriae sp. nov.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Saehyun Cho, Gijeong Kim, Ji-Joon Song, Carol Cho
Summary: This study presents the cryo-EM structure of AdhE from Vibrio cholerae, revealing similarities and differences with AdhE from Escherichia coli. Divergences in key oligomerization residues in vAdhE lead to unstable spirosomes and lower enzymatic activity, which can be improved by mutating the oligomerization interface to mimic eAdhE. These results support the generality of AdhE spirosome structures and provide insights for targeting vAdhE to attenuate bacterial virulence.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Leticia Larotonda, Damien Mornico, Varun Khanna, Joaquin Bernal-Bayard, Jean-Marc Ghigo, Marie-Eve Val, Diego Comerci, Didier Mazel, Alfonso Soler-Bistue
Summary: The location of ribosomal protein genes on the bacterial chromosome conditions the evolutionary trajectory of Vibrio cholerae. Moving these genes away from the replication origin reduces growth rate, fitness, and infectivity. No mutation can compensate for the growth defect caused by gene relocation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Allison K. Daitch, Benjamin C. Orsburn, Zan Chen, Laura Alvarez, Colten D. Eberhard, Kousik Sundararajan, Rilee Zeinert, Dale F. Kreitler, Jean Jakoncic, Peter Chien, Felipe Cava, Sandra B. Gabelli, Erin D. Goley
Summary: Proper regulation of the bacterial cell envelope is crucial for cell survival. In this study, a novel enzyme called EstG was identified, which protects cells from various lethal assaults. EstG is genetically connected to the periplasmic enzymes OpgH and BglX, and it demonstrates esterase activity and acts on cyclic OPGs, providing resistance to cellular stresses.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brandon Sit, Veerasak Srisuknimit, Emilio Bueno, Franz G. Zingl, Karthik Hullahalli, Felipe Cava, Matthew K. Waldor
Summary: The microbial cell wall, primarily composed of peptidoglycan, plays a crucial role in maintaining cell shape and resistance to external stressors. The biosynthesis and structure of peptidoglycan are responsive to environmental changes, however, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, DUF368 and DedA protein families were identified as candidate C55-P translocases, filling a critical gap in the knowledge of proteins involved in the biogenesis of microbial cell surface polymers. The activity of C55-P transporter was found to be essential for the growth and maintenance of cell shape in pathogenic bacteria, such as cholera.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ian W. Campbell, Karthik Hullahalli, Jerrold R. Turner, Matthew K. Waldor
Summary: In this study, the authors investigated the effect of pathogen dose on the initiation of infection in the mouse gut using Citrobacter rodentium as a model. They found that host bottlenecks prevent infections by eliminating invading pathogens, and the size of the pathogen's founding population in female mice is controlled by a severe bottleneck. The disruption of the microbiota was found to be the dominant bottleneck, while the loss of the critical virulence island led to a contraction in the diversity of the pathogen population.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Daniel H. F. Rubin, Kevin C. Ma, Kathleen A. Westervelt, Karthik Hullahalli, Matthew K. Waldor, Yonatan H. Grad
Summary: The evolution of Neisseria gonorrhoeae as a human pathogen is influenced by diverse host environments and antibiotics. Variations in antibiotic resistance across N. gonorrhoeae lineages indicate that metabolic differences may affect the acquisition of specific resistances. A study found that the requirement for supplemental CO2 in some isolates is due to a single substitution in a beta-carbonic anhydrase, CanB. This metabolic variation also influences fluoroquinolone resistance in N. gonorrhoeae by increasing the likelihood of acquisition.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Julia Wigren Bystrom, Linnea Vikstrom, Ebba Rosendal, Remigius Groning, Yong-Dae Gwon, Emma Nilsson, Atin Sharma, Akbar Espaillat, Leo Hanke, Gerald McInerney, Andrea Puhar, Felipe Cava, Gunilla B. Karlsson Hedestam, Therese Thunberg, Tor Monsen, Fredrik Elgh, Magnus Evander, Anders F. Johansson, Anna K. Overby, Clas Ahim, Johan Normark, Mattias N. E. Forsell
Summary: This retrospective cohort study aimed to develop a strategy for at-home testing in a rural region of Sweden and assess its role in providing equal healthcare. The study demonstrated comparable results between capillary blood and serum samples for SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing, and implementation of the strategy shifted testing towards rural areas.
Article
Cell Biology
Wanda M. Figueroa-Cuilan, Oihane Irazoki, Marissa Feeley, Erika Smith, Trung Nguyen, Felipe Cava, Erin D. Goley
Summary: The researchers developed a toolkit to study the biology of R. parkeri, an important human pathogen. They analyzed the cell wall composition and morphology of R. parkeri and found unique features. Using fluorescence microscopy, they quantified R. parkeri morphology in live host cells and demonstrated the localization of fluorescence fusions. They also developed an imaging-based assay to evaluate population growth kinetics and showed that the actin homologue MreB is required for R. parkeri growth and shape.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Philipp Aurass, Seongok Kim, Victor Pinedo, Felipe Cava, Ralph R. Isberg
Summary: Water is the primary mode of transmission for Legionella pneumophila to humans, and the pathogen is well adapted to survive in water for extended periods. Prevention of L. pneumophila survival in water is crucial for preventing Legionnaires' disease. Understanding the determinants that facilitate survival in water can help in developing effective prevention strategies.
Article
Microbiology
Christina Lang, Angelika Fruth, Ian W. Campbell, Claire Jenkins, Peyton Smith, Nancy Strockbine, Francois-Xavier Weill, Ulrich Nuebel, Yonatan H. Grad, Matthew K. Waldor, Antje Flieger
Summary: STEC O104:H4 outbreak strain remains a global threat due to similar strains causing disease worldwide, but the diversification of O-antigens in ST678 strains has made their identification difficult. A rare STEC serotype, O181:H4, associated with HUS, was identified in Germany, and this strain is phylogenetically related to the STEC O104:H4 outbreak strain. Other serotypes belonging to ST678 were also identified from human clinical infections worldwide, including OX13:H4, O127:H4, OgN-RKI9:H4, O131:H4, and O69:H4.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Caroline Midonet, Sean Bisset, Irina Shlosman, Felipe Cava, David Z. Rudner, Thomas G. Bernhardt
Summary: The peptidoglycan layer protects bacteria and defines their shape. How class A penicillin-binding proteins (aPBPs) are controlled in Gram-positive bacteria is unclear. MacP, a regulator in Streptococcus pneumoniae, promotes PG polymerization by altering the TM-polymerase domain interface in PBP2a. Proper aPBP regulation is important for cell morphogenesis.
Article
Microbiology
Merve Zeden, Laura Gallagher, Emilio Bueno, Aaron Nolan, Jongsam D. Ahn, Dhananjay Shinde, Fareha C. Razvi, Margaret P. Sladek, Orla A. Burke, Eoghan O'Neill, Paul A. Fey, Felipe Cava, Vinai A. Thomas, James O'Gara
Summary: Central metabolic pathways play a crucial role in controlling the virulence and antibiotic resistance of bacteria. In Staphylococcus aureus, the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) gene pgl mutation increases MRSA resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. This mutation leads to metabolic reprogramming, increased flux to glycolysis and the TCA cycle, and alterations in cell envelope precursors, resulting in enhanced antibiotic resistance.
Article
Microbiology
Oihane Irazoki, Josy ter Beek, Laura Alvarez, Andre Mateus, Remy Colin, Athanasios Typas, Mikhail M. Savitski, Victor Sourjik, Ronnie P. -A. Berntsson, Felipe Cava
Summary: To explore suitable habitats and avoid dangers, many bacteria use a chemotaxis navigation system. However, the signals and sensory proteins involved in chemotaxis are still largely unknown. This study shows that d-arginine and d-lysine act as chemotactic repellent signals for Vibrio cholerae, and that a specific chemoreceptor MCPDRK senses these d-amino acids. The results suggest that d-amino acids can play a role in shaping microbial communities under adverse conditions. Rating: 9/10.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Carmen Gomez-Arrebola, Sara B. Hernandez, Elizabeth J. Culp, Gerard D. Wright, Cristina Solano, Felipe Cava, Inigo Lasa
Summary: The overuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, stimulating the search for novel antibiotics. This study investigates the role of the VraSR sensory system in Staphylococcus aureus susceptibility to Complestatin and Corbomycin, revealing the important role of spdC and sagB genes in antibiotic resistance.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brandon Sit, Veerasak Srisuknimit, Emilio Bueno, Franz G. Zingl, Karthik Hullahalli, Felipe Cava, Matthew K. Waldor
Summary: The microbial cell wall is important for maintaining cell shape and resistance to external stressors. Peptidoglycan is the primary structural component of the cell wall and its synthesis and structure are responsive to environmental conditions. The DUF368 and DedA protein families have been identified as candidate C55-P translocases, playing a critical role in the biogenesis of microbial cell surface polymers.