Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mitzi Diaz-Hernandez, Rosario Javier-Reyna, Izaid Sotto-Ortega, Guillermina Garcia-Rivera, Sarita Montano, Abigail Betanzos, Dxinegueela Zanatta, Esther Orozco
Summary: The study identifies the presence of a SUMO gene in E. histolytica and highlights the importance of SUMOylation in phagocytosis. The interaction of EhSUMO with phagocytosis-related proteins varies under different conditions, emphasizing the dynamic nature of this process.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Binda T. Andongma, Yazheng Huang, Fang Chen, Qing Tang, Min Yang, Shan-Ho Chou, Xinfeng Li, Jin He
Summary: Tuberculosis is a global health threat causing 1.5 million deaths annually. This study designed a multi-epitope vaccine against TB using an immuno-informatics approach. The predicted vaccine showed stability, safety, high antigenicity, and immunogenicity, indicating its potential as a global TB vaccine.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jona Karam, Fabien P. Blanchet, Eric Vives, Prisca Boisguerin, Yves-Marie Boudehen, Laurent Kremer, Wassim Daher
Summary: It has been discovered that neutralizing anti-CD81 antibodies and deletion of the large extracellular loop (LEL) of CD81 significantly reduce the uptake of Mab by macrophages. Saturation of Mab with soluble GST-CD81-LEL or CD81-LEL-derived peptides also decreases the internalization of the bacteria. The study unveils AhpC as a major interactant of CD81-LEL, and pre-exposure of macrophages with soluble AhpC inhibits mycobacterial uptake while overexpression of AhpC in Mab enhances its internalization. These findings highlight the previously unexplored role of CD81/AhpC in promoting the uptake of pathogenic mycobacteria by host cells.
Article
Immunology
Nicola Campbell, Ayesha J. Verrall, Simon Donkor, Jayne S. Sutherland, Philip C. Hill
Summary: The study found that BCG vaccine protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection decreased with increasing exposure to the pathogen in the Gambia, with the strongest protection observed in the lowest exposure tertile. These findings are consistent with previous results from Indonesia.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Manoj Thakur, Ankit Agarwal, Kalappa Muniyappa
Summary: The study explores the enzymatic properties of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis UvrABC excinuclease complex, revealing that MtUvrC has UvrB-independent ATPase activity which drives dual incision of damaged DNA strands. In contrast, EcUvrC lacks ATPase activity but retains the ability to bind ATP.
Article
Immunology
Edward B. Irvine, Anthony O'Neil, Patricia A. Darrah, Sally Shin, Alok Choudhary, Wenjun Li, William Honnen, Smriti Mehra, Deepak Kaushal, Hannah Priyadarshini Gideon, JoAnne L. Flynn, Mario Roederer, Robert A. Seder, Abraham Pinter, Sarah Fortune, Galit Alter
Summary: Alter and colleagues demonstrate that IgM titers in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid are markers of reduced Mtb burden in rhesus macaques vaccinated intravenously with Bacille Calmette-Guerin. This study suggests the potential importance of IgM responses as a marker and mediator of protection against TB, highlighting the superior antibody responses induced by intravenous BCG compared to traditional intradermal administration.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Catalina Contreras, Raul Alegria-Moran, Mario Duchens, Pedro Abalos, Renata Lopez, Patricio Retamal
Summary: This study describes the specific and non-specific effects of BCG vaccination in calves from a commercial dairy herd in central Chile. The results show that the BCG vaccine provides a certain level of protection against Mycobacterium bovis infection in cattle and has positive effects on health parameters. However, these non-specific effects may be influenced by factors such as animal breed and season.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Deodutta Roy, Nasreen Z. Ehtesham, Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain
Summary: The study highlights the potential role of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in inducing lung cancer by sharing key characteristics with established carcinogens. Experimental evidence and mechanistic data support the hypothesis that Mtb could act as a complete human pulmonary carcinogen, suggesting implications for the management and treatment of TB cases with potential cancerous lesions.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jose Manuel Ezquerra-Aznarez, Giulia Degiacomi, Henrich Gasparovic, Giovanni Stelitano, Jose Camilla Sammartino, Jana Kordulakova, Paolo Governa, Fabrizio Manetti, Maria Rosalia Pasca, Laurent Roberto Chiarelli, Santiago Ramon-Garcia
Summary: Avermectins, macrocyclic lactones with anthelmintic activity, have been found to be effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, particularly strains carrying mutations in the DprE1 gene. While biochemical assays confirmed the interaction of selamectin with DprE1, the compound may have multiple targets in inhibiting mycobacterial growth, as evidenced by discrepancies in mutant strain phenotypic assays and lipid profiles.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Tuhina Gupta, Demba Sarr, Kayla Fantone, Nuha Milad Ashtiwi, Kaori Sakamoto, Frederick D. Quinn, Balazs Rada
Summary: Mtb is the primary cause of human tuberculosis, but the role of Duox1 in bacterial infections remains largely unknown. This study showed that in a mouse model, Duox1 is dispensable for the overall clinical course of Mtb lung infection.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Yoann Rombouts, Olivier Neyrolles
Summary: This study reveals that Mycobacterium tuberculosis produces a virulence factor called 1-tuberculosinyladenosine, which leads to lysosomal dysfunction and lipid accumulation in macrophages similar to lysosomal storage diseases. These findings provide insights into how the bacteria manipulates host lipid metabolism for its survival and suggest new strategies for host-directed therapy against tuberculosis.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Pedro Abalos, Nicolas Valdivieso, Bernat Perez de Val, Martin Vordermeier, Maria Belen Benavides, Raul Alegria-Moran, Karina Saadi, Mathias Wistuba, Camila Ortega, Nicole Sanchez, Patricio Retamal
Summary: This study assessed the efficacy of BCG vaccination for the control of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in dairy calves in high prevalence areas. The results showed a low but significant level of protection provided by the BCG vaccine, with varying levels of protection and duration of immunity observed between trial herds. The findings suggest that BCG vaccination could be used as a complementary tool for disease control in high prevalence areas.
Article
Microbiology
Lei Zhang, Ye Zhang, Yuanyuan Li, Fengmin Huo, Xi Chen, Hui Zhu, Shaochen Guo, Lei Fu, Bin Wang, Yu Lu, Alexandra Aubry
Summary: This study reviews and details the discovery of a mutation associated with Clofazimine resistance and provides additional evidence of its link to resistance in 30 additional isolates. This research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of Clofazimine resistance mechanisms, which is critical for reducing resistance emergence and aiding in anti-TB drug discovery.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Lei Zhang, Ye Zhang, Yuanyuan Li, Fengmin Huo, Xi Chen, Hui Zhu, Shaochen Guo, Lei Fu, Bin Wang, Yu Lu
Summary: Through testing additional 30 isolates, we further confirmed the association between the mutation in the Rv1453 gene and clofazimine resistance, providing detailed information for understanding the mechanisms of clofazimine resistance.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Lazaro Moreira Marques-Neto, Monalisa Martins Trentini, Alex Issamu Kanno, Dunia Rodriguez, Luciana Cezar de Cerqueira Leite
Summary: The rBCG-LTAK63 vaccine induces a long-term polyfunctional Th1/Th17 response and an increased presence of memory T cells, leading to improved protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in mice. This enhanced immune response may contribute to the long-term protection provided by the vaccine.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Suraj B. Sable, James E. Posey, Thomas J. Scriba
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2020)
Review
Immunology
Michelle H. Larsen, Karen Lacourciere, Tina M. Parker, Alison Kraigsley, Jacqueline M. Achkar, Linda B. Adams, Kathryn M. Dupnik, Luanne Hall-Stoodley, Travis Hartman, Carly Kanipe, Sherry L. Kurtz, Michele A. Miller, Liliana C. M. Salvador, John S. Spencer, Richard T. Robinson
Article
Infectious Diseases
Fred Bernardes Filho, Jaci Maria Santana, Regina Coeli Palma de Almeida, Glauber Voltan, Natalia Aparecida de Paula, Marcel Nani Leite, Claudia Maria Lincoln Silva, Camila Tormena, Lean Basoli, Joelma Menezes, Moises Batista da Silva, John Stewart Spencer, Wilson Marques, Norma Tiraboschi Foss, Marco Andrey Cipriani Frade
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2020)
Review
Biology
Emily N. Gallichotte, Karen M. Dobos, Gregory D. Ebel, Mary Hagedorn, Jason L. Rasgon, Jason H. Richardson, Timothy T. Stedman, Jennifer P. Barfield
Summary: Mosquito-borne diseases are a significant burden on global public health, with efforts to control mosquitoes having both positive and negative consequences. Technological advances allow genetic manipulation of mosquitoes to increase research possibilities.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Moises Batista da Silva, Wei Li, Raquel Carvalho Bouth, Angelica Rita Gobbo, Ana Caroline Cunha Messias, Tania Mara Pires Moraes, Erika Vanessa Oliveira Jorge, Josafa Goncalves Barreto, Fred Bernardes Filho, Guilherme Augusto Barros Conde, Marco Andrey Cipriani Frade, Claudio Guedes Salgado, John Stewart Spencer
Summary: The study showed that combining two biomarkers for detecting M. leprae infection improved sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in diagnosing leprosy, especially in asymptomatic individuals with latent disease. This approach could potentially help in identifying individuals at higher risk of contributing to disease transmission and progressing to clinical leprosy, suggesting potential strategies to reduce leprosy transmission in highly endemic areas.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kimberley J. Hockings, Benjamin Mubemba, Charlotte Avanzi, Kamilla Pleh, Ariane Dux, Elena Bersacola, Joana Bessa, Marina Ramon, Sonja Metzger, Livia V. Patrono, Jenny E. Jaffe, Andrej Benjak, Camille Bonneaud, Philippe Busso, Emmanuel Couacy-Hymann, Moussa Gado, Sebastien Gagneux, Roch C. Johnson, Mamoudou Kodio, Joshua Lynton-Jenkins, Irina Morozova, Kerstin Matz-Rensing, Aissa Regalla, Abilio R. Said, Verena J. Schuenemann, Samba O. Sow, John S. Spencer, Markus Ulrich, Hyacinthe Zoubi, Stewart T. Cole, Roman M. Wittig, Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer, Fabian H. Leendertz
Summary: This study found leprosy-like lesions in wild populations of western chimpanzees in Guinea-Bissau and Cote d'Ivoire, caused by Mycobacterium leprae. The chimpanzee strains were identified as belonging to rare genotypes, suggesting leprosy may be circulating in more wild animals than previously suspected.
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Claire L. Gordy, Melissa V. Ramirez, Micah Vandegrift, Carlos C. Goller
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Emily N. Gallichotte, Kendra M. Quicke, Nicole R. Sexton, Emily Fitzmeyer, Michael C. Young, Ashley J. Janich, Karen Dobos, Kristy L. Pabilonia, Gregory Gahm, Elizabeth J. Carlton, Gregory D. Ebel, Nicole Ehrhart
Summary: The prevalence and incidence of SARS-CoV-2 among LTCF staff were examined, revealing a strong correlation between viral RNA and infectious virus, with over 50% of infections being asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic. Asymptomatic infected staff were found to contribute to virus persistence and transmission within LTCFs during the early pandemic period. Genetic epidemiology data supported common spread between staff within LTCFs and highlighted the importance of continued surveillance.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Carolina Mehaffy, Joan M. Ryan, Nicole A. Kruh-Garcia, Karen M. Dobos
Summary: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health issue causing millions of infections and resulting in significant death rates. Efforts to control TB include developing new vaccines, drug treatments, and diagnostic methods. Understanding the physiology of the primary causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is crucial for advancements in these areas.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Nicolas Gisch, Christian Utpatel, Lisa M. Gronbach, Thomas A. Kohl, Ursula Schombel, Sven Malm, Karen M. Dobos, Danny C. Hesser, Roland Diel, Udo Goetsch, Silke Gerdes, Yassir A. Shuaib, Nyanda E. Ntinginya, Celso Khosa, Sofia Viegas, Glennah Kerubo, Solomon Ali, Sahal A. Al-Hajoj, Perpetual W. Ndung'u, Andrea Rachow, Michael Hoelscher, Florian P. Maurer, Dominik Schwudke, Stefan Niemann, Norbert Reiling, Susanne Homolka
Summary: Using whole genome sequencing, we characterized the global population structure of Lineage 1 (L1) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and correlated this with the synthesis of phenolic glycolipids (PGL) - known virulence factors. Our results revealed eight major L1 sub-lineages with specific mutation signatures in PGL biosynthesis genes. Furthermore, we found that strains with abolished PGL biosynthesis showed enhanced growth in human macrophages.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joan M. Ryan, Karen M. Dobos, Nicole A. Kruh-Garcia
Summary: The role of extracellular vesicles in bacterial infection provides a new avenue for understanding microbial physiology. Mycobacterium tuberculosis extracellular vesicles play a role in host-pathogen interaction and response to environmental stress, showing potential as vaccine components. Size exclusion chromatography is an effective method for enriching Mtb extracellular vesicles, surpassing the limitations of density gradient ultracentrifugation.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jason L. Cantera, Lorraine M. Lillis, Roger B. Peck, Emmanuel Moreau, James A. Schouten, Paul Davis, Paul K. Drain, Alfred Andama, Abraham Pinter, Masanori Kawasaki, Gunilla Kallenius, Christopher Sundling, Karen M. Dobos, Danara Flores, Delphi Chatterjee, Eileen Murphy, Olivia R. Halas, David S. Boyle
Summary: This study evaluated the performance of LAM-specific antibodies in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The research found that the epitopes of LAM in urine are different from those in in vitro cultured LAM, leading to different antibody performance. Although several new antibody pairs showed high sensitivity to LAM, no new candidate pairs with improved performance in testing urine LAM were identified.
Article
Microbiology
Felix R. Harris, Michael L. Sikes, Michael Bergman, Carlos C. Goller, Andrew O. Hasley, Caroline A. Sjogren, Melissa V. Ramirez, Claire L. Gordy
Summary: Ensuring public understanding of human-microbe interactions, immune responses, and vaccines is crucial during a pandemic. This article presents two Tactile Teaching Tools with Guided Inquiry Learning (TTT-GIL) activities designed to engage diverse learners in exploring molecular interactions within the immune system. These activities utilize physical models and structured activities built on the constructivist framework of Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) to guide learners through the exploration of fundamental immunology concepts.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Surgery
Krupa R. Mysore, Sunil Kannanganat, Jeremy M. Schraw, Philip J. Lupo, John A. Goss, Kenneth D. R. Setchell, Farrah Kheradmand, Xian C. Li, Benjamin L. Shneider
Summary: This study found that children with advanced liver diseases undergoing liver transplantation (LT) exhibited phenotypic and functional alterations in circulating monocyte and dendritic cells. Children with severe ALD demonstrated immune dysfunction and had an increased incidence of infections before and after LT. Identifying at-risk patients may reduce the occurrence of infection-related complications.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Article
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Claire L. Gordy, Conner Sandefur, Tessa Lacara, Felix R. Harris, Melissa Ramirez
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOLOGY EDUCATION
(2020)