Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Franziska Hentzschel, Matthew P. Gibbins, Charalampos Attipa, Dario Beraldi, Christopher A. Moxon, Thomas D. Otto, Matthias Marti
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of rodent P. berghei infection using flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing. The researchers identified CD71 as a host receptor for reticulocyte invasion and found that parasites adapt metabolically to the host cell environment. Transcriptional analysis and functional assays revealed the importance of nutrient-dependent tropism for gametocyte formation in reticulocytes.
Article
Biology
Abhinay Ramaprasad, Severina Klaus, Olga Douvropoulou, Richard Culleton, Arnab Pain
Summary: Through extensive genetic and phenotype analysis of P. vinckei, it was found that the five subspecies have diverged widely and undergone large-scale genome rearrangements. Region-specific selection pressures were observed particularly on genes involved in mosquito transmission. The highland forest subspecies P. v. vinckei has a smaller genome and reduced multigene family repertoire, making it suitable for transfection and ideal for reverse genetics research. Amenable to genetic crosses, P. vinckei isolates show a large degree of phenotypic and genotypic diversity. Their inclusion in studies provides new insights into the evolution of RMPs and multigene families, making them valuable resources for research on parasite virulence and immunogenicity.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Aleena Das, Welka Sahu, Deepak Kumar Ojha, K. Sony Reddy, Mrutyunjay Suar
Summary: An untargeted metabolomics approach was used to identify the changes in metabolic pathways and metabolites in the serum of mice with different pathological stages of malaria. The study provides insights into the host biology during malaria and could be helpful for the selection of animal models for evaluating diagnostic and therapeutic interventions against malaria.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOME RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
James Edwards-Smallbone, Anders L. Jensen, Lydia E. Roberts, Francis Isidore G. Totanes, Sarah R. Hart, Catherine J. Merrick
Summary: A telomere-binding protein GBP2 has been identified in the early-diverging protozoan parasite Plasmodium, which can specifically bind to G-rich telomere repeats in quadruplex form and also bind to G-rich RNA. This protein is a multifunctional DNA/RNA-binding factor in Plasmodium.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Viviane Tran, Sarah Nahle, Amelie Robert, Ines Desanlis, Ryan Killoran, Sophie Ehresmann, Marie-Pier Thibault, David Barford, Kodi S. Ravichandran, Martin Sauvageau, Matthew J. Smith, Marie Kmita, Jean-Francois Cote
Summary: Myoblast fusion is essential for development of multinucleated myofibers. Expression of an open conformation of Elmo2 promotes myoblast fusion and has the potential to improve muscle diseases.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Clare R. Harding
Summary: Clare Harding's research on the metal biology of Toxoplasma gondii has been influenced by two studies from Maria Mota's lab, which focus on the interplay between parasites and their hosts' nutritional status.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mark A. Tye, N. Connor Payne, Catrine Johansson, Kritika Singh, Sofia A. Santos, Lola Fagbami, Akansha Pant, Kayla Sylvester, Madeline R. Luth, Sofia Marques, Malcolm Whitman, Maria M. Mota, Elizabeth A. Winzeler, Amanda K. Lukens, Emily R. Derbyshire, Udo Oppermann, Dyann F. Wirth, Ralph Mazitschek
Summary: This article describes a biochemical assay for the development of antimalarials targeted at the prolyl-tRNA synthetase enzyme. High-affinity inhibitors, including triple-site ligands, were developed using this assay. These inhibitors exhibit potent dual-stage activity against Plasmodium parasites and show good cellular host selectivity. This research provides insights for the rational development of prolyl-tRNA synthetase-targeted anti-malarial therapies.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Tania Wong Fok Lung, Daniel Charytonowicz, Kristin G. Beaumont, Shivang S. Shah, Shwetha H. Sridhar, Claire L. Gorrie, Andre Mu, Casey E. Hofstaedter, David Varisco, Thomas H. McConville, Marija Drikic, Brandon Fowler, Andreacarola Urso, Wei Shi, Dario Fucich, Medini K. Annavajhala, Ibrahim N. Khan, Irina Oussenko, Nancy Francoeur, Melissa L. Smith, Brent R. Stockwell, Ian A. Lewis, Abderrahman Hachani, Swikrity Upadhyay Baskota, Anne-Catrin Uhlemann, Danielle Ahn, Robert K. Ernst, Benjamin P. Howden, Robert Sebra, Alice Prince
Summary: Kp ST258 induces disease-tolerant immune response through host metabolic activity, leading to persistent infection.
Article
Parasitology
Daniela Doussang, Nicole Sallaberry-Pincheira, Gustavo S. Cabanne, Dario A. Lijtmaer, Daniel Gonzalez-Acuna, Juliana A. Vianna
Summary: The study found that Haemoproteus has higher prevalence and diversity compared to Plasmodium, largely influenced by their avian hosts and environmental factors. Additionally, the prevalences of Haemoproteus and Plasmodium are positively correlated with host diversity, suggesting a possible amplification effect.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Benoit Malleret, Abbas El Sahili, Matthew Zirui Tay, Guillaume Carissimo, Alice Soh Meoy Ong, Wisna Novera, Jianqing Lin, Rossarin Suwanarusk, Varakorn Kosaisavee, Trang T. T. Chu, Ameya Sinha, Shanshan Wu Howland, Yiping Fan, Jakub Gruszczyk, Wai-Hong Tham, Yves Colin, Sebastian Maurer-Stroh, Georges Snounou, Lisa F. P. Ng, Jerry Kok Yen Chan, Ann-Marie Chacko, Julien Lescar, Rajesh Chandramohanadas, Francois Nosten, Bruce Russell, Laurent Renia
Summary: This study identified CD98 heavy chain as a receptor for the PvRBP2a parasite ligand, further demonstrating its role in P. vivax reticulocyte invasion. The interaction between CD98 and PvRBP2a suggests its potential as a vaccine target against P. vivax malaria.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Robert D. Murphy, Tiantian Chen, Jianping Lin, Rongjun He, Li Wu, Caden R. Pearson, Savita Sharma, Carl D. Vander Kooi, Anthony P. Sinai, Zhong-Yin Zhang, Craig W. Vander Kooi, Matthew S. Gentry
Summary: This study provides insights into the functional aspects of T. gondii glucan phosphatase TgLaforin, revealing its unique structure and activity. The discovery of a small molecule inhibitor of TgLaforin catalytic activity opens up a new avenue for targeting T. gondii bradyzoite biology as a therapeutic strategy.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Abasio fiok M. Ibekwe, Ananda S. Bhattacharjee, Duc Phan, Daniel Ashworth, Michael P. Schmidt, Shelton E. Murinda, Amarachukwu Obayiuwana, Marcia A. Murry, Gregory Schwartz, Tryg Lundquist, Jincai Ma, H. Karathia, B. Fanelli, Nur. A. Hasan, Ching-Hong Yang
Summary: In this study, the diversity and composition of microbial communities, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), virulence factor genes (VFGs), and nitrogen cycling genes in livestock manure, dairy lagoon effluent, and treated wastewater were examined using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. The presence of ARGs and VFGs in these sources pose a serious public health threat when applied to agricultural farmland.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jhonatas Rodrigues Barbosa, Raul Nunes de Carvalho Junior
Summary: This review examines the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 and explores the use of polysaccharides from functional foods to activate the immune response, highlighting polysaccharides as potential drugs for immune modulation with low toxicity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability.
TRENDS IN FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Geoffrey C. F. Lau, Alexandra M. M. Class Freeman, Paulo Pulgarin-R, Carlos Daniel Cadena, Robert E. E. Ricklefs, Benjamin G. G. Freeman
Summary: This study examined the impact of elevation on haemosporidian infections in New Guinean birds and confirmed the predictions of the biotic interactions hypothesis. The results showed that infection prevalence decreased with elevation and that parasite prevalence was strongly associated with the phylogenetic relationships among bird species rather than their elevational distribution.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yaraymi Ortiz, Norma Heredia, Santos Garcia
Summary: Escherichia coli O104:H4, a hybrid serotype carrying virulence factors from enteroaggregative (EAEC) and Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) pathotypes, is identified as a foodborne pathogen and the cause of a multicountry outbreak in 2011. Although it is not commonly found in animals or related environments, the strain has been shown to colonize the intestines of experimental animals, suggesting potential evolutionary changes that could facilitate the colonization of new reservoirs.
JOURNAL OF FOOD PROTECTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Youming Zhu, Leu Jin, Ronghua Shi, Jinming Li, Yan Wang, Li Zhang, Chao-Zhao Liang, Vinod K. Narayana, David P. De Souza, Rick F. Thorne, Li Rong Zhang, Xu Dong Zhang, Mian Wu
Summary: This study reveals a novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) called gLINC that acts as a backbone for the formation of a metabolon involving glycolytic enzymes and lactate dehydrogenase A. The gLINC metabolon enhances glycolytic flux, ATP production, and cell survival under serine deprivation. Overexpression of gLINC in cancer cells promotes xenograft growth in mice on a serine-deprived diet, suggesting its role in cancer cell adaptation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Melissa R. Pitman, Alexander C. Lewis, Lorena T. Davies, Paul A. B. Moretti, Dovile Anderson, Darren J. Creek, Jason A. Powell, Stuart M. Pitson
Summary: The study found that JTE-013 has broad off-target effects on sphingolipid metabolism, increasing cellular levels of ceramides, dihydroceramides, sphingosine, and dihydrosphingosine. Additionally, the study revealed that JTE-013 inhibits the activity of several sphingolipid metabolic enzymes.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ghizal Siddiqui, Carlo Giannangelo, Amanda De Paoli, Anna Katharina Schuh, Kim C. Heimsch, Dovile Anderson, Timothy G. Brown, Christopher A. MacRaild, Jianbo Wu, Xiaofang Wang, Yuxiang Dong, Jonathan L. Vennerstrom, Katja Becker, Darren J. Creek
Summary: This study used chemoproteomics to investigate the protein alkylation targets of peroxide antimalarials and found a significant alkylation of proteins involved in redox homeostasis. Disrupted redox processes were confirmed and changes in cellular thiol levels were observed. These findings reveal the mechanism of action of peroxide antimalarials.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Melissa K. Bennett, Manjun Li, Melinda N. Tea, Melissa R. Pitman, John Toubia, Paul P-S Wang, Dovile Anderson, Darren J. Creek, Robert Z. Orlowski, Briony L. Gliddon, Jason A. Powell, Craig T. Wallington-Beddoe, Stuart M. Pitson
Summary: The introduction of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib has improved patient survival in myeloma, but acquired resistance remains a challenge. Researchers have found that inhibiting sphingolipid metabolism can resensitize bortezomib-resistant myeloma, and this approach also works with other proteasome inhibitors like carfilzomib.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mei-Ling Han, Sue C. Nang, Yu-Wei Lin, Yan Zhu, Heidi H. Yu, Hasini Wickremasinghe, Christopher K. Barlow, Darren J. Creek, Simon Crawford, Gauri Rao, Chongshan Dai, Jeremy J. Barr, Kim Chan, Robert Turner Schooley, Tony Velkov, Jian Li
Summary: This study demonstrates the efficacy of the combination therapy of polymyxin B and phage against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, while highlighting the risk of phage monotherapy-induced resistance. The combination treatment significantly inhibits bacterial metabolic activity and activates key cellular signaling pathways within 4 hours.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biology
Benjamin Liffner, Juan Miguel Balbin, Gerald J. Shami, Ghizal Siddiqui, Jan Strauss, Sonja Frolich, Gary K. Heinemann, Ella May Edwards, Arne Alder, Jan Stephan Wichers, Darren J. Creek, Leann Tilley, Matthew W. A. Dixon, Tim-Wolf Gilberger, Danny W. Wilson
Summary: The protein PfCERLI2 is essential for the invasion and growth of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite within human red blood cells. It localizes to the cytosolic face of the parasite's rhoptry bulb and plays important roles in rhoptry biology during merozoite invasion.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Kevin Ming-Chin Lee, Adrian A. Achuthan, David P. De Souza, Tanya J. Lupancu, Katrina J. Binger, Man K. S. Lee, Yangsong Xu, Malcolm J. McConville, Nicole A. de Weerd, Dragana Dragoljevic, Paul J. Hertzog, Andrew J. Murphy, John A. Hamilton, Andrew J. Fleetwood
Summary: Metabolic adaptations controlled by IFN beta influence macrophage activation and polarization by regulating the cellular alpha-ketoglutarate/succinate ratio.
Article
Biology
Haoran Zhu, Keefe T. Chan, Xinran Huang, Carmelo Cerra, Shaun Blake, Anna S. Trigos, Dovile Anderson, Darren J. Creek, David P. De Souza, Xi Wang, Caiyun Fu, Metta Jana, Elaine Sanij, Richard B. Pearson, Jian Kang
Summary: This study reveals that upregulated CBS expression and enhanced uptake of cysteine protects cells undergoing AKT-induced senescence from oxidative stress-induced cell death. CBS depletion allows cells to escape senescence and re-enter the cell cycle, indicating the importance of CBS activity in maintaining senescence. CBS expression is suppressed in human gastric cancer cells with activated PI3K/AKT signaling. CBS loss cooperates with activated PI3K/AKT signaling to promote anchorage-independent growth of gastric epithelial cells, while CBS restoration suppresses the growth of gastric tumors in vivo.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gemma L. Sadler, Katherine N. Lewis, Vinod K. Narayana, David P. De Souza, Joel Mason, Catriona McLean, David G. Gonsalvez, Bradley J. Turner, Samantha K. Barton
Summary: This study found dysregulated lipid levels and corresponding enzyme expression in the white matter of ALS patients, likely leading to changes in myelin composition and affecting motor neuron function. This highlights the potential critical role of oligodendrocytes in the pathogenesis of ALS.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Janice W. -Y. Mui, David P. De Souza, Eleanor C. Saunders, Malcolm J. McConville, Spencer J. Williams
Summary: The microbial degradation of sulfoquinovose through sulfoglycolysis allows the utilization of its carbon content and contributes to the biomineralization of its sulfur.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Gio Fidelito, David P. De Souza, Birunthi Niranjan, William De Nardo, Shivakumar Keerthikumar, Kristin Brown, Renea A. Taylor, Matthew J. Watt
Summary: Cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming to meet increased bioenergetic demands. Glucose, glutamine, and fatty acid oxidation were upregulated in malignant PDXs compared with benign PDXs. Fatty acid uptake and oxidation are targetable metabolic dependencies in human prostate cancer.
MOLECULAR CANCER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Amy L. Burns, Brad E. Sleebs, Maria Gancheva, Kimberley T. McLean, Ghizal Siddiqui, Henrietta Venter, James G. Beeson, Ryan O'Handley, Darren J. Creek, Shutao Ma, Sonja Froelich, Christopher D. Goodman, Geoffrey McFadden, Danny W. Wilson
Summary: This study evaluated azithromycin analogues and found that they improved quick-killing activity against Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium knowlesi parasites. These analogues not only maintained activity, but also had higher selectivity against P. falciparum compared to human cells. The quick-killing activity of these drugs was achieved by inhibiting bacterium-like ribosomes or the apicoplast, and their activity did not improve in other related parasites and bacteria. This research provides new starting points for developing azithromycin analogues with quick-killing antimalarial activity.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Matthew P. Challis, Shane M. Devine, Darren J. Creek
Summary: This review provides an overview of various techniques for antimalarial target identification, including in vitro resistance generation, metabolomics screening, chemoproteomic approaches, and biophysical assays. The strengths and weaknesses of these methods are compared, and their applications in antimalarial research are analyzed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2022)
Review
Parasitology
Malgorzata Anna Domagalska, Michael P. Barrett, Jean-Claude Dujardin
Summary: Treatment failure (TF), particularly in leishmaniasis, is a major concern in the management of parasitic diseases. It is unclear whether drug resistance (DR), measured by in vitro drug susceptibility assays, is the sole contributor to TF. This article addresses three key questions to clarify the relationship between TF and DR.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Ana-Maria Nastase, Michael P. Barrett, Washington B. Cardenas, Fernanda Bertuccez Cordeiro, Mildred Zambrano, Joyce Andrade, Juan Chang, Mary Regato, Eugenia Carrillo, Laura Botana, Javier Moreno, Clement Regnault, Kathryn Milne, Philip J. Spence, J. Alexandra Rowe, Simon Rogers
Summary: Acute febrile illnesses remain a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, especially in low to middle income countries. This study aimed to identify common metabolic characteristics in patients infected with different pathogens that cause fever. Three LC-MS datasets were utilized to investigate the metabolic effects of malaria, leishmaniasis, and Zika virus infection. Metabolic dysregulation patterns were identified, with the kynurenine pathway being the most affected pathway across all three fever-associated datasets.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)