Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Akiyo Suga, Marina Kawaguchi, Tetsuro Yonesaki, Yuichi Otsuka
Summary: This study identified key amino acid residues important for the interaction between gp37 protein in the distal tip (DT) region of T4 long tail fibers and OmpC of Escherichia coli, shedding light on the mechanism underlying phage host specificity. The results suggest that the shapes of both proteins at the binding interface play crucial roles in their interactions. Multiple phage mutants capable of adsorbing to various E. coli receptors were successfully isolated using a mutant T4 phage library with artificial modifications in the DT region, providing a basis for altering host specificity in phage therapy development.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Valerie Biou, Ricardo Jorge Diogo Adaixo, Mohamed Chami, Pierre-Damien Coureux, Benoist Laurent, Veronique Yvette Ntsogo Enguene, Gisele Cardoso de Amorim, Nadia Izadi-Pruneyre, Christian Malosse, Julia Chamot-Rooke, Henning Stahlberg, Philippe Delepelaire
Summary: The cryo-EM structures of the ExbB and ExbB-ExbD membrane protein complexes in Serratia marcescens provide insights into the inner membrane machinery and specific interactions related to the Has system. The study reveals that ExbB(Sm) interacts with HasB through its periplasmic extension, and this interaction is involved in heme acquisition. Key residues in the membrane domain of ExbB(Sm) and ExbB(Ec) play an essential role in function and likely participate in the interaction with TonB/HasB. This research sheds light on the inner membrane energy machinery formed by ExbB, ExbD, and HasB.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Alaullah Sheikh, James M. Fleckenstein
Summary: Pathogenic Escherichia coli can be classified into specific variants (pathovars) based on their behavior and the expression of specific virulence factors. These pathogens interact with CEACAMs through both core elements common to all E. coli and pathovar-specific virulence traits that target the IgV regions of CEACAMs. Recent data suggests that these interactions may not only benefit the pathogen but also provide a mechanism for pathogen elimination.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Charles Burridge, Christopher A. Waudby, Tomasz Wlodarski, Anais M. E. Cassaignau, Lisa D. Cabrita, John Christodoulou
Summary: This study used solution-state NMR spectroscopy to measure transverse proton relaxation rates for methyl groups in folded ribosome-nascent chain complexes, revealing interactions between the nascent chain and ribosome surface driven predominantly by electrostatics. By observing changes in these interactions as subsequent domain emerges, the impact on free energy landscapes associated with co-translational folding process can be deduced.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joshua Jenkins, Mohd I. Ishak, Marcus Eales, Ali Gholinia, Satishkumar Kulkarni, Thomas F. Keller, Paul W. May, Angela H. Nobbs, Bo Su
Summary: In order to robustly assess the antibacterial mechanisms of nanotopographies, it is critical to analyze the bacteria-nanotopography adhesion interface. Three-dimensional reconstructions of Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli interacting with nanotopographies were generated using focused ion beam milling combined with scanning electron microscopy. The 3D morphometric analysis quantified the intrinsic contact area between each nanostructure and the bacterial envelope, providing an objective framework for deriving possible antibacterial mechanisms.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Kento Nakamura, Tetsuya J. Kobayashi
Summary: The study revealed the optimality of E. coli's chemotactic network in inferring information, demonstrating the equivalence between biochemical network and information-theoretically optimal dynamics, and reproducing experimentally observed non-linear response relation.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Seongjin Park, Karine Prevost, Emily M. Heideman, Marie-Claude Carrier, Muhammad S. Azam, Matthew A. Reyer, Wei Liu, Eric Masse, Jingyi Fei
Summary: RNA-binding protein Hfq plays a crucial role in post-transcriptional gene regulation in bacteria, with widespread mRNA-binding activity. Short RNAs can either form a ternary complex with mRNA on Hfq or displace mRNA from Hfq in a binding face-dependent manner. Hfq binding to certain mRNAs through its distal face can recruit RNase E to promote mRNA turnover.
Review
Microbiology
Aisylu Shaidullina, Alexander Harms
Summary: Bacteriophages are important predators in ecosystems with potential applications in biotechnology and bacterial infection treatment. Advances in sequencing and genome-wide screens allow for systematic study of phage-host interactions, paving the way for future applications and research expansion.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xu Wang, Weilin Yuan, Jiahui Tao, Meng Xu, Ping Guo
Summary: This study investigated the mutual influences between pathogenic bacteria and metal oxides under freeze-thaw conditions. The results showed that the dissolution of ferrihydrite and manganese dioxide under freeze-thaw conditions was enhanced by bacterial interferences, promoting the survival of Escherichia coli. The release of Fe3+ and Mn2+ caused by freeze-thaw and the concentrated organic matters from broken cells were identified as key factors affecting the interactions between metal oxides and bacteria.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Caifeng Li, Lixin Yin, Xiaoqing He, Yi Jin, Xuli Zhu, Rongling Wu
Summary: Interspecies interactions are crucial for species evolution. This study introduces a systems mapping model which incorporates Lotka-Volterra ordinary differential equations into community ecology theory to identify genes that affect the structure and function within a community. By conducting a co-culture experiment, the researchers identified significant QTL combinations in the interaction between Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and annotated the genes involved in the process. The quantitative genetic model used in this study provides insights into the genetic effects and epistatic interactions related to interspecific interaction, which can offer valuable information for understanding community dynamics and evolution.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Dongxin Ma, Lei Li, Kaiou Han, Leping Wang, Yajie Cao, Yuqing Zhou, Huaijun Chen, Xiaoye Wang
Summary: This study identified a polyvalent phage SaP7 that exhibited antagonistic effects on multiple drug-resistant bacteria. It is crucial to fully and cautiously evaluate the interactions between phages and antibiotics to avoid antagonistic impacts and failure of combination therapy.
VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Christopher J. Day, Alvin W. Lo, Lauren E. Hartley-Tassell, M. Pilar Argente, Jessica Poole, Nathan P. King, Joe Tiralongo, Michael P. Jennings, Mark A. Schembri
Summary: This study focused on dissecting the receptor specificity of different CU fimbriae in Escherichia coli using a glycan array analysis approach with whole-bacterial-cell surface plasmon resonance. The research revealed new information on fimbrial specificity and provided a rapid and scalable system to define novel adhesin-glycan interactions underlying bacterial colonization and disease. The findings contribute to a better understanding of bacterial adhesion mechanisms and offer a promising strategy to combat antibiotic resistance through blocking adhesion.
Article
Ecology
Chun-Hui Gao, Hui Cao, Peng Cai, Soren J. Sorensen
Summary: The study demonstrates that the final ratio of cocultures in different carbon sources is influenced by the initial inoculum ratio, while the carbon source preferences of bacteria cannot predict the final ratio. The initial ratio can also regulate the metabolic capacity of cocultures and change the pattern of species interaction.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Juan Li, Yuqin Song, Jianping Deng, Zhaoran Wang, Nai-Kei Wong, Chao Wang, Gang Zhang, Yang Wang, Shan Lu, Jie Che, Xiaofei Zhao, Zhengdong Zhang, Hong Wang, Ling Zhang, Yunfei Zhang, Xuemei Bai, Min Yuan, Xia Chen, Wen Zhang, Yanwen Xiong, Biao Kan, Jie Feng
Summary: This study explores the dynamics of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transmission between food-producing animals and humans. The findings suggest that transmission primarily occurs through the high exposure group, which plays a crucial role as a medium, and the carriage rates of shared ARGs are higher in this group compared to the low exposure group.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Spectroscopy
Haiyan Qi, Xiuwen Wang, Liqiang Su, Shu Wang, Ying Wang
Summary: The study determined the interaction between TM4 and TM2/TM3 domain of Slc11a1 using circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectrum. Results suggested that cation transport process involves collaboration of multiple TM domains rather than TM4 alone. This finding proposed a possible transportation theory and could help elucidate the mechanism of Slc11a1 in cation transport process.
SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Xiaojian Qu, Deshi Zhang, Xiangyu Zhang, SiWen Wang, Changyou Wang, Yanzhen Wang, Yajuan Wang, Chunhuan Chen, Hong Zhang, Wanquan Ji
Summary: Psathyrostachys huashanica Keng f. ex P.C.Kuo is a valuable genetic resource for breeding due to its useful genes, with a Wheat-P. huashanica alien substitution line showing significant improvements in agronomic traits compared to common wheat parent 7182. This alien chromosome line, named wheat-Ph1D, has potential as a bridge material in wheat breeding for specific agronomic traits.
GENETIC RESOURCES AND CROP EVOLUTION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dukas Jurenas, Eric Cascales
Summary: A recent study showed that the T6SS can deliver and potentiate a peptidoglycan-targeting bifunctional toxin into Gram-positive bacteria, expanding the target range of T6SS.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Ying Guan, Yingli Huang, Huiyan Qin, Xianghua Zhang
Summary: This paper analyzes the prediction technology of Chinese fir forest ecological value based on remote sensing inversion, and proposes a method to predict the ecological value of Chinese fir forest. The experimental results show that this method has advantages in prediction accuracy, time, and comprehensiveness.
APPLIED NANOSCIENCE
(2022)
Correction
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Donglou Ren, Michel Cathelinaud, Hongli Ma, Xianghua Zhang
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ang Qiao, Soren S. Sorensen, Malwina Stepniewska, Christophe A. N. Biscio, Lisbeth Fajstrup, Zhu Wang, Xianghua Zhang, Laurent Calvez, Ivan Hung, Zhehong Gan, Morten M. Smedskjaer, Yuanzheng Yue
Summary: A recent study has found that certain metal-organic framework (MOF) glasses exhibit hypersensitivity of their glass transition temperature (T-g) to pressure history, with a much higher sensitivity parameter compared to other glass systems. The hypersensitivity was found to be caused by changes in the medium-range structure.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
Xiangyu Zhang, Peng Yan, Huaxiong He, Wenbo Lu, Bing Liu, Jin Zhu, Xiaosheng Wang, Yifeng Cheng
Summary: This article studies the influence of electronic detonators on blast-induced vibrations and proposes reasonable delay times to reduce vibrations. The results show that there is a certain pattern between initiation delay time and blast center distance on the vibration effect, and it is necessary to set the delay time properly to achieve the best results in reducing vibrations.
JOURNAL OF VIBRATION AND CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Dangli Gao, Feng Gao, Qingqing Kuang, Xiangyu Zhang, Zihan Zhang, Yong Pan, Ruipeng Chai, Huan Jiao
Summary: In this study, Zn2GeO4:Mn,Li,K nanophosphors with high persistent luminescence (PersL) brightness and long duration were successfully synthesized using hydrothermal method. These phosphors, with perceptible green PersL, have been used for developing latent fingerprints on non-fluorescent substrate, fluorescent substrate, and PersL substrate. Furthermore, the nanophosphors showed the ability to distinguish detailed fingerprint features, including ridge width and sweat pore, with multimode luminescence and high detection sensitivity.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Thi Thu Hang Le, Christine Kellenberger, Marie Boyer, Pierre Santucci, Nicolas Flaugnatti, Eric Cascales, Alain Roussel, Stephane Canaan, Laure Journet, Christian Cambillau
Summary: This study identifies and characterizes a phospholipase effector (Tle3) and its immunity protein (Tli3) from adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC). It demonstrates that purified Tle3 has phospholipase A1 activity and its toxicity is neutralized by Tli3. The study also shows that Tle3 interacts with VgrG(AIEC) protein, indicating a strong interaction between them.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Dangli Gao, Zhigang Wang, Qing Pang, Qingqing Kuang, Feng Gao, Xiangyu Zhang, Sining Yun, Xiaojun Wang
Summary: UV-charged optical stimulated single-band phosphors are commonly used for single-level optical data storage. However, UV-visible-NIR rechargeable optical stimulated double-band phosphors are urgently needed for multiplexed high-throughput optical data storage. In this study, the authors designed and synthesized a Mn2+,Cr3+ co-doped zinc gallate phosphor that exhibits strong red-green bicolor persistent luminescence (PersL) and can be charged by visible and NIR light. The temperature-dependent intensity of red and green PersL, along with the mechanism based on different trap types and filling approaches, are proposed. This phosphor shows great potential for wavelength multiplexing in optical data storage.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Yvann Bourigault, Charly A. Dupont, Jonas B. Desjardins, Thierry Doan, Mathilde Bouteiller, Hugo Le Guenno, Sylvie Chevalier, Corinne Barbey, Xavier Latour, Eric Cascales, Annabelle Merieau
Summary: The T6SS is a widespread nanomachine in Gram-negative bacteria, injecting effectors to protect potato tubers against pathogens. MFE01 displays aggressive behavior with continuous T6SS activity, while the secreted amidase Tae3(Pf) is toxic towards Pca and countered by the immunity protein Tai3(Pf).
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julia Bartoli, Audrey C. Tempier, Noa L. Guzzi, Chloe M. Piras, Eric Cascales, Julie P. M. Viala
Summary: Polymorphic toxins (PTs) are a broad family of toxins involved in interbacterial competition and pathogenesis. In this study, a new family of PTs containing an N-terminal MuF domain was identified. The MuF-RelA_SpoT toxin associated with the temperate phage of Streptococcus pneumoniae SPNA45 was characterized, demonstrating its (p)ppApp synthetase activity. The study also proposed a signature for (p)ppApp synthetases and identified two immunity proteins associated with the toxin.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xiangyu Zhang, Xiaochun Hou, Jie Gao, Zhigang Wang, Xiaogang Zhao, Chunlong Xu, Dangli Gao
Summary: This study develops a new type of phosphor material with color-changing persistent luminescence and proposes a temperature-dependent color-changing mechanism. It not only has the advantage of color change, but also can be used for information storage and multi-level encryption, showing great potential for applications.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Boris Taillefer, Julien F. Giraud, Eric Cascales
Summary: Polymicrobial communities are influenced by interactions between different species, including the competition mediated by the type VI secretion system (T6SS). This study shows that the synthesis, assembly, contraction, and disassembly of T6SS do not result in a significant growth cost for enteroaggregative Escherichia coli.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiangyu Zhang, Zhiyuan Fu, Xinyan Jiang, Zhiqiang Yang, Shiyin Wang, Kai Wang, Zhijun Wu, Shi-Tong Zhang, Haichao Liu, Bing Yang
Summary: A pyrene-based non-covalent dimer was found to exhibit a strengthened pi-pi interaction in both crystal and amorphous film, indicating its stability and potential as a monomer.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhiyuan Lu, Guosheng Xu, Dehong Chen, Xiangyu Zhang, Liang Chen, Minyou Ye, Houyang Guo, Baonian Wan
Summary: This study proposes an innovative strategy to simplify stellarators by introducing standardized permanent magnet blocks. Compared to existing designs, this new approach reduces the difficulty and cost of magnet fabrication and assembly, potentially opening up a new avenue for fast development of stellarator fusion.
CELL REPORTS PHYSICAL SCIENCE
(2022)