Article
Microbiology
William K. Boyle, Crystal L. Richards, Daniel P. Dulebohn, Amanda K. Zalud, Jeff A. Shaw, Sandor Lovas, Frank C. Gherardini, Travis J. Bourret
Summary: This study demonstrates the pivotal role of DnaK suppressor protein (DksA) in the gene regulation and infectivity of B. burgdorferi, shedding light on the mechanisms underlying Lyme disease pathogenesis.
Article
Immunology
Fuad Alanazi, Sajith Raghunandanan, Raj Priya, X. Frank Yang
Summary: This study identified the crucial role of the Rrp2-RpoN-RpoS pathway in blood-brain barrier transmigration and invasion of the central nervous system by Borrelia burgdorferi. The major surface lipoprotein OspC was found to be a significant contributor to blood-brain barrier transmigration. Other major surface lipoproteins controlled by this pathway, DbpA/B and BBK32, were less important for blood-brain barrier transmigration. The surface lipoprotein OspA and the Rrp1 pathway, required for B. burgdorferi colonization in the tick vector, were not necessary for blood-brain barrier transmigration.
INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lifang Feng, Weiwei Bi, Shuai Chen, Junli Zhu, Xiaoxiang Liu
Summary: This study evaluated the regulatory function of sigma factors RpoS and RpoN in environmental adaptation and spoilage potential in Shewanella baltica SB02. Deletion of RpoN resulted in slower growth and weaker motility, while deletion of RpoS increased swimming ability. Both mutants showed significant effects on biofilm formation, stress response, and susceptibility to antibiotics. RpoN was found to be a central regulator controlling fitness and bacterial spoilage, while RpoS played a key role in stress response.
Article
Biology
Elsio A. Wunder, Haritha Adhikarla, Camila Hamond, Katharine A. Owers Bonner, Li Liang, Camila B. Rodrigues, Vimla Bisht, Jarlath E. Nally, David P. Alt, Mitermayer G. Reis, Peter J. Diggle, Philip L. Felgner, Albert Ko
Summary: Leptospirosis, a leading zoonotic disease worldwide, requires urgent prevention measures. Research has shown that a motility-deficient mutant vaccine can induce an immune response and enhance resistance against Leptospira infection in animals.
Review
Microbiology
Brian Stevenson
Summary: The Lyme disease spirochete persists in nature through cycles between ticks and vertebrates, but it has a limited ability to sense its external environment. Detailed investigations on Borrelia burgdorferi have revealed the molecular mechanisms through which it controls production of virulence-associated factors. This has led to the development of a model explaining how B. burgdorferi controls expression of its diverse proteins through changes triggered by specific physiological and metabolic states during its infectious cycle.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Sanna Avellan, Daniel Bremell
Summary: The study found that adjunctive corticosteroids do not improve or impair the outcome for patients with LNB PFP treated with doxycycline.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mariska Kerstholt, Michelle Brouwer, Marcel te Vrugt, Marije Oosting, Mihai G. Netea, Leo A. B. Joosten
Summary: This study found that the spirochete B. burgdorferi can affect the host's antioxidant capacity, reducing the ability of cells to generate ROS but resulting in an overproduction of ROS at a later stage. The PI3K/Akt pathway and intracellular levels of methionine play important roles in regulating this process. Dysregulation of oxidative metabolism may be a novel mechanism by which the spirochete modulates the human immune system and evades killing.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christina Thompson, Sierra George, Maria L. White, Prahathees J. Eswara, Zhiming Ouyang
Summary: This study found that BB0761, a putative M23 family homolog, plays a role in cell division and virulence of the bacterial pathogen causing Lyme disease.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jenny Wachter, Britney Cheff, Chad Hillman, Valentina Carracoi, David W. Dorward, Craig Martens, Kent Barbian, Glenn Nardone, L. Renee Olano, Margie Kinnersley, Patrick R. Secor, Patricia A. Rosa
Summary: The alternative sigma factor RpoS plays a crucial role in the critical host-adaptive response of Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease spirochete. This study characterises the negative regulator bbd18 of RpoS and demonstrates its essential nature for the viability of wild-type spirochetes in vitro and in vivo. Transcriptomic analyses reveal that BBD18 depletion leads to global induction of RpoS-dependent genes, which can be circumvented by deletion of rpoS.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Christina Thompson, Connor Waldron, Sierra George, Zhiming Ouyang
Summary: The alternative sigma factor RpoS in Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease, has been found to regulate the bb0563 gene, which contributes to the optimal infectivity of B. burgdorferi. bb0563 showed similar expression patterns as other virulence-associated genes when B. burgdorferi was exposed to environmental stimuli. bb0563 expression was downregulated when rpoS was inactivated and restored in the complemented strain.
INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Michael A. Crowley, Troy Bankhead
Summary: This study focuses on a putative regulatory factor encoded by a transcriptionally active intergenic region of the bacterial agent Borrelia burgdorferi. The functional product of this region is not a protein as previously predicted. Transcription of this region is highly induced during murine infection and its targeted deletion results in significant changes to the transcriptome.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Martina Woelflingseder, Sarah Tutz, Vera H. Fengler, Stefan Schild, Joachim Reidl
Summary: This study investigates the regulatory interaction between RpoS and RssB and their functions under bacterial starvation conditions. Phenotypic and expression analyses reveal that RssB influences bacterial motility, growth behavior, colonization fitness, and survival. Additionally, the study finds that RssB is a substrate for proteolysis, and a mutation may affect its interaction with RpoS.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Martin Strnad, Natalie Rudenko, Ryan O. M. Rego
Summary: This review discusses the various well-defined and possible novel strategies and virulence mechanisms used by B. burgdorferi to evade obstacles during colonization and infection by tick vectors and mammalian hosts.
Article
Microbiology
Lindsay C. Sidak-Loftis, Kristin L. Rosche, Natasha Pence, Jessica K. Ujczo, Joanna Hurtado, Elis A. Fisk, Alan G. Goodman, Susan M. Noh, John W. Peters, Dana K. Shaw
Summary: The study discovers a novel linkage between the unfolded-protein response (UPR) and the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway in arthropods, explaining how the IMD pathway can be activated in ticks and restrict the transmission of pathogens.
Article
Biology
Peiyi Ye, Xia Li, Binbin Cui, Shihao Song, Fangfang Shen, Xiayu Chen, Gerun Wang, Xiaofan Zhou, Yinyue Deng
Summary: PutA functions not only in proline metabolism, but also as a global regulator in controlling the biological functions and virulence of Ralstonia solanacearum. It regulates target gene expression levels by directly binding to promoter DNA, and its activity is enhanced by L-proline. The cofactors NAD(+) and FAD have contrasting effects, enhancing the enzymatic activity of PutA while inhibiting its regulatory activity.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)