Article
Microbiology
Mario L. Arrieta-Ortiz, Selva Rupa Christinal Immanuel, Serdar Turkarslan, Wei-Ju Wu, Brintha P. Girinathan, Jay N. Worley, Nicholas DiBenedetto, Olga Soutourina, Johann Peltier, Bruno Dupuy, Lynn Bry, Nitin S. Baliga
Summary: By leveraging published transcriptomes and metabolic models, we developed a predictive model for comprehensive systems analysis of Clostridioides difficile, shedding light on gene organization and metabolic requirements, as well as the role of transcription factors in growth and ecological adaptation.
CELL HOST & MICROBE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Julia Danielle Hofmann, Rebekka Biedendieck, Annika-Marisa Michel, Dietmar Schomburg, Dieter Jahn, Meina Neumann-Schaal
Summary: The virulence of Clostridioides difficile is mainly determined by the production of toxins A and B, which are regulated by metabolic processes. The study found that various sugars and L-lactate can influence toxin synthesis, with L-lactate significantly reducing extracellular toxin formation. The involvement of electron confurcation process in reducing the NAD(+)/NADH ratio may be responsible for the observed decrease in toxin release from the cell.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Liang-Cui Chu, Pedro Arede, Wei Li, Erika C. Urdaneta, Ivayla Ivanova, Stuart W. McKellar, Jimi C. Wills, Theresa Frohlich, Alexander von Kriegsheim, Benedikt M. Beckmann, Sander Granneman
Summary: RNA-binding proteins play a crucial role in controlling gene expression. This study identifies hundreds of RNA-binding proteins in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and demonstrates that a major transcription factor binds RNAs near intrinsic transcription terminators using its helix-turn-helix domain.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Aritri Majumdar, Revathi Govind
Summary: Clostridioides difficile produces toxins TcdA and TcdB during infection, and the severity of the illness is directly correlated with the toxin production level. Recent advancements in genetics and mutagenesis technologies have greatly improved our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms involved in toxin production. The current research suggests that the toxin regulatory network overlaps with the regulatory networks of sporulation, motility, and key metabolic pathways, indicating that toxin production is a complex process initiated by bacteria in response to various host factors during infection. This review summarizes the existing knowledge about the toxin gene regulatory network.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Srijita Basak, Debashrito Deb, Utkarsh Narsaria, Tamalika Kar, Filippo Castiglione, Indraneel Sanyal, Pratap D. Bade, Anurag P. Srivastava
Summary: Clostridium difficile infection is a major health-associated infection with high incidence and mortality rates. A chimeric vaccine candidate was designed using immunoinformatics, which showed stability and reliability in silico and molecular dynamics simulations. Docking studies demonstrated stable interactions with immune receptors, and in silico modeling indicated competent expression in E. coli system for potential immune response.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Megan G. Taggart, William J. Snelling, Patrick J. Naughton, Roberto M. La Ragione, James S. G. Dooley, Nigel G. Ternan
Summary: Clostridiodes difficile is ranked as an urgent threat by CDC due to its prevalence in healthcare settings and its association with antibiotic-associated gastrointestinal diseases. The role of biofilm formation in the pathogenesis of C. difficile infection is still not fully understood, but it is believed to play a significant role in disease recurrence. Various factors, such as motility and adhesion, influence biofilm formation in C. difficile, making the regulatory system complex and multifactorial. Further research is needed to better understand biofilm regulation in different strains of C. difficile and its implications for disease management.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Giuseppe Esposito, Chiara Corpetti, Marcella Pesce, Luisa Seguella, Giuseppe Annunziata, Alessandro Del Re, Martina Vincenzi, Roberta Lattanzi, Jie Lu, Walter Sanseverino, Giovanni Sarnelli
Summary: The newly designed PEA-producing probiotic showed therapeutic potential in inhibiting colonic inflammation and restoring tight junction protein expression in a mouse model of CDI.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Leila M. Reyes M. Ruiz, Kathleen A. King, Christian Agosto-Burgos, Isabella S. Gamez, Nicole C. Gadda, Elizabeth M. Garrett, Rita Tamayo
Summary: This study demonstrates that the expression of the c-di-GMP hydrolytic enzyme PdcB in Clostridioides difficile undergoes phase variation, which affects intracellular c-di-GMP levels and various phenotypes. The phase-locked mutants unable to phase vary show altered swimming and surface motility, as well as biofilm formation. These findings suggest that phase variation of PdcB allows C. difficile to regulate the production of multiple factors by generating heterogeneity in intracellular c-di-GMP levels.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Leila M. Reyes M. Ruiz, Kathleen A. King, Christian Agosto-Burgos, Isabella S. Gamez, Nicole C. Gadda, Elizabeth M. Garrett, Rita Tamayo
Summary: In this study, it was found that the phase variation of PdcB in C. difficile affects intracellular c-di-GMP levels, swimming and surface motility, and biofilm formation, allowing the bacterium to coordinately regulate the production of multiple factors. This demonstrates the importance of phase variation in introducing phenotypic heterogeneity into the population for survival under detrimental conditions.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jinglue Song, Xia Shen, Zhenyu Huang, Yun Liu, Long Cui, Xuewei Cui, Chen-Ying Liu
Summary: Toxins A and B of Clostridium difficile disrupt the Hippo pathway, leading to sequestration and inactivation of YAP and TAZ in colonic epithelial cells. Overexpression of YAP restores cell function and may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for treating CDI.
JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Tao Xu, Xuanyu Tao, Hongxi He, Megan L. Kempher, Siping Zhang, Xiaochun Liu, Jun Wang, Dongyu Wang, Daliang Ning, Chongle Pan, Honghua Ge, Nannan Zhang, Yong-Xing He, Jizhong Zhou
Summary: Carbohydrate utilization is critical for microbial survival. The phosphotransferase system (PTS) is a well-known microbial system involved in carbohydrate metabolism, but its role in non-model prokaryotes remains underexplored. In this study, the prevalence of incomplete PTSs in prokaryotes was investigated, and lignocellulose-degrading clostridia was found to have lost PTS sugar transporters and carry a substitution in the core PTS component. Functional and structural diversification of PTS components were observed, providing novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms of incomplete PTSs.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Mohammed Eslami, Amin Espah Borujeni, Hamed Eramian, Mark Weston, George Zheng, Joshua Urrutia, Carolyn Corbet, Diveena Becker, Paul Maschhoff, Katie Clowers, Alexander Cristofaro, Hamid Doost Hosseini, D. Benjamin Gordon, Yuval Dorfan, Jedediah Singer, Matthew Vaughn, Niall Gaffney, John Fonner, Joe Stubbs, Christopher A. Voigt, Enoch Yeung
Summary: The Host Response Model (HRM) combines high-throughput sequencing and machine learning to accurately predict the directionality of gene dysregulation to a combination of inducers. The use of prior knowledge of cell regulatory networks doubles the predictive performance of the HRM.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nuria Tubau-Juni, Josep Bassaganya-Riera, Andrew J. Leber, Sameeksha S. Alva, Ryan Baker, Raquel Hontecillas
Summary: The study analyzed the colonic and host response during Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), revealing significant changes in gene expression kinetics during the acute infection stage that were restored during the recovery phase. The study also found an increase in glycolytic metabolism during the peak of inflammation and a predominance of mitochondrial metabolism during the recovery/healing stage. Treatment of CDI with 2-Deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) reduced disease severity, protected against mortality, and improved colitis in vivo. Furthermore, 2-DG protected intestinal epithelial cells from C. difficile toxin damage.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Peng An Khun, Thomas V. Riley
Summary: This review provides an overview of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in southeast Asia, including its prevalence, detection methods, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and the potential significance of a One Health approach. CDI is a common cause of hospital-acquired gastroenteritis worldwide, with higher rates observed in high-income countries. Lack of knowledge and awareness about CDI, along with antimicrobial abuse and inadequate education on appropriate usage, contribute to its evolution. Underreporting of CDI rates and misuse of antimicrobial agents pose a significant threat in regions like Indochina, while C. difficile RT 017 strain is endemic in southeast Asia.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Miad Elahi, Haruyuki Nakayama-Imaohji, Masahito Hashimoto, Ayano Tada, Hisashi Yamasaki, Tamiko Nagao, Tomomi Kuwahara
Summary: The gut symbiont Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (BT) suppresses Clostridium difficile (CD) toxin production by inhibiting polysaccharide metabolism pathways. Polysaccharide fractions derived from BT can suppress CD toxin production, with cell wall-associated glycans playing a key role in this inhibitory effect.
Article
Immunology
Thomas Dubois, Marie Dancer-Thibonnier, Marc Monot, Audrey Hamiot, Laurent Bouillaut, Olga Soutourina, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete, Bruno Dupuy
INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
(2016)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Monica Serrano, Nicolas Kint, Fatima C. Pereira, Laure Saujet, Pierre Boudry, Bruno Dupuy, Adriano O. Henriques, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete
Review
Food Science & Technology
Isabelle Martin-Verstraete, Johann Peltier, Bruno Dupuy
Review
Microbiology
Nicolas Kint, Claire Janoir, Marc Monot, Sandra Hoys, Olga Soutourina, Bruno Dupuy, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marion Herisse, Yohann Duverger, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete, Frederic Barras, Benjamin Ezraty
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Microbiology
Gaelle Andre, Elise Haudecoeur, Emmanuelle Courtois, Marc Monot, Bruno Dupuy, Dmitry A. Rodionov, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete
RESEARCH IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Maikova, Johann Peltier, Pierre Boudry, Eliane Hajnsdorf, Nicolas Kint, Marc Monot, Isabelle Poquet, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete, Bruno Dupuy, Olga Soutourina
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2018)
Review
Microbiology
Laure Saujet, Fatima C. Pereira, Adriano O. Henriques, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS
(2014)
Article
Microbiology
P. Boudry, C. Gracia, M. Monot, J. Caillet, L. Saujet, E. Hajnsdorf, B. Dupuy, I. Martin-Verstraete, O. Soutourina
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2014)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Laure Saujet, Fatima C. Pereira, Monica Serrano, Olga Soutourina, Marc Monot, Pavel V. Shelyakin, Mikhail S. Gelfand, Bruno Dupuy, Adriano O. Henriques, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Fatima C. Pereira, Laure Saujet, Ana R. Tome, Monica Serrano, Marc Monot, Evelyne Couture-Tosi, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete, Bruno Dupuy, Adriano O. Henriques
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Olga A. Soutourina, Marc Monot, Pierre Boudry, Laure Saujet, Christophe Pichon, Odile Sismeiro, Ekaterina Semenova, Konstantin Severinov, Chantal Le Bouguenec, Jean-Yves Coppee, Bruno Dupuy, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete
Article
Microbiology
Carolina Alves Feliciano, Thibaut Douche, Quentin Giai Gianetto, Mariette Matondo, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete, Bruno Dupuy
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Microbiology
Pierre-Alexandre Lacotte, Sandrine Denis-Quanquin, Eva Chatonnat, Julie Le Bris, David Leparfait, Thierry Lequeux, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete, Thomas Candela
Summary: The dlt operon encodes proteins responsible for modifying the structure of bacteria, altering the physicochemical properties of the cell surface and reducing sensitivity to antibiotics.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Isabelle Poquet, Laure Saujet, Alexis Canette, Marc Monot, Jovanna Mihajlovic, Jean-Marc Ghigo, Olga Soutourina, Romain Briandet, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete, Bruno Dupuy
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2018)