Review
Cell Biology
Qian Wu, Qingdian Mu, Zhidan Xia, Junxia Min, Fudi Wang
Summary: Manganese plays an essential role in various biological processes, but excess intake can have harmful effects. Pathogenic microorganisms require manganese for basic biochemical activity and virulence, while hosts use nutritional immunity to sequester manganese to defend against pathogen invasion.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Erina A. Balmer, Carmen Faso
Summary: Recent studies have shown that protein secretion in eukaryotic cells may not be as uniform as once thought, with unconventional protein secretion pathways being discovered. The diverse roles and surprising prevalence of unconventionally secreted proteins in cell biology and organism survival have highlighted the importance of understanding these alternative mechanisms.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Clementine Louet, Meline Saubin, Axelle Andrieux, Antoine Persoons, Mathilde Gorse, Jeremy Petrowski, Benedicte Fabre, Stephane De Mita, Sebastien Duplessis, Pascal Frey, Fabien Halkett
Summary: The deployment of plant varieties carrying resistance genes exerts selection pressure on pathogen populations. This study focuses on the poplar rust fungus Melampsora larici-populina, which had a major adaptive event in 1994 leading to the breakdown of a resistance gene. Using a population genetics approach, the study characterizes a candidate avirulence gene and identifies two gene alterations associated with the breakdown of resistance. This study provides evidence of rust fungi adapting to qualitive resistance breakdown through genetic variation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Torres-Sanchez, Jennifer Villate, Sarah McGrath-Blaser, Ana Longo
Summary: This study examines the functional machinery driving the invasion of the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) in multiple hosts. Through a meta-analysis of Bd gene expression, the researchers identified plastic infection strategies of Bd in hosts with varying disease susceptibility. They also found that certain genes were differentially expressed in hosts with similar infection outcomes. The study provides insights into the eco-evolutionary dynamics of host-pathogen systems.
Article
Microbiology
Lin Chen, Ai-Ling Yang, Yu-Xuan Li, Han-Bo Zhang
Summary: This study explores the relationship between invasive plants and disease transmission by characterizing the species composition and host range of pathogens accumulated in an invasive plant. The results reveal a common association between Didymellaceae and the invasive plant Ageratina adenophora, and show that the virulence and host range of these fungal pathogens are related to their phylogenetic relationship. Some of these pathogens display strong virulence towards the invasive plant, indicating their potential as biocontrol agents.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhen Cao, Moussab Harb, Sergey M. Kozlov, Luigi Cavallo
Summary: Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) can be used for catalyzing the water splitting reaction, and the interactions at the interface play an important role in their catalytical performance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhenglin He, Xing Liu, Yunzhang Li, Huayan Yang, Zhoule Ding, Yi Luo, Guosheng Shi
Summary: Under ambient conditions, salt crystals with abnormal stoichiometries (Na2Cl and Na3Cl) form from unsaturated solutions on an iron surface, leading to enhanced iron corrosion. The ratio of abnormal crystals to ordinary NaCl is dependent on the initial NaCl concentration of the solution. The abnormal crystallization is attributed to different adsorption energy curves between Cl- -iron and Na+-iron, affecting the kinetic adsorption process and promoting the formation of abnormal stoichiometries.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yi Liu, Jihua Zhang, Yapeng Li, Qizhu Qian, Ziyun Li, Genqiang Zhang
Summary: The Mo doped Ni3N and Ni heterostructure porous nanosheets grown on Ni foam demonstrate outstanding bifunctional electrocatalytic performances towards hydrazine oxidation reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael A. Brockhurst
Summary: Defensive microbial symbionts play a crucial role in protecting hosts and altering the coevolution trajectory between hosts and parasites, leading to the evolution of different infection responses.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Andrea P. Cotes-Perdomo, Santiago Nava, Lyda R. Castro, Fredy A. Rivera-Paez, Jesus A. Cortes-Vecino, Juan E. Uribe
Summary: The genus Amblyomma is the third most diverse in the number of species within the Ixodidae, with distribution in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The Amblyomma cajennense complex in the Americas has significant veterinary and public health importance. Through sequencing techniques, new mitochondrial genomes were generated for the species in this complex, confirming their phylogenetic relationships and providing insights into the genetic characteristics of these species.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Le Gao, Yawen Li, Guifang Li, Jiaqi Huo, Lishan Jia
Summary: Interface engineering was employed to design a p-p heterojunction catalyst, which exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability for the oxygen evolution reaction. The in-situ transformation of the precursor material led to the generation of a unique interface with different metal atomic radius and fascinating nanostructures, resulting in increased active sites and specific surface area.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Sayed M. El-Refaei, Patricia A. Russo, Nicola Pinna
Summary: The review summarizes recent progress in developing transition-metal phosphide (TMP) HER electrocatalysts, focusing on strategies to tune the activity in acidic, neutral, and basic media. These strategies include doping TMPs with metal and nonmetal elements, fabricating multimetallic phosphide phases, and constructing multicomponent heterostructures comprising TMPs and another component. The challenges and future research directions are also discussed.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ce Xu, Hui Wen Yong, Jinlu He, Run Long, Alisson R. Cadore, Ioannis Paradisanos, Anna K. Ott, Giancarlo Soavi, Sefaattin Tongay, Giulio Cerullo, Andrea C. Ferrari, Oleg Prezhdo, Zhi-Heng Loh
Summary: The study investigates the hot-electron transfer dynamics at the 1L MoS2/Au interface using TR-PEEM and atomic force microscopy, revealing an exponential decay of electron transfer rates with a decay coefficient of about 0.06 angstrom(-1). Ab initio simulations suggest that surface plasmon-like states mediate hot-electron transfer and explain its weak distance dependence.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ming-Qiang Ren, Sha Han, Jia-Qi Fan, Li Wang, Pengdong Wang, Wei Ren, Kun Peng, Shujing Li, Shu-Ze Wang, Fa-Wei Zheng, Ping Zhang, Fangsen Li, Xucun Ma, Qi-Kun Xue, Can-Li Song
Summary: By means of material engineering, we achieved a phase transition and observed a CDW energy gap in 1T-ZrX2 ultrathin films. Fourier-transformed scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy revealed the simplest Fermi surface in 1T-ZrX2 films.
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)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yifan Zhang, Sambuddha Sen, David P. Giedroc
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Abhinaba Ray, Katherine A. Edmonds, Lauren D. Palmer, Eric P. Skaar, David P. Giedroc
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giuliano Tomas Antelo, Maximiliano Sanchez-Lamas, Fernando Alberto Goldbaum, Lisandro Horacio Otero, Hernan Ruy Bonomi, Jimena Rinaldi
PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daiana A. Capdevila, Brenna J. C. Walsh, Yifan Zhang, Christopher Dietrich, Giovanni Gonzalez-Gutierrez, David P. Giedroc
Summary: Structural and kinetic analyses of the transcriptional repressor protein SqrR reveal its persulfide selectivity mechanism, shedding light on the coordinated regulation function of cysteine thiol-based transcriptional regulators in cellular redox homeostasis.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joseph N. Fakhoury, Yifan Zhang, Katherine A. Edmonds, Mauro Bringas, Justin L. Luebke, Giovanni Gonzalez-Gutierrez, Daiana A. Capdevila, David P. Giedroc
Summary: CstR is a protein that senses persulfides and regulates bacterial response to hydrogen sulfide and other oxidized reactive sulfur species. Research suggests that the specificity of CstRs to different oxidants is determined by their sequence, structural, and kinetic features.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lisandro H. Otero, Sabrina Foscaldi, Giuliano T. Antelo, German L. Rosano, Serena Sirigu, Sebastian Klinke, Lucas A. Defelipe, Maximiliano Sanchez-Lamas, Giovanni Battocchio, Valeria Conforte, Adrian A. Vojnov, Leonard M. G. Chavas, Fernando A. Goldbaum, Maria-Andrea Mroginski, Jimena Rinaldi, Hernan R. Bonomi
Summary: This study reveals structural changes in the photoreceptor protein of the plant pathogen in Pr and Pfr states, providing insights into the signaling mechanism of phytochromes at the atomic level.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andy Weiss, Caitlin C. Murdoch, Katherine A. Edmonds, Matthew R. Jordan, Andrew J. Monteith, Yasiru R. Perera, Aslin M. Rodriguez Nassif, Amber M. Petoletti, William N. Beavers, Matthew J. Munneke, Sydney L. Drury, Evan S. Krystofiak, Kishore Thalluri, Hongwei Wu, Angela R. S. Kruse, Richard D. DiMarchi, Richard M. Caprioli, Jeffrey M. Spraggins, Walter J. Chazin, David P. Giedroc, Eric P. Skaar
Summary: This study reveals the existence of a conserved COG0523 protein family in vertebrates and assigns them an important role in regulating cellular zinc homeostasis.
Article
Microbiology
Erin R. Green, Joseph N. Fakhoury, Andrew J. Monteith, Hualiang Pi, David P. Giedroc, Eric P. Skaar
Summary: This study reveals that Acinetobacter baumannii causes more virulent pneumonia following desiccation and identifies the genetic requirements for desiccation. The disruption of Lon protease enhances desiccation tolerance, while bacterial hydrophilins DtpA and DtpB play a crucial role in this process.
CELL HOST & MICROBE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yifan Zhang, Julia E. Martin, Katherine A. Edmonds, Malcolm E. Winkler, David P. Giedroc
Summary: The novel virulence associated Rrf2-family transcriptional repressor SifR regulates genes involved in iron uptake and stress response in Streptococcus pneumoniae, providing insight into how the bacterium acquires iron sources in the host environment. This study sheds light on the mechanisms by which the pathogen adapts to oxidative stress and utilizes catechol-derived iron sources for survival.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brenna J. C. Walsh, Sofia Soares Costa, Katherine A. Edmonds, Jonathan C. Trinidad, Federico M. Issoglio, Jose A. Brito, David P. Giedroc
Summary: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a cytoprotective agent used by bacteria in response to stress, and this study found that exogenous sulfide alters protein abundance and metabolic reactions in the gut microorganism Enterococcus faecalis, potentially affecting fatty acid pathways.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Takayuki Shimizu, Tomoaki Ida, Giuliano T. Antelo, Yuta Ihara, Joseph N. Fakhoury, Shinji Masuda, David P. Giedroc, Takaaki Akaike, Daiana A. Capdevila, Tatsuru Masuda
Summary: Sulfide plays crucial roles in physiological activities, and recent studies have shown its endogenous generation and metabolism into polysulfides inside cells. However, the relationship between polysulfide metabolism and sensing mechanisms is not well understood. This study investigates the role of polysulfide-metabolizing enzyme SQR on cellular polysulfide speciation and transcriptional regulation in Rhodobacter capsulatus. The results reveal a novel association between polysulfide metabolism and sensing mechanisms inside cells.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katherine A. Edmonds, Matthew R. Jordan, David P. Giedroc
Summary: This study uses genomic enzymology tools to analyze over 80,000 sequences related to zinc metallochaperones, revealing multiple distinct clusters including characterized and uncharacterized COG0523 proteins. Through the analysis of these clusters, new perspectives on COG0523 proteins as cellular reporters of nutrient stress induced by zinc limitation are discussed.
Article
Biology
Brenna J. C. Walsh, David P. Giedroc
Summary: Hydrogen sulfide has been found to play a crucial role in bacterial cytoprotection against host immune response, possibly through the formation of reactive sulfur species derived from H2S. A new analytical method has been developed and successfully applied to studying protein persulfidation in bacterial cells, particularly in a major human pathogen. This method allows quantification and identification of persulfidation sites in the proteome, which may serve as regulatory modifications that can be validated through biochemical studies.