Review
Microbiology
Francis M. Cavallo, Lorea Jordana, Alexander W. Friedrich, Corinna Glasner, Jan Maarten van Dijl
Summary: Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is a predatory bacterium with potential applications as a probiotic and antibiotic agent due to its unique ability to prey on other Gram-negative bacteria. Recent studies have focused on its biology, life cycle, predation resistance, and potential use as a living antibiotic in human therapy. Data suggest that it could be upgraded from academic interest to a tool for combating antibiotic resistant infections.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Jaime E. Zlamal, Semen A. Leyn, Mallika Iyer, Marinela L. Elane, Nicholas A. Wong, James W. Wamsley, Maarten Vercruysse, Fernando Garcia-Alcalde, Andrei L. Osterman
Summary: Resistance to the broad-spectrum antibiotic ciprofloxacin is detected at high rates in various bacterial pathogens, with early resistance primarily caused by single mutations in DNA gyrase target genes. Further genetic alterations influence drug efflux mechanisms and secondary target genes, leading to increased resistance levels. The study highlights shared and unique evolutionary aspects across different species, providing insights for the development of novel antibiotics with reduced resistance tendencies.
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Jordy Evan Sulaiman, Henry Lam
Summary: Antibiotic resistance is a global health problem, and persistence and tolerance are alternative mechanisms for pathogens to survive antibiotic doses. The application of proteomic studies in studying persistence and tolerance is limited, but recent studies have provided fresh insights and potential drug targets for controlling these dangerous pathogens.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fabiola Vacca, Claudia Sala, Rino Rappuoli
Summary: Monoclonal antibody therapy has significant potential in the pharmaceutical field, particularly in combating antibiotic resistance in bacteria. However, there is a need for further improvement in the efficacy of antibacterial monoclonal antibodies.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Zijun Zhang, Kai Cao, Jiamin Liu, Zhenyu Wei, Xizhan Xu, Qingfeng Liang
Summary: Bacterial keratitis is a common type of infectious keratitis, and the spectrum of pathogenic bacteria and their drug susceptibility varies among different regions. A meta-analysis was conducted to review the global culture rate, distribution, trends, and drug susceptibility of bacterial isolates from bacterial keratitis over the past 20 years. The most common bacteria were Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Streptococcus spp., Corynebacterium spp., and Moraxella spp. The analysis also revealed differences in antibiotic susceptibility among different bacteria types.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Y. W. S. Yeung, Y. Ma, S. Y. Liu, W. H. Pun, S. L. Chua
Summary: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, alcohol-based hand sanitizer dispensers (HSDs) have been installed in public and clinical settings, but research suggests that they can harbor alcohol-tolerant bacterial pathogens. A study found that HSDs in various locations were contaminated with microbial pathogens such as Bacillus cereus and Enterobacter cloacae, which showed high tolerance to alcohol and resistance to antibiotics. These pathogens exhibited higher virulence in an infection model.
JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION
(2022)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Micah J. Worley
Summary: The mammalian immune system plays a major role in preventing and controlling infections caused by enteropathogens. The gastrointestinal tissues serve as the main interface with the environment, and about 70% of the human immune system is dedicated to patrolling them. The defenses include microflora and physical barriers, as well as innate and adaptive immune mechanisms. However, some bacterial enteropathogens have developed virulence factors to overcome these defenses, leading to mild to severe human diseases.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhongyan Li, Fengqi Sun, Xinmiao Fu, Yajuan Chen
Summary: Antibiotic resistance is a serious threat to human health. The study shows that 5-methylindole, a derivative of indole, can directly kill various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, including drug-resistant strains. Additionally, 5-methylindole enhances the efficacy of aminoglycoside antibiotics. This finding offers a new approach for the development of antibacterial agents or adjuvants.
Article
Microbiology
Yuan Liu, Kangni Yang, Yuqian Jia, Jingru Shi, Ziwen Tong, Zhiqiang Wang
Summary: The study showed that thymine can effectively enhance the bactericidal activity of antibiotics against Gram-negative pathogens by activating bacterial metabolism and restoring susceptibility to antibiotics. This finding provides a universal strategy to overcome Gram-negative pathogens.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Katarzyna Grudlewska-Buda, Justyna Bauza-Kaszewska, Natalia Wiktorczyk-Kapischke, Anna Budzynska, Eugenia Gospodarek-Komkowska, Krzysztof Skowron
Summary: Antibiotic resistance and multidrug resistance have been confirmed in major foodborne pathogens, including Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. Concerningly, new antibiotic-resistant food pathogens unrelated to food contamination or considered epidemiologically insignificant have also been reported. Thorough monitoring of strains isolated from food is necessary to understand the existing mechanisms of resistance.
Review
Immunology
Wolfgang Eisenreich, Thomas Rudel, Juergen Heesemann, Werner Goebel
Summary: Both antibiotic persistence and antibiotic resistance are phenotypes in which bacteria become insensitive to antibiotics, but they have different molecular bases. Antibiotic resistance is genetically determined and stable, while antibiotic persistence is a transient physiological state triggered by various stress conditions. Persisters are randomly formed in bacterial populations and their numbers depend on the culture conditions. We hypothesize that persistence is caused by an inability to initiate DNA replication, and in this state, bacteria become more susceptible to mutation-based antibiotic resistance if they have error-prone DNA repair functions.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Pavla Kucova, Lumir Kantor, Katerina Fiserova, Jakub Lasak, Magdalena Roderova, Milan Kolar
Summary: Bacterial infections are a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in newborns, with low birth weight and prematurity as main risk factors. This study identified common bacterial pathogens and their antibiotic resistance in a Neonatal Department. A cut-off of 72 hours after birth was found to be more suitable for distinguishing early- from late-onset infections, impacting antibiotic treatment strategy.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Martin Pfanzelt, Thomas E. Maher, Ramona M. Absmeier, Markus Schwarz, Stephan A. Sieber
Summary: This study systematically investigates pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzymes (PLP-DEs) in bacteria, discovering an unknown enzyme essential for bacterial growth and confirming its inhibition by a marketed drug. The research provides a foundation for developing novel antibiotic targets and corresponding inhibitors.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xue-Song Li, Jun-Ze Xue, Yu Qi, Inam Muhammad, Hao Wang, Xuan-Yu Li, Yi-Jia Luo, Dao-Mi Zhu, Yun-Hang Gao, Ling-Cong Kong, Hong-Xia Ma
Summary: Antibiotic tolerance poses a serious threat to global public health, but the exogenous factors triggering its development are largely unknown. This study demonstrates that citric acid, widely used in various fields, significantly weakens the bactericidal activity of antibiotics against different bacterial pathogens. Mechanistically, citric acid activates the glyoxylate cycle by inhibiting ATP production, reduces cell respiration levels, and inhibits the bacterial tricarboxylic acid cycle. Additionally, citric acid reduces the oxidative stress ability of bacteria, leading to an imbalance in the bacterial oxidation-antioxidant system and subsequent antibiotic tolerance. Surprisingly, the addition of succinic acid and xanthine can reverse the citric acid-induced antibiotic tolerance in vitro and in animal infection models. In conclusion, these findings provide new insights into the potential risks of citric acid usage and the relationship between antibiotic tolerance and bacterial metabolism.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maxim Rubin-Blum, Zoya Harbuzov, Regev Cohen, Peleg Astrahan
Summary: Antibiotic resistance in pathogens is a global health threat, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria are prevalent in the environment. Anthropogenically-disturbed rivers have become reservoirs and hotspots for antibiotic resistance gene transmission. However, the diversity and sources of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the mechanisms of gene transmission, are not fully understood.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matthias Riediger, Philipp Spaet, Raphael Bilger, Karsten Voigt, Boris Macek, Wolfgang R. Hess
Summary: The study used gradient profiling by sequencing (Grad-seq) in Synechocystis 6803 to analyze the full complement of cellular RNAs and proteins, identifying potential RNA chaperones and previously undetected complexes between accessory proteins and CRISPR-Cas systems. The exclusive association of either RpoZ or 6S RNA with the core RNA polymerase complex and the existence of a reservoir of inactive sigma-antisigma complexes were also suggested, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of RNA-protein complexes and multi-subunit protein complexes in a photosynthetic organism.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vanessa Krauspe, Matthias Fahrner, Philipp Spat, Claudia Steglich, Nicole Frankenberg-Dinkel, Boris Macek, Oliver Schilling, Wolfgang R. Hess
Summary: The protein NblD plays a crucial role in the degradation of phycobilisomes in cyanobacteria under nitrogen-limited conditions. Studies have shown that NblD is essential for maintaining normal growth of cyanobacterial cells during nitrogen limitation.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tim Orthwein, Joerg Scholl, Philipp Spaet, Stefan Lucius, Moritz Koch, Boris Macek, Martin Hagemann, Karl Forchhammer
Summary: Nitrogen limitation induces a significant metabolic switch in nondiazotrophic cyanobacteria, controlled by a complex network of regulatory factors involving the P-II signal processor. The newly identified PirC protein interacts with PGAM or P-II to regulate the flow of fixed carbon in cyanobacteria, with metabolite 2-OG playing a crucial role in this process. Metabolome analysis confirms that PirC controls carbon flux through exclusive interaction with either P-II or PGAM.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Abida Sultan, Carsten Jers, Tariq A. Ganief, Lei Shi, Meriem Senissar, Julie Bonne Kohler, Boris Macek, Ivan Mijakovic
Summary: Understanding phosphorylation-mediated regulation of metabolic enzymes and pathways during metabolic shifts is a major challenge. In this study, proteome and phosphoproteome analysis of E. coli Delta yeaG revealed the phosphorylation of AceA by YeaG during the shift from glucose to malate, suggesting a role in this metabolic transition. SILAC-based approaches have shown utility in identifying kinase substrates under relevant physiological conditions.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Holger Hengel, Shabab B. Hannan, Sarah Dyack, Sara B. MacKay, Ulrich Schatz, Martin Fleger, Andreas Kurringer, Ghassan Balousha, Zaid Ghanim, Fowzan S. Alkuraya, Hamad Alzaidan, Hessa S. Alsaif, Tadahiro Mitani, Sevcan Bozdogan, Davut Pehlivan, James R. Lupski, Joseph J. Gleeson, Mohammadreza Dehghani, Mohammad Y. Mehrjardi, Elliott H. Sherr, Kendall C. Parks, Emanuela Argilli, Amber Begtrup, Hamid Galehdari, Osama Balousha, Gholamreza Shariati, Neda Mazaheri, Reza A. Malamiri, Alistair T. Pagnamenta, Helen Kingston, Siddharth Banka, Adam Jackson, Mathew Osmond, Angelika Riess, Tobias B. Haack, Thomas Naegele, Stefanie Schuster, Stefan Hauser, Jakob Admard, Nicolas Casadei, Ana Velic, Boris Macek, Stephan Ossowski, Henry Houlden, Reza Maroofian, Ludger Schoels
Summary: Loss-of-function variants in BCAS3 were found to cause a neurodevelopmental disorder, resulting in global developmental delay and various physical abnormalities in affected individuals. The human phenotype, though less severe compared to a mouse model, still highlights the crucial role of BCAS3 in neural tissue development.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nidhi Singh, Thales Kronenberger, Andrea Eipper, Felix Weichel, Mirita Franz-Wachtel, Boris Macek, Samuel Wagner
Summary: The study found that the salt bridges in the assembly of virulence-associated T3SS are not critical, but facilitate the incorporation of the next subunit. The conserved charged residues are crucial for type III-dependent secretion and play a key role in the function of T3SS.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Philipp Spaet, Thomas Barske, Boris Macek, Martin Hagemann
Summary: By analyzing the adaptation of cyanobacteria to low CO2 conditions using quantitative phosphoproteomics, it was found that protein abundance changes were closely related to mRNA expression levels, and the functional enrichment of noncorrelating proteins played a crucial role in maintaining cellular homeostasis.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Lechado Terradas, Katharina Zittlau, Boris Macek, Milana Fraiberg, Zvulun Elazar, Philipp J. Kahle
Summary: Mitochondria are essential organelles in eukaryotic cells. Quality control and turnover of mitochondria are regulated by cellular mechanisms at transcriptional and posttranslational levels. Defective mitochondrial proteins are removed by resident proteases or proteasomal degradation, while bulk mitochondria clearance occurs through a selective form of autophagy called mitophagy. In summary, an understanding of the processes of mitophagy is crucial for maintaining vital mitochondrial function in health and disease.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jia Xuan Leong, Margot Raffeiner, Daniela Spinti, Gautier Langin, Mirita Franz-Wachtel, Andrew R. Guzman, Jung-Gun Kim, Pooja Pandey, Alyona E. Minina, Boris Macek, Anders Hafren, Tolga O. Bozkurt, Mary Beth Mudgett, Frederik Boernke, Daniel Hofius, Suayib Uestuen
Summary: Autophagy plays a crucial role in plant-bacteria interactions, where antimicrobial autophagy degrades intracellular pathogens and reveals a pathogen strategy of escaping elimination by hijacking the autophagy mechanism.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mahkameh Abeditashi, Jonasz Jeremiasz Weber, Priscila Pereira Sena, Ana Velic, Maria Kalimeri, Rana Dilara Incebacak Eltemur, Jana Schmidt, Jeannette Huebener-Schmid, Stefan Hauser, Boris Macek, Olaf Riess, Thorsten Schmidt
Summary: The study investigates the role of the nuclear transport receptor KPNB1 in MJD cell models and finds that KPNB1 can modulate the protein levels of ataxin-3 and reduce aggregate load, thereby improving cell viability. Furthermore, the reduction of ataxin-3 induced by KPNB1 appears to be based on protein fragmentation independent of classical MJD-associated proteolytic pathways. These findings suggest KPNB1 as a potential therapeutic target for MJD.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Daniel Gomez-Perez, Monja Schmid, Vasvi Chaudhry, Yiheng Hu, Ana Velic, Boris Macek, Jonas Ruhe, Ariane Kemen, Eric Kemen
Summary: Biotic and abiotic interactions play an important role in shaping natural microbial communities. We have studied the release of antimicrobial proteins by Albugo candida, a plant parasite, and found that these proteins can shape and protect plant habitats. By analyzing Albugo-infected and uninfected Arabidopsis thaliana samples, we discovered numerous negative correlations between Albugo and other phyllosphere microbes. Through analysis of the apoplastic proteome and machine learning predictors, we identified candidate antimicrobial proteins with selective activity against Gram-positive bacteria isolated from A. thaliana, which are important for community structure stability. This is the first report of protist proteins with antimicrobial activity in the apoplastic environment, suggesting their potential as biocontrol tools for targeted manipulation of the microbiome.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael S. S. Werner, Tobias Loschko, Thomas King, Shelley Reich, Tobias Theska, Mirita Franz-Wachtel, Boris Macek, Ralf J. J. Sommer
Summary: Development can be altered to match phenotypes with the environment, and the genetic mechanisms that direct such alternative phenotypes are beginning to be elucidated. Yet, the rules that govern environmental sensitivity vs. invariant development, and potential epigenetic memory, remain unknown. Here, we show that plasticity of nematode mouth forms is determined by histone 4 lysine 5 and 12 acetylation (H4K5/12ac). Acetylation in early larval stages provides a permissive chromatin state, which is susceptible to induction during the critical window of environmental sensitivity.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael S. Werner, Tobias Loschko, Thomas King, Shelley Reich, Tobias Theska, Mirita Franz-Wachtel, Boris Macek, Ralf J. Sommer
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Thomas Barske, Philipp Spaet, Hendrik Schubert, Peter Walke, Boris Macek, Martin Hagemann
Summary: Protein phosphorylation by serine/threonine protein kinases (Spk) is an important mechanism for adjusting cellular processes. This study found that SpkB is a crucial regulator in cyanobacteria, involved in phosphorylating the PII protein and other proteins, with implications for carbon metabolism and protein composition.
MOLECULAR & CELLULAR PROTEOMICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elias Einig, Chao Jin, Valentina Andrioletti, Boris Macek, Nikita Popov
Summary: Deregulation of RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) leads to collisions with DNA synthesis machinery, resulting in DNA damage and genomic instability in tumor cells. This study provides evidence that elongating RNAPII can activate the ATM kinase at the conflict regions to stimulate DNA repair. The study also reveals the involvement of WRNIP1 in limiting ATM activation during the normal cell cycle.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
