Article
Microbiology
Samantha Forrest, Sarah Ton, Samantha L. Sholes, Sarah Harrison, Roger D. Plaut, Kathleen Verratti, Michael Wittekind, Elham Ettehadieh, Bryan Necciai, Shanmuga Sozhamannan, Sarah L. Grady
Summary: Bacteriophages, specifically gamma and AP50c, have been found to infect Bacillus anthracis strains with high specificity, making them valuable in bacterial detection assays. To understand the emergence of phage resistance and improve the reliability of these assays, it is crucial to identify the receptors used for attachment and entry. Genetic approaches have identified sap as the receptor for AP50c, and GamR for gamma, while a similar phage, Wip1, also uses sap as a receptor. Additionally, the receptor binding proteins (RBPs) encoded by these phages have been identified, but further investigation is needed to confirm their protein-protein interactions. This study provides genetic evidence supporting the interaction between sap and the RBPs of AP50c and Wip1, shedding light on the attachment and entry strategies employed by B. anthracis phages and facilitating the development of future detection methods.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Cecile Boutonnet, Sebastien Lyonnais, Beatrice Alpha-Bazin, Jean Armengaud, Alice Chateau, Catherine Duport
Summary: The dynamics of SL2 and EA1 expression are key determinants of the surface properties of B. cereus AH187, and the S-layer may contribute to the survival of B. cereus in starvation conditions.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Yoshikazu Furuta, Cheng Cheng, Tuvshinzaya Zorigt, Atmika Paudel, Shun Izumi, Mai Tsujinouchi, Tomoko Shimizu, Wim G. Meijer, Hideaki Higashi
Summary: The study identified eight genes directly regulated by AtxA through genome-wide analyses, including genes encoding proteins and small RNAs. This discovery revealed the first layer of the gene regulatory network for the pathogenicity of B. anthracis and provided a dataset for further understanding of the genomics and genetics of B. anthracis.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Laura M. Carroll, Rachel A. Cheng, Martin Wiedmann, Jasna Kovac
Summary: The Bacillus cereus group, also known as B. cereus sensu lato (s.l.), is a complex species containing multiple closely related lineages with varying pathogenic abilities. Taxonomic classification of these organisms is challenging due to conflicting changes proposed over the years. This review discusses the nomenclatural changes in the taxonomic space of B. cereus s.l., outlines contemporary taxonomic frameworks, and offers suggestions to avoid ambiguities in classification. Future directions and open problems in the taxonomic realm are also discussed.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joseph Wood, Abderrahmane Touati, Ahmed Abdel-Hady, Denise Aslett, Francis Delafield, Worth Calfee, Erin Silvestri, Shannon Serre, Leroy Mickelsen, Christine Tomlinson, Anne Mikelonis
Summary: The study demonstrates the feasibility of using dry thermal techniques to decontaminate soils contaminated with Bacillus anthracis spores. Results showed that increasing temperature and relative humidity reduced the time required to achieve soil samples with no spores detected. The thermal inactivation of spores varied depending on the temperature and humidity conditions, with different depth and soil types impacting the effectiveness of the treatment.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Debasish Chattopadhyay, Dionna R. Walker, Shane T. Rich-New, John F. Kearney, Charles L. L. Turnbough Jr
Summary: The outermost layer of Bacillus anthracis spores is made up of a basal layer and external filaments composed of the collagen-like protein BclA. The interaction between BclA and the basal layer protein BxpB is essential for the attachment and stability of the spores.
Article
Microbiology
Andrea Quagliariello, Angela Cirigliano, Teresa Rinaldi
Summary: Astronauts, especially those living on the Moon or Mars, are vulnerable to diseases. This article explores potential risks to astronaut health from anthrax-like bacteria and discovers a new strain closely related to Bacillus anthracis on the International Space Station.
Article
Microbiology
Laura M. Carroll, Chung K. Marston, Cari B. Kolton, Christopher A. Gulvik, Jay E. Gee, Zachary P. Weiner, Jasna Kovac
Summary: This study characterized three B. cereus s.l. isolates associated with two anthrax cases in welders in the United States in 2020. The genomes of these isolates belonged to different species, with two being closely related to B. tropicus and one being most similar to B. anthracis.
Article
Microbiology
Emanuel J. Muruaga, Paula J. Uriza, Gonzalo A. K. Eckert, Maria V. Pepe, Cecilia M. Duarte, Mara S. Roset, Gabriel Briones
Summary: S-layer proteins form bi-dimensional lattices on the cell surface of bacteria and archaea. The SLAP(TAG)-based affinity chromatography (SAC) method allows for the efficient purification of proteins by fusing them with SLAP(TAG) and using a Bacillus subtilis-derived affinity matrix.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dorte Lehmann, Margaret Sladek, Mark Khemmani, Tyler J. Boone, Eric Rees, Adam Driks
Summary: This study elucidates the assembly mechanism of the outer layer of cells, particularly the exosporium assembly in the pathogen Bacillus anthracis, and proposes a novel mechanism in which polysaccharide layers drive the assembly of a protein shell.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Neha Dhasmana, Nishant Kumar, Aakriti Gangwal, Chetkar Chandra Keshavam, Lalit K. Singh, Nitika Sangwan, Payal Nashier, Sagarika Biswas, Andrei P. Pomerantsev, Stephen H. Leppla, Yogendra Singh, Meetu Gupta
Summary: The study identifies a serine/threonine protein kinase, PrkC, in Bacillus anthracis, which plays a role in regulating the chaining phenotype of the bacteria. PrkC disruption leads to shorter bacterial chains and upregulation of proteins associated with dechaining. This disruption also affects bacterial growth, cell wall thickness, and septum formation.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tapasvi Modi, David Gervais, Stuart Smith, Julie Miller, Shaan Subramaniam, Konstantinos Thalassinos, Adrian Shepherd
Summary: The study revealed that the UK Anthrax vaccine AVP is composed of at least 138B. anthracis proteins, with PA, LF, and EF as the main components. It suggested that the effectiveness of AVP in humans may not only depend on PA, but LF also plays a significant role in protection. Additionally, it was found that the cross-strain protection provided by AVP is unlikely to be affected by differences in the sequences of key antigenic proteins from different B. anthracis strains.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Peter Braun, Wolfgang Beyer, Matthias Hanczaruk, Julia M. Riehm, Markus Antwerpen, Christian Otterbein, Jacqueline Oesterheld, Gregor Grass
Summary: Anthrax, a zoonotic disease caused by the Bacillus anthracis bacterium, is rare in Germany. Recent outbreaks in Bavaria in 2009 and 2021 show a close epidemiological connection, affecting the same pasture. Diagnostic tools and DNA sequencing have enabled rapid detection and genotyping of the bacteria. The prevalent genotype at the affected premises appears to be BF-5.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Manuel D. Diaz-Munoz, Ines C. Osma-Garcia
Summary: RBPs play a crucial role in shaping the immune system by regulating RNA editing, subcellular location, stability, and translation. Recent methodologies for global characterization of protein:RNA interactions suggest the existence of complex RNA regulatory networks where RBPs coordinate the fate of RNA sets controlling cellular pathways and functions. RNA also acts as scaffolding for functionally related proteins, modulating their activation and function.
WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Domenico Galante, Viviana Manzulli, Luigina Serrecchia, Pietro Di Taranto, Martin Hugh-Jones, M. Jahangir Hossain, Valeria Rondinone, Dora Cipolletta, Lorenzo Pace, Michela Iatarola, Francesco Tolve, Angela Aceti, Elena Poppa, Antonio Fasanella
Summary: In 2011, 11 anthrax outbreaks occurred in six districts of Bangladesh. The study found that contaminated feed and water might also play an important role in the epidemiology of anthrax.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Julie A. Cass, C. David Williams, Julie Theriot
Article
Cell Biology
M. E. Johnson, A. Chen, J. R. Faeder, P. Henning, I. I. Moraru, M. Meier-Schellersheim, R. F. Murphy, T. Prustel, J. A. Theriot, A. M. Uhrmacher
Summary: The study highlights the importance of computational modeling in cell biology and the challenges researchers face in reconciling conflicting computational results. By defining a series of computational test cases and observing how different approaches alter outcomes, the research sheds light on the minor differences in solutions for simple cases and the increasing discordance in more complex scenarios.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Effie E. Bastounis, Francisco Serrano-Alcalde, Prathima Radhakrishnan, Patrik Engstrom, Maria J. Gomez-Benito, Mackenzi S. Oswald, Yi-Ting Yeh, Jason G. Smith, Matthew D. Welch, Jose M. Garcia-Aznar, Julie A. Theriot
Summary: Intracellular pathogens alter the mechanics of host cells to promote dissemination, while host cells respond by collectively eliminating infected cells to limit infection, indicating an innate immunity-driven process.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrew S. Moore, Stephen M. Coscia, Cory L. Simpson, Fabian E. Ortega, Eric C. Wait, John M. Heddleston, Jeffrey J. Nirschl, Christopher J. Obara, Pedro Guedes-Dias, C. Alexander Boecker, Teng-Leong Chew, Julie A. Theriot, Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, Erika L. F. Holzbaur
Summary: Actin assemblies play important roles in mitochondrial organization and inheritance during mitosis, ensuring equal segregation of mitochondrial mass at cytokinesis. Actin filaments on the surface of mitochondria form comet tails, promoting randomly directed bursts of movement to randomize inheritance of healthy and damaged mitochondria between daughter cells in symmetric cell division.
Article
Microbiology
David K. Halladin, Fabian E. Ortega, Katharine M. Ng, Matthew J. Footer, Nenad S. Mitic, Sasa N. Malkov, Ajay Gopinathan, Kerwyn Casey Huang, Julie A. Theriot
Summary: Entropy plays a crucial role in translocating disordered transmembrane proteins through the Gram-positive cell wall, as shown by experimental validation. The study demonstrates that entropic forces are sufficient to drive the translocation of specific proteins to the outer surface.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amalia Hadjitheodorou, George R. R. Bell, Felix Ellett, Shashank Shastry, Daniel Irimia, Sean R. Collins, Julie A. Theriot
Summary: Neutrophils migrate with stable front-rear polarization, and myosin II plays a role in promoting this stability by suppressing receptor inputs at the cell rear. Subcellular optogenetic receptor activation can reorient weakly polarized cells but is refractory to strongly polarized cells, indicating that the cell rear's sensitivity to receptor input is key for directional reversal. Additionally, the RhoA/ROCK/myosin II pathway limits the ability of receptor inputs to signal to Cdc42 in reprogramming migrating neutrophils.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Rory M. Donovan-Maiye, Jackson M. Brown, Caleb K. Chan, Liya Ding, Calysta Yan, Nathalie Gaudreault, Julie A. Theriot, Mary M. Maleckar, Theo A. Knijnenburg, Gregory R. Johnson
Summary: We propose a framework for integrative modeling of 3D single-cell multi-channel fluorescent image data, allowing for the representation and localization of diverse subcellular structures. Our model utilizes stacked conditional beta-variational autoencoders to learn latent representations of cell morphology and subcellular structure localization. It is capable of training on different subcellular structures with varying sparsity and reconstruction fidelity. The trained model can predict plausible locations of structures in cells that were not imaged, as well as quantify the variation in the location of subcellular structures. We demonstrate the applicability of our model to new data in a small drug perturbation screen, showing expected differences in the latent representations of drugged and unperturbed cells.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Daan Vorselen, Sarah R. Barger, Yifan Wang, Wei Cai, Julie A. Theriot, Nils C. Gauthier, Mira Krendel
Summary: The study reveals that during macrophage phagocytosis of antibody-opsonized targets, there is a prominent constriction driven by Arp2/3-mediated assembly of discrete actin protrusions. Contractile myosin-II activity contributes to late-stage phagocytic force generation and target ingestion. Observations of partial target eating attempts and sudden target release suggest that constriction may play a critical role in resolving complex in vivo target encounters.
Review
Microbiology
Effie E. Bastounis, Prathima Radhakrishnan, Christopher K. Prinz, Julie A. Theriot
Summary: Understanding the interaction between host cells and bacterial pathogens is crucial for combating infectious diseases. Both chemical and mechanical signals play a role in this interaction. Bacterial pathogens have developed mechanisms to alter the mechanical properties of host cells to promote their own survival and dissemination, while host responses to infection rely on mechanical alterations to limit the spread of infection. Bioengineering tools and techniques can be used to measure host cell mechanics during infection and explore the modulation of infection by mechanical signals.
MICROBIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Rikki M. Garner, Julie A. Theriot
Summary: Animal cell migration is driven by the polymerization of actin filaments, but the noisy nature of this process poses challenges for understanding cellular behavior. By studying the shape fluctuations of HL-60 cells, we discovered a novel noise-suppression mechanism based on system geometry and explained the conservation of lamellipodial shape.
Article
Cell Biology
Ellen C. C. Labuz, Matthew J. J. Footer, Julie A. A. Theriot
Summary: Fish basal epidermal cells, known as keratocytes, are well-suited for cell migration studies. In their native in vivo environment, these cells adopt a significantly different shape during their rapid migration toward wounds. We propose that 2D confinement contributes to multiple dimensions of in vivo keratocyte shape determination.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrew S. Kennard, Mugdha Sathe, Ellen C. Labuz, Christopher K. Prinz, Julie A. Theriot
Summary: After acute injury, the larval zebrafish epidermis undergoes a process similar to hydraulic fracturing, driven by the influx of external fluid. Fissuring starts at the basal epidermal layer near the wound and propagates through the tissue. Excess external fluid entry causes tissue to fissure, and the fluid is cleared through macropinocytosis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Amalia Hadjitheodorou, George R. R. Bell, Felix Ellett, Daniel Irimia, Robert Tibshirani, Sean R. Collins, Julie A. Theriot
Summary: Maintaining persistent migration in complex environments is critical for neutrophils to reach infection sites. Neutrophils avoid getting trapped, even when obstacles split their front into multiple leading edges. How they re-establish polarity to move productively while incorporating receptor inputs under such conditions remains unclear. Our study uses symmetric bifurcating microfluidic channels to challenge chemotaxing HL60 neutrophil-like cells and probes cell-intrinsic processes during the resolution of competing fronts. We find that cells commit to one leading edge late in the process rather than amplifying structural asymmetries or early fluctuations, and receptor inputs only bias the decision late, once mechanical stretching weakens each front. The retracting edge commits to retraction, with ROCK limiting sensitivity to receptor inputs until retraction completes. Our results suggest that cell edges locally adopt highly stable protrusion/retraction programs modulated by mechanical feedback.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nathan M. Belliveau, Matthew J. Footer, Emel Akdogan, Aaron P. van Loon, Sean R. Collins, Julie A. Theriot
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the molecular factors critical to neutrophil proliferation, differentiation, and migration. The researchers identified the role of mTORC1 signaling in cell differentiation and discovered genes involved in cell migration.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Effie E. Bastounis, Prathima Radhakrishnan, Christopher K. Prinz, Julie A. Theriot
Summary: The protocol discusses the measurement of mound volume and biophysical characterization of mound formation. Modifications to the protocol may be necessary for studying different host cell types or pathogenic organisms.