Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mikel Garcia-Marcos
Summary: The study reveals the mechanism by which mammalian Ric-8 chaperones achieve specificity for their respective Gα subunits.
Article
Microbiology
Yong-Joon Cho, Taeyune Kim, Daniel Croll, Minji Park, Donghyeun Kim, Hye Lim Keum, Woo Jun Sul, Won Hee Jung
Summary: Malassezia is a common fungus on human skin that causes various skin diseases. This study compared the genome of the recently identified Malassezia species, M. arunalokei, with the dominant species M. restricta and found specific gene loss events during speciation. The research also revealed that M. arunalokei diverged from M. restricta approximately 7.1 million years ago, making it the most recently diverged species in the Malassezia lineage. Furthermore, analysis of the facial mycobiome showed that M. arunalokei is more abundant on the forehead and cheek than on the scalp.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Willeke M. Ravensbergen, Irie L. Timmer, Jacobijn Gussekloo, Jeanet W. Blom, Monica van Eijk, Wilco P. Achterberg, Andrea W. M. Evers, Sandra van Dijk, Yvonne M. Drewes
Summary: This study aimed to explore the meaning of functioning to older persons after a hip fracture and assess the alignment between (I)ADL instruments and self-perceived functioning. The findings revealed that self-perceived functioning differed from the activities included in (I)ADL questionnaires and limitations in activities measured by these questionnaires did not necessarily result in worse self-perceived functioning due to various coping strategies.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Cheryl Leong, Joyce Wang, Min Jet Toi, Yuen In Lam, Joleen Pz Goh, Shi Mun Lee, Thomas L. Dawson
Summary: The study confirmed the antifungal efficacy of zinc pyrithione in treating dandruff by inhibiting the growth of Malassezia on the scalp. These findings are valuable for investigating the role of Malassezia in skin microbiome intervention studies.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Helena Vassilieff, Andrew D. W. Geering, Nathalie Choisne, Pierre-Yves Teycheney, Florian Maumus
Summary: The Caulimoviridae is a family of DNA viruses that infect plants, and their integration into plant genomes has resulted in the presence of endogenous caulimovirids (ECVs). Research on ECVs over the past 25 years has revealed the ecological diversity and macroevolution of Caulimoviridae, highlighting the need for further investigation into the impact of ECVs on plant biology and the evolutionary history of this viral family. The availability of plant genome sequences and new tools for genome annotation will greatly contribute to future research in this field.
Article
Pathology
Giorgio Durante, Giulia Veronesi, Cosimo Misciali, Mattia Riefolo, Martina Lambertini, Federico Tartari, Costantino Ricci, Manuela Ferracin, Emi Dika
Summary: The study found that dysplastic nevi (DN) and melanomas developed in the same patient have different small RNA expression profiles, supporting the hypothesis that DN are distinct biological entities rather than melanoma precursors.
PATHOLOGY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
(2022)
Article
Business
Luca Petruzzellis, Andrea Fronzetti Colladon, Marco Visentin, Jean-Charles Chebat
Summary: This study found that emotions play a significant role in shaping satisfaction during the shopping experience, and are linked inwardly to the individuals' self-identity. The results suggest that modern retail environments should focus on enhancing the hedonic shopping experience by incorporating elements of fun, fantasy, moods, and emotions.
JOURNAL OF RETAILING AND CONSUMER SERVICES
(2021)
Article
Cultural Studies
Monica B. Pearl
Summary: This article criticizes "It's a Sin" for its handling of queer kinship and family themes, arguing that it loses its nerve by portraying mothers as villains.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CULTURAL STUDIES
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Yubo Ma, Xiaowen Wang, Ruoyu Li
Summary: The incidence of skin fungal infections is on the rise globally, posing a major challenge to health professionals. Recent studies have provided important breakthroughs on the clinical and etiological characteristics of common skin fungal infections caused by different fungal species.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. de Lange, S. Naqshband, A. J. F. Hoitink
Summary: This study analyzed hydraulic roughness of the Rhine and Waal rivers in the Netherlands based on dune geometry and topographic data. Results showed that even dune geometry could not fully explain roughness variations, and multi-kilometer depth oscillations may play a significant role in causing roughness. Further research is needed to understand the implications of depth variations on flow resistance.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Roula M. Abdel-Massih, Esperance Debs, Leen Othman, Jihad Attieh, Franco M. Cabrerizo
Summary: Glucosinolates are plant nitrogen-containing natural products, and the degradation products of glucosinolates have potent biological activity. This review focuses on the various means of glucosinolate degradation and the resulting products. It also aims to provide a comparative profile of the antimicrobial effects of these degradation products to enhance our understanding of their biological function.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Minji Park, Sungmin Park, Won Hee Jung
Summary: Malassezia is the most abundant genus in fungal microflora on human skin, associated with various skin diseases. It cannot synthesize fatty acids, so it relies on external sources for survival and compensates by secreting lipases and degrading sebum to obtain fatty acids. The role of secreted lipases in the pathogenesis of Malassezia infections is still largely unknown.
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sean E. Mangion, Lorraine Mackenzie, Michael S. Roberts, Amy M. Holmes
Summary: This review discusses the topical products available for treating seborrheic dermatitis (SD) and their targeting of various aspects of the disease. Zinc pyrithione (ZnPT) based products that exhibit anti-fungal action are the market leaders. A skin compartment approach is presented for combining ZnPT exposure information with threshold levels for efficacy and toxicity, providing a comprehensive understanding of ZnPT therapeutics and safety. Successful SD treatment requires formulations that balance efficacy, safety, and consumer appeal.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS AND BIOPHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guizhong Tian, Dongliang Fan, Xiaoming Feng, Honggen Zhou
Summary: The surfaces of aquatic animals provide design inspiration for artificial drag-reduction materials due to their diverse microstructures and drag-reducing properties. The exceptional drag-reduction effects and mechanisms of aquatic animals have attracted increasing research interest, and studying aquatic animals using biomimicry principles can lead to a comprehensive understanding of underwater drag-reduction mechanisms.
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Anders Agmo, Ellen Laan
Summary: Sexual incentive stimuli activate sexual motivation and heighten general arousal, leading individuals to approach and engage in sexual acts. These interactions further enhance arousal, culminating in orgasm. Research suggests that the basic mechanisms of sexual motivation and arousal are similar in rodents and humans.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Shelby J. Priest, Marco A. Coelho, Veronica Mixao, Shelly Applen Clancey, Yitong Xu, Sheng Sun, Toni Gabaldon, Joseph Heitman
Summary: This study found that the loss of Msh2 between the Cryptococcus species C. neoformans and C. deneoformans can lead to the production of hybrid progeny with increased viability and high levels of aneuploidy. Although whole-genome sequencing did not show an increase in recombination, the hybrid progeny exhibited structures associated with sexual reproduction, providing a new perspective on the evolutionary process of Cryptococcus species.
Article
Microbiology
Alexandra Cabrita, Marcia David-Palma, Patricia H. Brito, Joseph Heitman, Marco A. Coelho, Paula Goncalves
Summary: The genetic basis of homothallism in a fungal lineage rich in homothallic species, the Cystofilobasidiales, was found to be distinct from that of other related species. Homothallism in this lineage may involve constitutive activation or dispensability of the pheromone receptor and the functional replacement of the usual Hd1/Hd2 heterodimer by an Hd2 homodimer. This suggests that homothallism evolved independently multiple times within the Cystofilobasidiales, supporting the idea that transitions between heterothallism and homothallism are not as rare as previously thought.
Meeting Abstract
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Geraldo Balieiro Neto, Carlos Augusto Rosa, Jose Paulo Sampaio, Jose Evandro de Moraes, Carlos Alberto Toquini Junior, Lais Galerani Salgueiro, Acyr Wanderley De Paula Freitas
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Bruno M. Pedras, Carla Goncalves, Diogo R. Figueira, Pedro Simoes, Paula Goncalves, Alexandre Paiva, Susana Barreiros, Madalena Salema-Oom
Summary: This study successfully utilized non-structural sugars from white wine grape pomace as the carbon source for the production of multiple high-value products by Rhodotorula babjevae, highlighting its high biotransformation capability and fructophilic character.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Margarida Silva, Ana Pontes, Ricardo Franco-Duarte, Pedro Soares, Jose Paulo Sampaio, Maria Joao Sousa, Patricia H. Brito
Summary: This study explores the population structure and genome variation of T. delbrueckii, finding that it is composed of five major clades, with one clade associated with wine fermentation and another with diverse anthropic environments. Comparisons with S. cerevisiae reveal that T. delbrueckii has a smaller variable genome proportion. An association between gene content and ecology supports the hypothesis that the Mix-Anthropic clade has the most specialized genome, with genes implicated in galactose and maltose utilization. Further analyses identify gene clusters associated with dairy products and expanded and functionally diversified genes in strains isolated from bread dough. The study expands our understanding of microbe domestication and adaptation to anthropic niches.
Article
Microbiology
Carla Goncalves, Margarida Marques, Paula Goncalves
Summary: Microbes have flexible metabolic capabilities and can use different compounds to meet their needs. Yeasts belonging to the Wickerhamiella and Starmerella genera (W/S clade) are usually found in flowers or insects and have acquired many genes from bacteria. This study investigates sucrose utilization in the W/S clade and uncovers different strategies and modes of sucrose assimilation. This research provides insights into the ecological implications and energy metabolism of disaccharide utilization in these yeasts.
Article
Biology
Andrew Ryan Passer, Shelly Applen Clancey, Terrance Shea, Marcia David-Palma, Anna Floyd Averette, Teun Boekhout, Betina M. Porcel, Minou Nowrousian, Christina A. Cuomo, Sheng Sun, Joseph Heitman, Marco A. Coelho
Summary: The study reveals the mechanism of self-compatibility in the fungal species Cryptococcus depauperatus, which is closely related to human fungal pathogens. Through comparative genomics and analysis of mutants, the researchers demonstrate that the sexual cycle of C. depauperatus involves meiosis and is orchestrated by a mating receptor and pheromone ligand pair. These findings provide insights into transitions between sexual reproduction modes in the fungal kingdom.
Article
Cell Biology
Paula Goncalves, Carla Goncalves
Summary: Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a common genetic phenomenon in bacteria, but less common in eukaryotes. Recently, there have been numerous reports of HGT in yeasts based on strict criteria, with many involving filamentous fungi and yeasts. This article summarizes the most prominent instances of HGT reported in yeasts and provides an overview of research progress in terms of frequency, distribution, mechanisms, barriers, function of horizontally acquired genes, and the role of HGT in domestication.
CURRENT OPINION IN GENETICS & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Andreia Aires, Carla Goncalves, Jose Paulo Sampaio
Summary: During a survey of floricolous yeasts in Portugal, a novel species of the basidiomycetous yeast genus Hannaella was discovered in the flower of an ornamental exotic plant Lantana camara, which is native to Central and South America. Molecular analyses of DNA barcode sequences confirmed the new species, which was named Hannaella floricola sp. nov. It also revealed its close relationship with other species in the genus Hannaella.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
David Peris, Emily J. Ubbelohde, Meihua Christina Kuang, Jacek Kominek, Quinn K. Langdon, Marie Adams, Justin A. Koshalek, Amanda Beth Hulfachor, Dana A. Opulente, David J. Hall, Katie Hyma, Justin C. Fay, Jean-Baptiste Leducq, Guillaume Charron, Christian R. Landry, Diego Libkind, Carla Goncalves, Paula Goncalves, Jose Paulo Sampaio, Qi-Ming Wang, Feng-Yan Bai, Russel L. Wrobel, Chris Todd Hittinger
Summary: The authors describe the geographical distribution, hosts, substrates, and phylogenetic relationships for 1,794 Saccharomyces strains. Through analyzing complete genome sequences of 163 strains and phenotyping 128 phylogenetically diverse strains, they provide insights into how gene flow and selection have affected traits in the evolution of this genus. These findings elevate the importance of Saccharomyces as a model for understanding biodiversity and evolution in microbial eukaryotes.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Francisca Paraiso, Ana Pontes, Joana Neves, Kebaneilwe Lebani, Mathias Hutzler, Nerve Zhou, Jose Paulo Sampaio
Summary: Certain lineages of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have diastatic activity due to the presence of the chimeric gene STA1. Diastatic yeasts can cause beer contamination and off-flavors. By analyzing contaminations in a craft brewery, it was found that diastatic yeasts in beer are mainly from environmental strains and have possible origins in natural settings.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marco A. Coelho, Giuseppe Ianiri, Marcia David-Palma, Bart Theelen, Rohit Goyal, Aswathy Narayanan, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Kaustuv Sanyal, Teun Boekhout, Joseph Heitman
Summary: Fungi in the genus Malassezia, which are commonly found on the skin of humans and other warm-blooded animals, have been linked to skin diseases and systemic disorders. Analysis of Malassezia genomes suggests that their ability to adapt to the skin microenvironment is directly influenced by their genetic makeup. Despite the absence of observed sexual reproduction, the presence of mating/meiotic genes suggests a potential for sexual reproduction in Malassezia. The arrangement of mating type loci in Malassezia has been found to be different from other basidiomycetes, indicating an ancestral state of the genus.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carlos A. Rosa, Marc-Andre Lachance, Savitree Limtong, Ana R. O. Santos, Mellisa F. Landell, Andreas K. Gombert, Paula B. Morais, Jose P. Sampaio, Carla Goncalves, Paula Goncalves, Aristoteles Goes-Neto, Rosangela Santa-Brigida, Marlucia B. Martins, Daniel H. Janzen, Winnie Hallwachs
Summary: Tropical rainforests and related biomes are tremendous sources of novel yeasts. Tropical yeasts participate in several ecological interactions that contribute to the health of these ecosystems. Most studies of yeast diversity in tropical forests were carried out using culture-dependent methods. Yeasts from tropical rainforests are rich sources for bioinnovation.
Article
Mycology
Andrey Yurkov, Artur Alves, Feng-Yan Bai, Kyria Boundy-Mills, Pietro Buzzini, Neza Cadez, Gianluigi Cardinali, Serge Casaregola, Vishnu Chaturvedi, Valerie Collin, Jack W. Fell, Victoria Girard, Marizeth Groenewald, Ferry Hagen, Chris Todd Hittinger, Aleksey Kachalkin, Markus Kostrzewa, Vassili Kouvelis, Diego Libkind, Xinzhan Liu, Thomas Maier, Wieland Meyer, Gabor Peter, Marcin Piatek, Vincent Robert, Carlos A. Rosa, Jose Paulo Sampaio, Matthias Sipiczki, Marc Stadler, Takashi Sugita, Junta Sugiyama, Hiroshi Takagi, Masako Takashima, Benedetta Turchetti, Qi-Ming Wang, Teun Boekhout
Summary: The accurate application of fungal names is crucial for scientific communication, clinical diagnostics, and regulatory compliance. Maintaining the stability of the taxonomic system and ensuring the traceability of nomenclatural changes are key for a broad range of users and taxonomists. Proper preservation of nomenclatural history and physical organisms representing names is essential to assure the unambiguous application of names.
