Letter
Immunology
Himali S. Jayasinghearachchi, Vaithehi R. Francis, Harindra D. Sathkumara, Shivankari Krishnananthasivam, Jayanthi Masakorala, Thilini Muthugama, Aruna D. De Silva, Enoka M. Corea
Summary: A cluster of melioidosis cases occurred in eastern Sri Lanka, with four infections caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei isolates of sequence type 594. Whole-genome analysis revealed genetic diversity among the isolates and showed that the cluster was nonclonal.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Vanitha Mariappan, Kumutha Malar Vellasamy, Muttiah Barathan, A. S. Smiline Girija, Esaki M. Shankar, Jamuna Vadivelu
Summary: B. pseudomallei infection causes melioidosis with varying severity, diverse pathological manifestations, complex mechanisms of latency and relapse, and the crucial role of immune response in eradicating the pathogen. However, the question of why some individuals are asymptomatic while others are life-threatening remains unanswered.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Kasturi Selvam, Muhammad Fazli Khalid, Khairul Mohd Fadzli Mustaffa, Azian Harun, Ismail Aziah
Summary: Melioidosis is a severe disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, mainly affecting immunocompromised populations such as patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Laboratory diagnosis is challenging due to non-specific clinical manifestations and the imperfect sensitivity of culture methods.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sandra Appelt, Anna-Maria Rohleder, Daniela Jacob, Heiner Von Buttlar, Enrico Georgi, Katharina Mueller, Ulrich Wernery, Joerg Kinne, Marina Joseph, Shantymol V. Jose, Holger C. Scholz
Summary: This study developed a core genome-based Multi Locus Sequence Typing Assay (cgMLST) for the typing and identification of the etiological agent of glanders, Burkholderia mallei. The assay has high resolution and can distinguish between strains from different geographic regions and epidemiologically related strains based on allele differences. It is robust and reliable, and can be used for outbreak investigations and epidemiological studies.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yanshuang Wang, Xuemiao Li, David A B Dance, Han Xia, Chen Chen, Nini Luo, Anyang Li, Yanmei Li, Qiao Zhu, Qinghui Sun, Xingyong Wu, Yingfei Zeng, Lin Chen, Shen Tian, Qianfeng Xia
Summary: The study evaluated the clinical potential of Burkholderia pseudomallei phages isolated from Hainan, China, for treating melioidosis. Results showed that the phage exhibited promising lytic properties and stability, significantly improving cell and nematode survival rates.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Daniel Tapia, Javier I. Sanchez-Villamil, Heather L. Stevenson, Alfredo G. Torres
Summary: The study introduces an elegant multicomponent glycoconjugate vaccine formulation capable of eliciting both humoral and cell-mediated responses against lethal B. pseudomallei challenge.
Article
Immunology
Quyen T. L. Tran, Phuc H. Phan, Linh N. H. Bui, Ha T. Bui, Ngoc T. B. Hoang, Dien M. Tran, Trung T. Trinh
Summary: Within 8 months, 3 children from 1 family in northern Vietnam died from melioidosis caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei. The same sequence type, 541, was isolated from clinical samples, borehole water, and garden and rice field soil.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Christopher P. P. Klimko, Jennifer L. L. Shoe, Nathaniel O. O. Rill, Melissa Hunter, Jennifer L. L. Dankmeyer, Yuli Talyansky, Lindsey K. K. Schmidt, Caitlyn E. E. Orne, David P. P. Fetterer, Sergei S. S. Biryukov, Mary N. N. Burtnick, Paul J. J. Brett, David DeShazer, Christopher K. K. Cote
Summary: Researchers have found that combining current vaccine strategies and co-trimoxazole regimens can provide near uniform protection against melioidosis. This combinatorial strategy shows significant improvement in several antibiotic regimens and works similarly with both protein subunit and live attenuated vaccines.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jodie L. Morris, Brenda L. Govan, Catherine M. Rush, Natkunam Ketheesan
Summary: Patients with type 2 diabetes are 10 times more likely to develop bacterial infections, specifically melioidosis caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, due to dysregulated early immune responses making them more susceptible to the infection.
MICROBES AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Muhammad Shafiq, Bixia Ke, Xin Li, Mi Zeng, Yumeng Yuan, Dongmei He, Xiaoling Deng, Xiaoyang Jiao
Summary: The study identified high genetic diversity among 8 clinical Burkholderia pseudomallei isolates, which were susceptible to commonly used antibiotics for melioidosis treatment. Various antibiotic-resistant genes and mutation factors, as well as 165 virulence factors were discovered, indicating different pathogens responsible for various disorders. Phylogenetic analysis showed diverse strains with implications for disease management.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Di Fiore, Viviana De Luca, Emma Langella, Alessio Nocentini, Martina Buonanno, Simona Maria Monti, Claudiu T. Supuran, Clemente Capasso, Giuseppina De Simone
Summary: This paper presents a detailed characterization of BpsyCA, a y-carbonic anhydrase from Burkholderia pseudomallei, highlighting its catalytic activity, crystal structure, and the role of residues in its catalytic mechanism and ligand recognition. These findings provide an important starting point for the development of new anti-melioidosis drugs targeting BpsyCA.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Nicole M. Bzdyl, Clare L. Moran, Justine Bendo, Mitali Sarkar-Tyson
Summary: Burkholderia pseudomallei, a soil saprophyte, is responsible for melioidosis, a prevalent disease in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. This review highlights the various mechanisms employed by B. pseudomallei to survive and spread within host cells.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Himali S. Jayasinghearachchi, Thilini A. Muthugama, Jayanthi Masakorala, Upeksha S. Kulasekara, Kumari Jayaratne, D. A. Dasun N. Jayatunga, Aruna D. De Silva, Enoka M. Corea
Summary: This study provides evidence for the presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil and water in Sri Lanka. It highlights the risk of melioidosis for populations using contaminated water sources and cultivating crops in these areas. Identifying positive sites can help raise public awareness and facilitate remediation efforts.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Cindy Shuan Ju Teh, Polly Soo Xi Yap, Noorfatin Jihan Zulkefli, Prasanna Subramaniam, Pik San Sit, Zhi Xian Kong, Chun Wie Chong, Kumutha Malar Vellasamy, Vanitha Mariappan, Sasheela Ponnampalavanar, Jamuna Vadivelu
Summary: The study conducted MLST analysis on B. pseudomallei strains in Malaysia, revealing a high diversity of sequence types and indicating localized evolution giving rise to new STs, with host and environmental factors playing a crucial role in the evolutionary changes of B. pseudomallei.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Noorah Alsowayeh, Aqel Albutti
Summary: This study developed a multi-epitope-based vaccine against Burkholderia pseudomallei using advanced bacterial pan-genome analysis. The constructed vaccine showed a high population coverage of 99.74% and potential binding efficacy with human toll-like receptors-5. Molecular dynamics simulation also suggested a stable immunological response within the host body. This in-silico vaccine design could be valuable for formulating a highly effective vaccine for B. pseudomallei.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Kate Beecher, James A. St John, Fatemeh Chehrehasa
NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
(2018)
Article
Neurosciences
Lynn Nazareth, Mo Chen, Todd Shelper, Megha Shah, Johana Tello Velasquez, Heidi Walkden, Ifor Beacham, Michael Batzloff, Andrew Rayfield, Michael Todorovic, Kenneth W. Beagley, James A. St John, Jenny A. K. Ekberg
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2019)
Article
Neurosciences
Angela Jacques, Nicholas Chaaya, Chiemi Hettiarachchi, Marie-Louise Carmody, Kate Beecher, Arnauld Belmer, Fatemeh Chehrehasa, Selena Bartlett, Andrew R. Battle, Luke R. Johnson
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Neurosciences
Nicholas Chaaya, Angela Jacques, Arnauld Belmer, Kate Beecher, Syed A. Ali, Fatemeh Chehrehasa, Andrew R. Battle, Luke R. Johnson, Selena E. Bartlett
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2019)
Review
Neurosciences
Marziah Hakim, Andrew R. Battle, Arnauld Belmer, Selena E. Bartlett, Luke R. Johnson, Fatemeh Chehrehasa
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Heidi Walkden, Ali Delbaz, Lynn Nazareth, Michael Batzloff, Todd Shelper, Ifor R. Beacham, Anu Chacko, Megha Shah, Kenneth W. Beagley, Johana Tello, James A. St John, Jenny A. K. Ekberg
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2020)
Review
Neurosciences
Alan Mackay-Sim
Summary: Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a genetically diverse group of disorders affecting upper motor neurons, with 80 genes or genomic loci associated with the diagnosis. Treatments for HSP are challenging due to the rare disease's genetic heterogeneity, but identifying disease-associated cell dysfunctions may lead to potential drug targets.
Article
Neurosciences
Nicholas Chaaya, Joshua Wang, Angela Jacques, Kate Beecher, Michael Chaaya, Andrew Raymond Battle, Luke R. Johnson, Fatemeh Chehrehasa, Arnauld Belmer, Selena E. Bartlett
Summary: This study investigated the neural mechanisms and maintenance of contextual fear memories, showing that the prelimbic cortex (PL) of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays a crucial role in the expression of contextual fear.
FRONTIERS IN NEURAL CIRCUITS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Kate Beecher, Joshua Wang, Angela Jacques, Nicholas Chaaya, Fatemeh Chehrehasa, Arnauld Belmer, Selena E. Bartlett
Summary: Chronic sucrose consumption was found to decrease the number of serotonin/glutamate co-localised vesicles in the prefrontal cortex and dentate gyrus in mice, as well as reduce the number of microglia in the DG. These alterations suggest that sugar intake may predispose individuals to cognitive deficits related to feeding control.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Kate Beecher, Ignatius Alvarez Cooper, Joshua Wang, Shaun B. Walters, Fatemeh Chehrehasa, Selena E. Bartlett, Arnauld Belmer
Summary: Excessive consumption of sugar in modern food and beverages has led to global health issues affecting children and adults.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Riikka Lampinen, Mohammad Feroze Fazaludeen, Simone Avesani, Tiit Ord, Elina Penttila, Juha-Matti Lehtola, Toni Saari, Sanna Hannonen, Liudmila Saveleva, Emma Kaartinen, Francisco Fernandez Acosta, Marcela Cruz-Haces, Heikki Lopponen, Alan Mackay-Sim, Minna U. Kaikkonen, Anne M. Koivisto, Tarja Malm, Anthony R. White, Rosalba Giugno, Sweelin Chew, Katja M. Kanninen
Summary: This study evaluated the differences in olfactory mucosa between cognitively healthy individuals and Alzheimer's disease patients. The findings showed increased secretion of amyloid-beta in Alzheimer's disease olfactory mucosal cells and identified 240 differentially expressed disease-associated genes and five distinct cell populations. The study also revealed alterations in RNA and protein metabolism, inflammatory processes, and signal transduction in multiple cell populations, suggesting their involvement in Alzheimer's disease-related olfactory mucosa pathophysiology. Additionally, the study proposed alterations in gene expression of mitochondrially located genes in AD OM cells, which were verified by functional assays, demonstrating altered mitochondrial respiration and a reduction of ATP production. The results highlight the changes in olfactory mucosal cells in Alzheimer's disease and demonstrate the significance of single-cell RNA sequencing data in investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with the disease.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Kate Beecher, Joshua Wang, Fatemeh Chehrehasa, Ronan Depoortere, Mark A. Varney, Adrian Newman-Tancredi, Selena E. Bartlett, Arnauld Belmer
Summary: The consumption of high-sugar food has been linked to the increase in obesity prevalence. A recent study found that chronic sucrose consumption can alter the serotonergic neuroplasticity in the neural circuits involved in feeding control. Specifically, the 5-HT1A receptor subtype plays a role in the regulation of mood, anxiety, and appetite, and may be involved in reversing addiction to substances of abuse. Targeting the 5-HT1A autoreceptors could be an effective therapeutic strategy to combat obesity resulting from overconsumption of high-sugar diet.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Joshua Wang, Kate Beecher, Fatemeh Chehrehasa, Hayley Moody
Summary: This paper discusses the limitations of chemogenetic/optogenetic circuit manipulation experiments in investigating appetite and provides multiple perspectives for interpreting circuit manipulation findings by integrating the viewpoints from philosophy of science, nutrition, addiction biology, and neurophilosophy.
REVIEWS IN THE NEUROSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Marziah Hakim, Kate Beecher, Angela Jacques, Nicholas Chaaya, Arnauld Belmer, Andrew R. Battle, Luke R. Johnson, Selena E. Bartlett, Fatemeh Chehrehasa
Summary: This study explores the changes involved in the processing of Pavlovian olfactory fear conditioning (OFC) and finds that the brain undergoes neuroplasticity when processing fearful memories triggered by odors. The expression of plasticity markers in newborn neurons and brain regions associated with olfactory memory processing were assessed, revealing changes in neuronal density and marker colocalization. The findings suggest the occurrence of long-term potentiation within the neurons of this pathway and highlight the involvement of specific brain regions in the processing of olfactory fear memory.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Kishore R. Kumar, Gautam Wali, Ryan L. Davis, Amali C. Mallawaarachchi, Elizabeth E. Palmer, Velimir Gayevskiy, Andre E. Minoche, David Veivers, Marcel E. Dinger, Alan Mackay-Sim, Mark J. Cowley, Carolyn M. Sue
MOLECULAR GENETICS AND METABOLISM REPORTS
(2018)