Article
Microbiology
B. G. O. Tchan, S. Ngazoa-Kakou, N. Aka, N. K. B. Apia, N. Hammoudi, M. Drancourt, J. Saad
Summary: We describe a new targeted sequencing approach that characterizes the PPE gene to disclose the simultaneous presence of different variants of a single pathogenic microorganism. This has direct implications on understanding pathogen diversity and natural history and therapeutic implications when dealing with obligate and opportunistic pathogens. By establishing a comprehensive database and utilizing PPE gene sequencing, the identification and typing of clinical M. ulcerans strains can be done more efficiently.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Laxmi Dhungel, Mark Eric Benbow, Heather Rose Jordan
Summary: Buruli ulcer, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is a challenging necrotizing skin disease in West Africa due to unknown transmission modes and occurrence in remote areas. A One Health approach is needed to advance understanding of transmission and design management strategies. Understanding bacterial ecology, environmental niches, and the role of mycolactone is crucial in preventing and responding to this mysterious disease.
Article
Microbiology
Juan Dominguez, Ana I. Mendes, Ana R. Pacheco, Maria J. Peixoto, Jorge Pedrosa, Alexandra G. Fraga
Summary: Buruli Ulcer is a common infectious skin disease that can cause severe disfigurement and disability if not treated in a timely manner. The standard antibiotic regimen for treatment has limitations, leading researchers to explore new drug candidates. This study found that statins have the potential to be effective in treating Buruli Ulcer.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Philippe Bahadoran, Nassim Hammoudi, Alice Gaudart, Jamal Saad, Yoan Di Filippo, Michel Drancourt, Raymond Ruimy
Summary: This report describes a case of Buruli ulcer in a peri-urban area in Cote d'Ivoire, confirmed by whole genome sequencing to be caused by a Mycobacterium ulcerans genotype not previously reported in Cote d'Ivoire.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Koen Vandelannoote, Andrew H. Buultjens, Jessica L. Porter, Anita Velink, John R. Wallace, Kim R. Blasdell, Michael Dunn, Victoria Boyd, Janet A. M. Fyfe, Ee Laine Tay, Paul D. R. Johnson, Saras M. Windecker, Nick Golding, Timothy P. Stinear
Summary: This study establishes a model based on possum excreta surveillance that can effectively predict the occurrence of human BU cases and guide public health interventions.
Editorial Material
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Chiara Sepulcri, Antonio Di Biagio, Stefania Tutino, Umberto Valente, Ramona Barbieri, Anna Marchese, Matteo Bassetti
Summary: A case of Buruli ulcer in a Caucasian male returning from Madagascar was described, potentially the first reported case of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in Madagascar.
JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Elizabeth Gyamfi, Magdalene Amerl Dogbe, Charles Quaye, Abel Adjet Affouda, Edwin Kyei-Baffour, Daisy Awuku-Asante, Mabel Sarpong-Duah, Lydia Mosi
Summary: This study aimed to identify genetic differences among Mycobacterium ulcerans strains between two Buruli ulcer endemic countries, Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire. The study found different genotypes among clinical and environmental samples, with clinical isolates showing more heterogeneity. Genotype D was found to be prominent in both clinical and environmental samples, suggesting possible transmission of M. ulcerans from the environment to humans.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Elizabeth Gyamfi, Charles A. Narh, Charles Quaye, Adiza Abbass, Bartholomew Dzudzor, Lydia Mosi
Summary: Secondary microbial infections were identified in BU lesions, with Staphylococci spp and Bacilli spp being the predominant bacteria, especially in BU patients who had not yet received antibiotic treatment. Clarithromycin and amikacin were found to be effective in treating secondary infection, although there was high resistance to streptomycin among the secondary bacteria isolates.
Article
Microbiology
Louisa Warryn, Gerd Pluschke
Summary: Acid-oxidizing solutions (AOSs) are effective in killing pathogenic bacteria and can potentially assist in the treatment of Buruli ulcer. In resource-poor settings, where secondary infections are common, topical application of AOSs can help prevent infections and control secondary infections.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Marc Jacobsen, Jonathan Kofi Adjei, Wilfred Aniagyei, Ernest Adankwah, Julia Seyfarth, Ertan Mayatepek, Daniel Antwi-Berko, Samuel Asamoah Sakyi, Alexander Y. Debrah, Linda Batsa Debrah, Dorcas O. Owusu, Richard O. Phillips
Summary: Immune-based diagnosis of Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) in children is challenging due to cross-reactivity between mycobacteria. Responses of T-cell IFN gamma/TNF alpha against Mycobacterium (M.) ulcerans and M. tuberculosis were different in children with BUD and TB, with only ratios discriminating the study groups efficiently.
JOURNAL OF THE PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Takumi Fujimori, Hideharu Hagiya, Koji Iio, Osamu Yamasaki, Yuji Miyamoto, Yoshihiko Hoshino, Ayaka Kakehi, Mami Okura, Hiroshi Minabe, Yukika Yokoyama, Fumio Otsuka, Akihito Higashikage
Summary: This article reports a case of Buruli ulcer associated with M. ulcerans subsp. shinshuense in Japan, highlighting the importance of accurate diagnosis and calling for more clinical cases to investigate its epidemiology and clinical characteristics.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yamin Gao, H. M. Adnan Hameed, Yang Liu, Lingmin Guo, Cuiting Fang, Xirong Tian, Zhiyong Liu, Shuai Wang, Zhili Lu, Md Mahmudul Islam, Tianyu Zhang
Summary: TB47-containing regimens have shown promising results in curing Buruli ulcer quickly and effectively, as well as preventing the emergence of drug resistance. Additionally, the discovery of double QcrB mutations could guide potential clinical molecular diagnosis of resistance and the development of new drugs.
ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA B
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Joao Fevereiro, Alexandra G. Fraga, Jorge Pedrosa
Summary: Buruli ulcer, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is an emerging infectious disease with an uncommon infection pattern where the host relies on a highly orchestrated genetic landscape to control the infection.
IMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gemma G. R. Murray, Jane Charlesworth, Eric L. Miller, Michael J. Casey, Catrin T. Lloyd, Marcelo Gottschalk, Alexander W. (Dan) Tucker, John J. Welch, Lucy A. Weinert
Summary: The study shows that genome reduction is consistently associated with pathogenicity in bacteria.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Laxmi Dhungel, Raisa Bonner, Meagan Cook, Duncan Henson, Trent Moulder, M. Eric Benbow, Heather Jordan
Summary: Buruli ulcer disease is caused by the pathogen Mycobacterium ulcerans and is characterized by tissue necrosis and ulceration. In this study, the modulation of mycolactone and other genes in response to changing UV and oxygen levels was investigated. The data showed that the expression of mycolactone was influenced by temperature and oxygen levels, providing insight into the metabolic responses of the pathogen.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yi-Ming Shi, Merle Hirschmann, Yan-Ni Shi, Shabbir Ahmed, Desalegne Abebew, Nicholas J. Tobias, Peter Grun, Jan J. Crames, Laura Poeschel, Wolfgang Kuttenlochner, Christian Richter, Jennifer Herrmann, Rolf Mueller, Aunchalee Thanwisai, Sacha J. Pidot, Timothy P. Stinear, Michael Groll, Yonggyun Kim, Helge B. Bode
Summary: This study analyzed the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus (XP) strains and identified the functional basis of bacterial natural products in the tripartite relationship between bacteria, nematodes, and insects. The prevalent compounds produced by these strains include eukaryotic proteasome inhibitors, virulence factors against insects, metallophores, and insect immunosuppressants.
Article
Immunology
Michelle Y-H Lee, Georges Khoury, Moshe Olshansky, Secondo Sonza, Glen P. Carter, James McMahon, Timothy P. Stinear, Stephen J. Turner, Sharon R. Lewin, Damian F. J. Purcell
Summary: Latent HIV-1 provirus in individuals on suppressive therapy can be transcriptionally active and generate chimeric mRNA through readthrough transcription and aberrant splicing. Activation of the 3'LTR and cryptic splice donor site in the 5'LTR of HIV-1 leads to the formation of chimeric cellular:HIV mRNA. Understanding the characteristics of HIV-1 integrants that promote chimeric mRNA formation provides insights into the HIV-1 RNA footprint in latently infected cells.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jessie J. -Y. Chang, Josie Gleeson, Daniel Rawlinson, Ricardo De Paoli-Iseppi, Chenxi Zhou, Francesca L. Mordant, Sarah L. Londrigan, Michael B. Clark, Kanta Subbarao, Timothy P. Stinear, Lachlan J. M. Coin, Miranda E. Pitt
Summary: This study utilized RNA-sequencing with Oxford Nanopore Technologies to investigate the host response during SARS-CoV-2 infection. The results showed differential polyadenylation and transcript usage in infected cell lines, indicating potential roles in viral transcription and translation. The study also identified genes previously implicated in SARS-CoV-2 infections. These findings underscore the value of long-read sequencing in exploring host responses to the disease.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Susan A. Ballard, Maryza Graham, Debra David, Tuyet Hoang, Angela Donald, Michelle Sait, Nicole Isles, Amelia Matlock, Sarah Yallop, Mark Bek, Benjamin P. Howden, Timothy P. Stinear
Summary: This study describes the process and performance benchmarking of a mobile laboratory (LabVan) for rapid SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics deployed in Victoria, Australia. The LabVan significantly reduces the turnaround time for result reporting, facilitating rapid public health actions.
Review
Microbiology
Benjamin P. Howden, Stefano G. Giulieri, Tania Wong Fok Lung, Sarah L. Baines, Liam K. Sharkey, Jean Y. H. Lee, Abderrahman Hachani, Ian R. Monk, Timothy P. Stinear
Summary: Invasive Staphylococcus aureus infections are common and often result in high mortality due to drug resistance. This review examines recent advances in understanding the interactions between S. aureus and its host, including immune responses, metabolism, and genomic plasticity. The authors also discuss the challenges in vaccine development and the role of other bacteria in shaping S. aureus colonization.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Markus Huemer, Srikanth Mairpady Shambat, Sanne Hertegonne, Judith Bergada-Pijuan, Chun-Chi Chang, Sandro Pereira, Alejandro Gomez-Mejia, Lies Van Gestel, Julian Bar, Clement Vulin, Sibylle Pfammatter, Timothy P. Stinear, Ian R. Monk, Jonathan Dworkin, Annelies S. Zinkernagel
Summary: Staphylococcus aureus infections are difficult to treat due to the occurrence of persister cells that are metabolically quiescent and tolerant to antibiotics. Acid stress-mimicking conditions in the host tissues can delay bacterial growth and alter the serine and threonine phosphoproteome, including increased phosphorylation of PknB. Deletion of stp, the only annotated serine-threonine phosphatase in S. aureus, exacerbates the growth delay and phenotypic heterogeneity under different stress challenges. This study highlights the importance of phosphoregulation in bacterial quiescence and antibiotic tolerance, suggesting potential therapeutic strategies targeting PknB or Stp to prevent persister formation in S. aureus infections.
Article
Cell Biology
Kira L. Tomlinson, Sebastian A. Riquelme, Swikrity Upadhyay Baskota, Marija Drikic, Ian R. Monk, Timothy P. Stinear, Ian A. Lewis, Alice S. Prince
Summary: Neutrophils play a critical role in defending against Staphylococcus aureus infection. However, S. aureus can still evade immune clearance even in the presence of a strong neutrophil response. This study reveals that S. aureus impairs neutrophil function by inducing the production of the anti-inflammatory metabolite itaconate. Itaconate inhibits neutrophil glycolysis and oxidative burst, leading to compromised bacterial killing. This evasion mechanism involves targeting neutrophil metabolism and inducing the production of itaconate.
Article
Microbiology
Ryan R. Wick, Louise M. Judd, Ian R. Monk, Torsten Seemann, Timothy P. Stinear
Summary: This report presents an improved assembly of the genome sequence of a prominent community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clone in Australia. The assembly was achieved through deep sequencing with multiple technologies and careful curation, resulting in an error-free sequence.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Koen Vandelannoote, Andrew H. Buultjens, Jessica L. Porter, Anita Velink, John R. Wallace, Kim R. Blasdell, Michael Dunn, Victoria Boyd, Janet A. M. Fyfe, Ee Laine Tay, Paul D. R. Johnson, Saras M. Windecker, Nick Golding, Timothy P. Stinear
Summary: This study establishes a model based on possum excreta surveillance that can effectively predict the occurrence of human BU cases and guide public health interventions.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Rutaiwan Dusadeepong, Gauthier Delvallez, Sokleaph Cheng, Soda Meng, Navin Sreng, Joanne Letchford, Kimcheng Choun, Syna Teav, Liselotte Hardy, Jan Jacobs, Tuyet Hoang, Torsten Seemann, Benjamin P. Howden, Philippe Glaser, Timothy P. Stinear, Koen Vandelannoote
Summary: In early 2020, an unusually high number of fluoroquinolone-resistant Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Paratyphi A strains were isolated by the Medical Biology Laboratory of the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia during routine surveillance in Phnom Penh. Genomic analysis revealed they were descended from a previous outbreak in 2013-2015. The emergence of fluoroquinolone resistance led to a rapid increase in fluoroquinolone-resistant cases and the use of cephalosporins for treatment in Cambodia.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Laura Carrilero, Lucy Urwin, Ezra Ward, Naznin R. Choudhury, Ian R. Monk, Claire E. Turner, Timothy P. Stinear, Rebecca M. Corrigan
Summary: This article investigates the role of (p) ppGpp in the long-term survival of Staphylococcus aureus under nutrient-restricted conditions, highlighting its importance for the regulation of GTP levels.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marion Herisse, Keishi Ishida, Jordan Staiger-Creed, Louise Judd, Spencer J. Williams, Benjamin P. Howden, Timothy P. Stinear, Hans-Martin Dahse, Kerstin Voigt, Christian Hertweck, Sacha J. Pidot
Summary: Nocardia are opportunistic human pathogens that cause difficult to treat infections. However, little is known about their involvement in the pathogenesis and the natural products they produce. In this study, a new cytotoxic and antifungal polyene called terpenomycin was discovered in a human pathogenic Nocardia terpenica isolate. The biosynthetic pathway and unique features of terpenomycin were revealed, and a mutant library helped identify a terpenomycin-null mutant. These findings highlight the potential of neglected actinomycetes as producers of diverse bioactive molecules.
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Friedrich J. Ehinger, Sarah P. Niehs, Benjamin Dose, Maria Dell, Jana Krabbe, Sacha J. Pidot, Timothy P. Stinear, Kirstin Scherlach, Claudia Ross, Gerald Lackner, Christian Hertweck
Summary: The biosynthesis of the hepatotoxic cyclopeptides Rhizonin A and B has been elucidated, revealing the role of Mycetohabitans endofungorum in producing the key component 3-furylalanine (Fua). Genome sequencing and gene inactivation experiments identified the gene cluster responsible for Rhizonin biosynthesis and isotope labeling experiments confirmed the precursor of Fua. Further analysis revealed a novel enzyme RhzB that catalyzes Fua formation and led to the discovery of the bingchamide biosynthesis gene cluster.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Theresa Maria Wagner, Jessin Janice, Mark Schulz, Susan A. Ballard, Anders Goncalves da Silva, Geoffrey W. Coombs, Denise A. Daley, Stanley Pang, Shakeel Mowlaboccus, Tim Stinear, Kristin Hegstad, Benjamin P. Howden, Arnfinn Sundsfjord
Summary: This study identified eight potential vancomycin variable enterococci (VVE) isolates through whole-genome sequencing of Australian Enterococcus faecium (Efm) isolates. It was found that VVE could convert to a resistant phenotype under vancomycin selection, which was associated with a 44-bp deletion in the vanHAX promoter region and an increased vanA plasmid copy number.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Ingrid Richter, Zerrin Uzum, Philipp Wein, Evelyn M. Molloy, Nadine Moebius, Timothy P. Stinear, Sacha J. Pidot, Christian Hertweck
Summary: The bacterial endosymbiont Mycetohabitans rhizoxinica in the phytopathogenic fungus Rhizopus microsporus plays a crucial role in fungal reproduction by secreting T3SS effectors, AWR peptide and TAL effectors. The absence of these effectors significantly reduces fungal sporulation, while their presence allows successful colonization of the fungus. This study provides insights into the control of fungal physiology by prokaryotic symbionts.
