Review
Immunology
Amanda Brosius Lutz, Salwan Al-Nasity, Boris W. Kramer, Martin Mueller
Summary: Chorioamnionitis, inflammation of the chorion and/or amnion during pregnancy, has significant implications for mother, fetus, and newborn; animal models play a crucial role in deepening understanding of the disease mechanisms; various animal models provide unique opportunities to study the inflammatory response and its consequences in chorioamnionitis.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Asahiro Morishita, Kyoko Oura, Tomoko Tadokoro, Koji Fujita, Joji Tani, Tsutomu Masaki
Summary: The liver is a non-immunological organ involved in metabolic activities, nutrient storage, and detoxification. Resident immune cells in the liver drive immunological reactions and certain microRNAs are associated with the immune response to pathogens, although the exact mechanism of miRNA interference in these interactions remains unclear.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Paula M. Tribelli, Nancy Lopez
Summary: This review provides an overview of temperature-response mechanisms in Pseudomonas species and highlights their relevance to human and animal health as well as agricultural applications.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Johannes Westman, Sergio Grinstein
Summary: The ability of phagosomes to halt microbial growth is closely linked to their ability to acidify their luminal pH, but certain pathogens can survive and replicate inside phagosomes by targeting the pH-regulatory machinery of host cells to survive or escape.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Xiaozhou Qi, Yong Zhang, Yilin Zhang, Fei Luo, Kaige Song, Gaoxue Wang, Fei Ling
Summary: This study found that the effect of probiotics in enhancing host resistance to pathogen infections depended on the function of -B-12 produced by an anaerobic indigenous gut microbe, Cetobacterium. Furthermore, as a gut microbial regulator, -B-12 exhibited the ability to strengthen the interactions within the gut microbiota and gut barrier tight junctions, thereby improving host resistance against pathogen infection.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhenyu Fan, Yanling Du, Yi Xiong, Yang Liu, Bowen Li, Ting Wu, Fengguang Fang
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of Bacillus cereus as a biological control agent against Meloidogyne javanica in tomato plants. Results showed that B. cereus effectively controlled the nematode population, increased yield and plant growth, and did not possess toxin genes.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Vera Vozandychova, Pavla Stojkova, Kamil Hercik, Pavel Rehulka, Jiri Stulik
Summary: Ubiquitination, similar to phosphorylation and acetylation, plays a crucial role in regulating various cell processes. Understanding how pathogens manipulate host ubiquitination processes is important for vaccine development and disease treatment. Pathogenic bacteria encode effector proteins targeting the host ubiquitin machinery to disrupt host defense processes.
Review
Biology
Hajarooba Gnanagobal, Javier Santander
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the interactions between marine Gram-positive pathogens and fish hosts, which cause economic losses in global marine fish aquaculture. Understanding these host-pathogen interactions is crucial for developing effective prophylactic measures and treatments.
Article
Plant Sciences
Rene Lemcke, Elisabet Sjoekvist, Stefano Visentin, Manoj Kamble, Euan K. James, Rasmus Hjortshoj, Kathryn M. Wright, Anna Avrova, Adrian C. Newton, Neil D. Havis, Simona Radutoiu, Michael F. Lyngkjaer
Summary: Ramularia collo-cygni is the causal agent of Ramularia leaf spot disease on barley, posing an increasing threat to farmers worldwide. Analysis of barley cultivars with different tolerance to RLS infected by aggressive or mild R. collo-cygni isolates revealed that fungal biomass does not correlate with tolerance, and both cultivars exhibit cell wall reinforcement at the point of contact with fungal hyphae. Transcriptome analysis showed significant transcriptional differences between cultivars early in fungal colonization, particularly in kinases, calmodulins, and defense proteins, while metabolite analysis identified defense compounds correlating with responses at transcriptome and morphological levels. These comprehensive responses provide molecular tools for improving barley tolerance to R. collo-cygni.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sapna Mishra, Murad Ghanim
Summary: Liberibacter is a group of plant pathogenic bacteria transmitted by psyllids, causing plant diseases worldwide. Citrus greening disease, caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), has greatly affected the citrus industry. Current control strategies rely on chemical pesticides, but alternative methods that interfere with vector transmission are being explored.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Rukmini Mukherjee, Ivan Dikic
Summary: Ubiquitination is an important posttranslational modification that regulates cellular functions. Pathogens have evolved mechanisms to evade or counteract host responses regulated by ubiquitin, and even exploit the ubiquitin system for their own benefit. Host cellular signaling networks undergo significant changes upon pathogen attack to protect the cell and limit pathogen growth. Mechanistic insights into ubiquitin regulation of host-pathogen interactions provide valuable information on bacterial and viral pathogenesis and host cell organization and response.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Easter Ndlovu, Lucas Malpartida, Taranum Sultana, Tanya E. S. Dahms, Etienne Dague
Summary: Candida is a common opportunistic fungal pathogen in humans, and its adhesion to host cells is crucial for parasitic and pathogenic processes. Studies have shown an increased risk of candidiasis when tissue barriers are weakened or immune defenses are compromised, such as during cancer treatment. Using atomic force microscopy, researchers found that there was significant adhesion between Candida and human cells, with a stronger adhesion to cancer cells due to their different mechanical properties. The disruption of cell cytoskeleton affected the adhesion between Candida and human cells, suggesting the manipulation of cell properties as a potential therapeutic strategy.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Hannah P. Berguson, Lauren W. Caulfield, Michael S. Price
Summary: This review summarizes the current knowledge on the mutants in carbon metabolism and their effect on the host immune response of Cryptococcus neoformans. Understanding these critical interactions will provide fresh perspectives on potential treatments and the natural history of cryptococcal disease.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Xiang Tang, Changzheng Fan, Guangming Zeng, Linrui Zhong, Chao Li, Xiaoya Ren, Biao Song, Xigui Liu
Summary: This review focuses on the importance of phage-host interactions in biological wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). It highlights the role of bacteriophages in shaping functional microbiota and the potential driving factors behind phage-host interactions. The review also emphasizes the need for further research and understanding of phage dynamics in WWTPs.
Review
Physiology
Mian Muhammad Awais, Muhammad Shakeel, Jingchen Sun
Summary: miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs of about 22 nucleotides that have been reported to regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level, involved in various biological processes such as immunity, development, metabolism, and host-pathogen interactions. Both cellular and viral miRNAs may play vital roles in host-pathogen interactions, with viral infections altering host miRNA expression profiles.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mary E. Petrone, Edward C. Holmes, Erin Harvey
Summary: To mitigate the emergence of new pathogenic viruses, public health strategies should conduct long-term surveillance of ecosystems experiencing changes in biodiversity using metagenomic techniques to identify generalist viruses.
Article
Microbiology
Nannan Li, Cixiu Li, Tao Hu, Juan Li, Hong Zhou, Jingkai Ji, Jiangli Wu, Weipeng Kang, Edward C. Holmes, Weifeng Shi, Shufa Xu
Summary: Through meta-transcriptomic sequencing of nearly 2000 samples collected across China, researchers have revealed the diversity and prevalence of honeybee viruses, as well as the existence of novel genetic variants associated with China. The study highlights the widespread distribution and genetic diversity of honeybee viruses, suggesting the importance of understanding and mitigating viral infectious diseases in honeybees.
Article
Virology
Vincenzo A. Costa, David R. Bellwood, Jonathon C. O. Mifsud, Kate Van Brussel, Jemma L. Geoghegan, Edward C. Holmes, Erin Harvey
Summary: The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem in the world, supporting over 1,200 fish species with high potential for virus transmission. However, our understanding of virus diversity and connectivity in tropical reef fishes remains poor. The reef has also faced significant threats of extinction, making it one of the most vulnerable ecosystems on the planet.
Article
Virology
Jonathon C. O. Mifsud, Vincenzo A. Costa, Mary E. Petrone, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli, Edward C. Holmes, Erin Harvey
Summary: This article investigates the evolutionary history of the Flaviviridae family and finds that the viruses originated during the early stages of animal evolution approximately 750-800 million years ago. The study also reveals cross-species transmission and co-evolution between different species.
Article
Biology
Katherine Eaton, Leo Featherstone, Sebastian Duchene, Ann G. G. Carmichael, Nukhet Varlik, G. Brian Golding, Edward C. C. Holmes, Hendrik N. N. Poinar
Summary: By using molecular clock modeling and phylogenetic analyses, the emergence of the plague pathogen throughout history is investigated. However, there have been significant disparities between phylogenetic studies of the causative bacterium, Yersinia pestis, regarding the timing and geographic origins of its reemergence. A new approach is developed to assess each Y. pestis population independently, enabling the recovery of substantial temporal signal in five populations, including ancient pandemic lineages that may have emerged before the documented pandemics from European sources.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katherine Eaton, Ravneet K. Sidhu, Jennifer Klunk, Julia A. Gamble, Jesper L. Boldsen, Ann G. Carmichael, Nukhet Varlik, Sebastian Duchene, Leo Featherstone, Vaughan Grimes, Brian Golding, Sharon N. DeWitte, Edward C. Holmes, Hendrik N. Poinar
Summary: By investigating 13 archaeological sites in Denmark, a study found that the plague appeared and evolved continuously in the region from the 14th to the 17th century, with cross-interactions with other European countries, rather than long-term local persistence. This research provides epidemiological links between the plague and the unknown pestilence in medieval and early modern Europe, and demonstrates how population-scale genomic evidence can be used to test hypotheses on disease mortality and epidemiology, paving the way for the next generation of historical disease research.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Mary E. Petrone, Carolina Lucas, Bridget Menasche, Mallery Breban, Inci Yildirim, Melissa Campbell, Saad B. Omer, Edward C. Holmes, Albert Ko, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Akiko Iwasaki, Craig B. Wilen, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Joseph R. Fauver
Summary: Developing a timely and effective response to emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern is crucial for public health. Global health surveillance relies not only on genomic data but also on methods that utilize genomic data to estimate the epidemiological dynamics of emerging lineages. In this study, the differences in reporting delays among SARS-CoV-2 VOCs were analyzed, indicating that these delays may have delayed the global response to the Mu variant. The nonsystematic biases in the reporting of genomic data could impede the assessment of future emerging variants.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Virology
Robert A. Lopez-Astacio, Oluwafemi F. Adu, Daniel J. Goetschius, Hyunwook Lee, Wendy S. Weichert, Brian R. Wasik, Simon P. Frueh, Brynn K. Alford, Ian E. H. Voorhees, Joseph F. Flint, Sarah Saddoris, Laura B. Goodman, Edward C. Holmes, Susan L. Hafenstein, Colin R. Parrish
Summary: Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a small DNA virus that causes serious diseases in dogs worldwide. In this study, in vitro selection and deep sequencing were used to investigate the escape mutations in CPV induced by two antibodies. The results provide insights into the selection of viral variants and the interactions between antibodies and receptors.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Peiwen Chen, Ziying Jin, Liuxia Peng, Zuoyi Zheng, Yiu-Man Cheung, Jing Guan, Liming Chen, Yiteng Huang, Xiaohui Fan, Zengfeng Zhang, Dongmei Shi, Jin Xie, Rirong Chen, Boheng Xiao, Chun Hung Yip, David K. Smith, Wenshan Hong, Yongmei Liu, Lifeng Li, Jia Wang, Edward C. Holmes, Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam, Huachen Zhu, Yi Guan
Summary: A novel H3N8 virus with zoonotic potential has emerged in chickens in China through reassortment with avian H3 and N8 viruses and enzootic H9N2 viruses. This H3N8 virus has independent gene lineages but exchanges internal genes with other H9N2 viruses. Experimental studies show that it is transmissible in ferrets, and serological data suggest a lack of immunological protection in humans.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Rachel L. Tulloch, Karan Kim, Chisha Sikazwe, Alice Michie, Rebecca Burrell, Edward C. Holmes, Dominic E. Dwyer, Philip N. Britton, Jen Kok, John-Sebastian Eden
Summary: The RAPIDprep assay is a simple and fast protocol for diagnosing infections within 24 hours of sample collection by sequencing ribosomal RNA-depleted total RNA. It effectively depletes human and microbial rRNA and amplifies genomic yield without the need for nucleic acid quantification or quality assessment. This assay can detect known and undiagnosed pathogens, providing valuable information for molecular epidemiological investigations and vaccine design.
Article
Virology
Callum Le Lay, Matthew B. Stott, Mang Shi, Sabrina Sadiq, Edward C. Holmes
Summary: Little is known about the diversity of RNA viruses in geothermal systems. In this study, researchers generated total RNA sequencing data from two hot springs in New Zealand and found that the microbial communities in these hot springs were highly diverse, with different proportions of bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. They also detected sequences of 23 RNA viruses from various families in one of the hot springs, some of which were novel and had uncertain host associations.
Article
Virology
Kate Van Brussel, Jackie E. Mahar, Jane Hall, Hannah Bender, Ayda Susana Ortiz-Baez, Wei-Shan Chang, Edward C. Holmes, Karrie Rose
Summary: More than 70 bat species in Australia were studied for viruses and bacteria, and the association between Hervey pteropid gammaretrovirus and lymphoid leukemia was discovered. Furthermore, several new viruses and bacterial pathogens were also identified.
Article
Virology
Callum Le Lay, Joshua N. Hamm, Timothy J. Williams, Mang Shi, Ricardo Cavicchioli, Edward C. Holmes
Summary: Despite the presence of DNA viruses infecting archaea, no RNA viruses associated with archaea have been identified. In this study, researchers investigated the metatranscriptomes of hypersaline lakes to search for highly divergent RNA viruses. They identified several candidate sequences, but couldn't provide definitive evidence of RNA viruses in archaea.
Article
Virology
Erin Harvey, Jonathon C. O. Mifsud, Edward C. Holmes, Jackie E. Mahar
Summary: This study identified the viral diversity in four Dasyuromorph species using publicly available RNA-seq data. Fifteen new virus sequences were discovered, including five DNA virus families and three RNA virus taxa. Particularly noteworthy was the discovery of a marsupial-specific clade of delta-like viruses and a highly divergent hepacivirus. Understanding the virome of these species is crucial for preventing virus transmission to naive populations, as they are currently being used in translocation efforts.
Article
Virology
Brian R. Wasik, Evin Rothschild, Ian E. H. Voorhees, Stephanie E. Reedy, Pablo R. Murcia, Nicola Pusterla, Thomas M. Chambers, Laura B. Goodman, Edward C. Holmes, James C. Kile, Colin R. Parrish
Summary: This study compares the canine influenza virus (CIV) in dogs and the equine influenza virus (EIV) in horses to reveal their host-specific evolution, determine the sources and connections between outbreaks, and gain insight into the factors controlling their evolutionary fates.
