Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michaela Huber, Anne Lippegaus, Sahar Melamed, Malte Siemers, Benjamin R. Wucher, Mona Hoyos, Carey Nadell, Gisela Storz, Kai Papenfort
Summary: The study reveals the interaction between small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) and the RNA-chaperone Hfq in Vibrio cholerae, a human pathogen. By using RIL-seq, the researchers identify multiple sRNA-mRNA interactions as well as RNA duplexes formed between two sRNA regulators. They also discover an RNA sponge called QrrX, which can bind and inactivate the Qrr1-4 sRNAs that modulate the quorum sensing pathway. The results indicate the importance of QrrX and QrrT in the rapid transition from individual to community behaviors in V. cholerae.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mengting Shi, Feifei Zhao, Na Li, Zhengjia Wang, Menghua Yang
Summary: This study reveals that modulating the activity of the ToxT regulon is critical for Vibrio cholerae to enhance its colonization in the intestine of adult mice. Constitutively active ToxT regulon causes growth retardation and colonization defect in adult mice.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Heidi A. Butz, Alexandra R. Mey, Ashley L. Ciosek, Alexander A. Crofts, Bryan W. Davies, Shelley M. Payne
Summary: CsrA is a critical posttranscriptional global regulator in Vibrio cholerae, controlling 22% of the bacterial transcriptome involving various cellular processes. Through RNA coimmunoprecipitation experiments, it was found that CsrA binds to multiple mRNAs encoding regulatory proteins, including major sigma factors. Additionally, CsrA directly binds to virulence gene transcripts, positively regulating the production of important virulence factors.
Review
Immunology
X. Renee Bina, James E. Bina
Summary: Resistance Nodulation Division (RND) efflux systems are widespread in gram-negative bacteria and play a critical role in protecting against antimicrobial agents and promoting survival in various environments. Vibrio cholerae is a dual lifestyle enteric pathogen that colonizes the intestines and causes cholera diarrhea in humans. Understanding the physiological functions of RND efflux systems and their interactions with the regulation of virulence factor production in V. cholerae can provide insights into the mechanisms of bacterial survival and pathogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michaela Huber, Anne Lippegaus, Sahar Melamed, Malte Siemers, Benjamin R. Wucher, Mona Hoyos, Carey Nadell, Gisela Storz, Kai Papenfort
Summary: Using RIL-seq, researchers have identified Hfq-interacting sRNAs and their target sites in Vibrio cholerae, finding numerous sRNA-mRNA interactions and RNA duplexes formed by sRNA regulators. Further analysis reveals an RNA sponge called QrrX that base-pairs with and inactivates the Qrr1-4 sRNAs, which are known to modulate the quorum sensing pathway. Transcription of qrrX is activated by QrrT, a previously uncharacterized LysR-type transcriptional regulator.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Shruti Chatterjee, Ishan Raval, Krishna Raval, Rima Tapader, Gopal Bhojani, Amit Pal, Sandhya Mishra
Summary: The study demonstrated that an extract from edible microalgae can inhibit the production of virulence factors in pathogenic Vibrio cholerae strains, reducing cholera toxin production and cell-cytotoxicity. In vivo study on Artemia salina also showed slightly diminished colonization of V. cholerae in the presence of the extract. GC-MS analysis identified various fatty acids in the extract, suggesting its potential as a natural source for functional food and pharmaceutical products against cholera.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Benjamin X. Wang, Julie Takagi, Abigail McShane, Jin Hwan Park, Kazuhiro Aoki, Catherine Griffin, Jennifer Teschler, Giordan Kitts, Giulietta Minzer, Michael Tiemeyer, Rachel Hevey, Fitnat Yildiz, Katharina Ribbeck
Summary: We found that mucin polymers are potent regulators that block toxigenic conversion and suppress the expression of virulence factors in V. cholerae, mediated by CTX phi. This discovery highlights the novel role of mucins and their associated O-glycan structures in modulating the evolution and pathogenicity of V. cholerae through interfering with the TcpP/ToxR/ToxT virulence pathway.
Article
Microbiology
Martina Woelflingseder, Sarah Tutz, Vera H. Fengler, Stefan Schild, Joachim Reidl
Summary: This study investigates the regulatory interaction between RpoS and RssB and their functions under bacterial starvation conditions. Phenotypic and expression analyses reveal that RssB influences bacterial motility, growth behavior, colonization fitness, and survival. Additionally, the study finds that RssB is a substrate for proteolysis, and a mutation may affect its interaction with RpoS.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nina Gubensaek, Evelyne Schrank, Christoph Hartlmueller, Christoph Goebl, Fabio S. Falsone, Walter Becker, Gabriel E. Wagner, Sergio Pulido, N. Helge Meyer, Tea Pavkov-Keller, Tobias Madl, Joachim Reidl, Klaus Zangger
Summary: ToxR is an essential transcription factor of Vibrio cholerae involved in regulating virulence associated genes. Structural analysis of its cytoplasmic DNA-binding domain reveals unexpected features and interactions, contributing to a deeper understanding of virulence expression. While ToxR is proposed to act as a DNA-catcher enabling transcription factor binding, further factors are needed to establish protein-protein interactions for virulence activation.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Mengting Shi, Yue Zheng, Xianghong Wang, Zhengjia Wang, Menghua Yang
Summary: Transcription of the mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin pilus (MSHA) in Vibrio cholerae is regulated by two regulators, VC1371 and VcRfaH, which play an important role in biofilm formation and colonization in mice.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Orna Gorelik, Alona Rogad, Lara Holoidovsky, Michael M. Meijler, Neta Sal-Man
Summary: The number of co-infections or multiple infections in reported diarrheal samples is increasing, possibly due to advances in bacterial diagnostic techniques. Vibrio cholerae and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) are commonly detected bacterial species in these samples, associated with high mortality rates. This study investigated the interspecies bacterial communication between EPEC and V. cholerae in the presence of indole, a major microbiome-derived metabolite found in the human gut. The results suggest that indole impairs the ability of EPEC to enhance its virulence activity in response to V. cholerae, and the composition of the microbiome or diets that influence indole gut concentrations may differentially impact pathogen virulence and their ability to sense and respond to competing bacteria.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Garam Choi, Sang Ho Choi
Summary: This article summarizes and discusses the recent discoveries of the physiological roles of virulence factors in Vibrio vulnificus and their regulation by transcription factors in response to various environmental signals. The expanded understanding of molecular pathogenesis would provide novel clues to develop an effective antivirulence therapy against V. vulnificus infection.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
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
Biology
Yutao Liu, Tingting Xu, Qian Wang, Junxi Huang, Yangfei Zhu, Xingmei Liu, Ruiying Liu, Bin Yang, Kai Zhou
Summary: This study reveals that the antimicrobial peptide HD-5 can upregulate Vibrio cholerae virulence gene expression through the two-component system CarSR, providing insights into the response of the cholera pathogen to intestinal HD-5.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Andrew J. Van Alst, Lucas M. Demey, Victor J. DiRita
Summary: Vibrio cholerae can respire both aerobically and anaerobically during infection. It is suggested that other terminal electron acceptors are used for population expansion during infection. Unlike other gastrointestinal pathogens, V. cholerae infections do not induce significant inflammatory response. By creating mutant strains lacking aerobic or anaerobic respiration, it was found that strains without aerobic respiration had decreased colonization in infant mice, while strains without anaerobic respiration did not show colonization defect. The bd-I and cbb3 oxidases were determined to be essential for small intestinal colonization of V. cholerae in the infant mouse.
Article
Immunology
Susan A. Tuddenham, Wei Li A. Koay, Ni Zhao, James R. White, Khalil G. Ghanem, Cynthia L. Sears
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2020)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Clare J. Lee, Cynthia L. Sears, Nisa Maruthur
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Oncology
Nicolas J. Llosa, Brandon Luber, Ada J. Tam, Kellie N. Smith, Nicholas Siegel, Anas H. Awan, Hongni Fan, Teniola Oke, JiaJia Zhang, Jada Domingue, Elizabeth L. Engle, Charles A. Roberts, Bjarne R. Bartlett, Laveet K. Aulakh, Elizabeth D. Thompson, Janis M. Taube, Jennifer N. Durham, Cynthia L. Sears, Dung T. Le, Luis A. Diaz, Drew M. Pardoll, Hao Wang, Robert A. Anders, Franck Housseau
CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2019)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Susan Tuddenham, Wei Li Koay, Cynthia Sears
DIGESTIVE DISEASES AND SCIENCES
(2020)
Review
Immunology
Jada C. Domingue, Julia L. Drewes, Christian A. Merlo, Franck Housseau, Cynthia L. Sears
MUCOSAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jessica Queen, Jiajia Zhang, Cynthia L. Sears
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mary C. Macedonia, Julia L. Drewes, Nicholas O. Markham, Alan J. Simmons, Joseph T. Roland, Paige N. Vega, Cherie' R. Scurrah, Robert J. Coffey, Martha J. Shrubsole, Cynthia L. Sears, Ken S. Lau
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2020)
Editorial Material
Immunology
Jessica Queen, Sara Karaba, John Albin, Andrew Karaba, Jessica Howard-Anderson, Nicole Skinner, Jonathan David Herman, Molly L. Paras, Michael T. Melia
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Editorial Material
Oncology
Jiajia Zhang, Cynthia L. Sears
JNCI-JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Yue Liu, Kai Fu, Eric M. Wier, Yifan Lei, Andrea Hodgson, Dongqing Xu, Xue Xia, Dandan Zheng, Hua Ding, Cynthia L. Sears, Jian Yang, Fengyi Wan
Summary: This study identified a novel genotoxin called UshA in attaching/effacing pathogens, which triggers DNA damage and initiates tumorigenic transformation during bacterial infections. Furthermore, it was found that UshA plays a critical role in accelerating colon tumorigenesis in mice. These findings highlight the importance of UshA in the development of colon cancer caused by bacterial infections.
Review
Oncology
Reece J. Knippel, Julia L. Drewes, Cynthia L. Sears
Summary: This review focuses on recent investigations to identify potential microbial species associated with cancer initiation and progression at specific body sites. Emerging experimental and translational data support the microbiome's contribution to cancer biology and disease progression, suggesting that disrupting microbiome features and pathways could lead to new approaches for improving cancer outcomes in patients.
Review
Microbiology
Maxwell T. White, Cynthia L. Sears
Summary: This review discusses the significant role of the gut microbiota in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and the mechanisms by which specific microorganisms and complex microbial communities contribute to CRC pathogenesis. Despite advancements in understanding the microbiota-CRC relationship, there are substantial gaps in current research that need to be addressed.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Jessica Queen, Fyza Shaikh, Cynthia L. Sears
Summary: Sears and colleagues present the latest advances in understanding the relationship between the microbiome and cancer, and discuss potential applications of this knowledge in cancer therapy. The interactions between the microbiota and cancer, as well as the underlying mechanisms, are an exciting and rapidly evolving field in cancer biology and therapeutics. The authors highlight the role of specific bacteria or their communities in carcinogenesis, and emphasize the bidirectional interplay between the microbiota and host gene or epigenome signaling. They also discuss the potential therapeutic manipulation of the microbiota in cancer patients.
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jada C. Domingue, Julia L. Drewes, Courtney Stevens, June L. Chan, Madison McMann, Hua Ding, Dimitrios Bourdas, Brandon Ellis, Patricia Simner, Karen Carroll, Nicolas Llosa, Franck Housseau, Cynthia L. Sears