Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Evan M. F. Shepherdson, Marie A. Elliot
Summary: Streptomyces bacteria have complex life cycles and remarkable metabolic capabilities. Their recently discovered exploration ability allows them to successfully compete with other microbes. Nutrient availability affects exploration rates and metabolic output, with glycerol dramatically increasing exploration rates. Different siderophores play different roles in exploration, and the alternative siderophore foroxymithine is more important than desferrioxamine during coculture.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Peter J. Brechting, Chandan Shah, Liva Rakotondraibe, Qian Shen, Chad A. Rappleye
Summary: Peroxisomes are essential for fungal functions such as fatty acid metabolism, reactive oxygen species detoxification, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Disruption of peroxisomal protein import and siderophore biosynthesis attenuates the virulence of Histoplasma capsulatum, a fungal pathogen that infects host phagocytes and establishes a replication-permissive niche within the cells. The multiple roles of peroxisomes in H. capsulatum pathogenesis suggest that targeting these organelles could be a potential strategy for developing therapeutics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Derek C. K. Chan, Inokentijs Josts, Kalinka Koteva, Gerard D. Wright, Henning Tidow, Lori L. Burrows
Summary: The outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria acts as a barrier against antibiotics, limiting their effectiveness. However, certain antimicrobials can exploit iron transporters to cross this barrier. In this study, we found that the transporter protein FoxA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa can transport the xenosiderophore bisucaberin, in addition to the antibiotic thiocillin. By analyzing the crystal structure, we discovered that bisucaberin forms a unique 3:2 siderophore-iron complex. Mutations in a specific extracellular loop of FoxA affected its binding, uptake, and signal transduction abilities for nocardamine, thiocillin, and bisucaberin. These findings highlight the importance of extracellular loops in controlling ligand uptake and have implications for the development of siderophore-antibiotic conjugates.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Anna R. Kaplan, Djamaladdin G. Musaev, William M. Wuest
Summary: This study discusses the strategies employed by Pseudomonads to sequester iron, including the use of siderophores such as pyoverdine and pyochelin, as well as the less studied biosynthetic byproducts. The research also reveals the ability of these compounds to bind iron and promote growth in Pseudomonads, suggesting their potential role in iron homeostasis and biological effects on other bacterial species.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Fernando Oliveira, Holger Rohde, Manuel Vilanova, Nuno Cerca
Summary: Staphylococcus epidermidis is an important commensal microorganism on human skin and mucosae, yet it can also cause severe infections in immunocompromised patients. Its ability to form biofilms makes infections difficult to treat. Research suggests that the bacterium's dependence on iron plays a key role in its pathogenicity.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Anna R. Kaplan, William M. Wuest
Summary: Iron is a vital nutrient for most living organisms, but acquiring it can be challenging for many, including bacteria. Bacteria often use siderophores to chelate extracellular iron, with pathogenic species like Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing specific siderophores to regulate iron uptake. Previous research showed that certain pyochelin biosynthetic shunt products can enhance the growth of P. aeruginosa in iron-depleted conditions when prechelated with iron. This study explores the physicochemical and biological properties of non-native oxygen counterparts to these metabolites.
TETRAHEDRON LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alasteir Ong, Mark R. O'Brian
Summary: In Bradyrhizobium japonicum, iron uptake involves selective outer membrane proteins and non-selective periplasmic and cytoplasmic membrane components. FsrB is identified as an iron-regulated gene required for growth on catecholate- and hydroxymate-type siderophores. The activity of FsrB occurs in the periplasm and is involved in the reduction and dissociation of iron from the siderophore.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Jessica L. Hastie, Hannah L. Carmichael, Bailey M. Werner, Kristin E. Dunbar, Paul E. Carlson Jr
Summary: Clostridioides difficile has multiple mechanisms of acquiring iron, including the use of siderophores. The ABC transporters FhuDBGC and YclNOPQ are predicted to be responsible for siderophore import in C. difficile, with FhuD specifically binding to ferrichrome. Understanding iron acquisition in C. difficile can provide insights into colonization and persistence in the colon.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Stephen K. K. Dolan
Summary: The Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of infections and mortality in immunocompromised patients. It can obtain iron from host proteins through the synthesis of siderophores or by uptake of xenosiderophores produced by other microorganisms. A recent study revealed that the transporter FpvB in P. aeruginosa has a higher affinity for xenosiderophores ferrichrome and ferrioxamine B compared to its natural siderophore pyoverdine, suggesting an alternative pathway for iron acquisition.
Article
Microbiology
Arwen E. Frick-Cheng, Anna Sintsova, Sara N. Smith, Ali Pirani, Evan S. Snitkin, Harry L. T. Mobley
Summary: More than half of women will experience a urinary tract infection (UTI), with uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) causing the majority of cases. Iron acquisition systems play a crucial role in UPEC pathogenesis, and this study reveals the importance of the ferric citrate uptake system as an alternative iron source when other siderophores are limited. Understanding these iron acquisition mechanisms is important for developing new strategies to combat UTI.
Article
Microbiology
Derek C. K. Chan, Lori L. L. Burrows
Summary: Iron is essential for bacterial growth but its poor solubility hampers this process. Bacteria produce siderophores to bind iron and overcome this limitation. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen, has multiple transporters that recognize its own siderophores as well as those produced by other bacteria or fungi, giving it a competitive advantage.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Arsha Antony, Tiju Thomas, Cyril Augustine
Summary: Iron is an essential metal for living organisms, but its distribution in tissues is constrained. Insolubility of Fe(III) ions in aqueous systems reduces direct uptake by cells, while free-Fe entities can lead to cell destruction. Therefore, a protective coordination environment is necessary for Fe acquisition, transport, storage, and utilization in tissues. Siderophores are polydentate ligands used by bacterial cells to acquire Fe(III) ions with a high affinity. This research focuses on the coordination chemistry of the siderophore cepabactin (Cep), confirming that the Fe-III(Cep)(3) complex is octahedral and high spin, with Cep's oxygen atoms acting as electron donors.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MODELING
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Uxue Perez-Cuesta, Xabier Guruceaga, Saioa Cendon-Sanchez, Eduardo Pelegri-Martinez, Fernando L. Hernando, Andoni Ramirez-Garcia, Ana Abad-Diaz-de-Cerio, Aitor Rementeria
Summary: Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous soil decomposer and opportunistic pathogen with a large metabolic machinery for nutrient acquisition. Nitrogen, iron, and zinc metabolism-related genes, which account for 78% of virulence-related genes, have been increasingly associated with its pathogenicity. Despite only 40% of the genes being tested for roles in virulence, there remains a considerable amount of uncertainty in the field which may present new therapeutic and diagnostic targets.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bruce E. Holbein, M. Trisha C. Ang, David S. Allan, Wangxue Chen, Christian Lehmann
Summary: The iron dependence of antibiotic-resistant microbes can be exploited broadly, as iron withdrawal enhances antibiotic activity and suppresses growth of resistant microbial survivors. Novel anti-microbial iron chelators, such as DIBI, show potential in enhancing antibiotic efficacy against resistant microbes.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Suqin Wang, Leanne A. Pearson, Rabia Mazmouz, Tianzhe Liu, Brett A. Neilan
Summary: Iron availability limits the growth of many microorganisms, particularly those residing in high nutrient-low chlorophyll aquatic environments. Therefore, characterizing iron acquisition pathways in phytoplankton is essential for understanding nutrient cycling in our oceans.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesca Greco, Domenica Musumeci, Nicola Borbone, Andrea Patrizia Falanga, Monica Terracciano, Ilaria Piccialli, Giovanni Nicola Roviello, Giorgia Oliviero
Summary: This study explored the binding properties of trans-polydatin with DNA G-quadruplex structure using CD spectroscopy and molecular docking simulations, and found that trans-polydatin can interact with G-quadruplex structure.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Takako Masuda, Keisuke Inomura, Jan Mares, Ondrej Prasil
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kumar Saurav, Alessia Caso, Petra Urajova, Pavel Hrouzek, Germana Esposito, Katerina Delawska, Marketa Macho, Jan Hajek, Jose Cheel, Subhasish Saha, Petra Divoka, Sila Arsin, Kaarina Sivonen, David P. Fewer, Valeria Costantino
Summary: PUW and MIN are structurally homologous cyclic lipopeptides with antifungal and cytotoxic activities, where the variation in fatty acid substitutions influences the cytotoxicity of the compounds. Different substitutions on the fatty acid moiety of PUW/MIN variants lead to varying degrees of cytotoxicity. A 63 kb puwainaphycin biosynthetic gene cluster was identified in the N. harveyana strain UHCC-0300, indicating the presence of specific lipoinitiation mechanisms and enzymes for modifying the fatty acid moiety.
Article
Limnology
Jan Fott, Linda Nedbalova, Marek Brabec, Radka Kozakova, Klara Rehakova, Josef Hejzlar, Michal Sorf, Jaroslav Vrba
Summary: This study investigates the seasonal succession of plankton communities in freshwater temperate lakes during the winter season. The results show that in warm monomictic lakes, there is a significant increase in phytoplankton chlorophyll a concentrations after the winter solstice and it continues throughout the total circulation and/or unstable inverse stratification period. Solar radiation and water temperature have positive effects on chlorophyll a concentrations, while water age has a negative effect. On the other hand, zooplankton density and ice cover effects are not significant.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesca Greco, Andrea Patrizia Falanga, Monica Terracciano, Carlotta D'Ambrosio, Gennaro Piccialli, Giorgia Oliviero, Giovanni Nicola Roviello, Nicola Borbone
Summary: 1,3-bis(1'-uracilyl)-2-propanone can bind serum albumin and induce partial protein destabilization by altering its secondary structure.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Daniela Barcenas-Perez, Martin Lukes, Pavel Hrouzek, Jakub Zapal, Marek Kuzma, Jiri Kopecky, David Kubac, Bertha O. Arredondo-Vega, Jose Cheel
Summary: In this study, pure EPA ethyl ester was efficiently produced from Nanofrustulum shiloi biomass using high performance countercurrent chromatography. The process achieved high purity and recovery of the EPA fraction, making it a useful model for the efficient production of pure EPA from microalgae.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Marketa Macho, Subhasish Saha, Grzegorz Konert, Avik Banerjee, Daniela Ewe, Pavel Hrouzek, Petra Urajova, Kumar Saurav
Summary: This study screened the MMV Pandemic Response Box (PRB) and identified four compounds with significant inhibition of P. aeruginosa virulence factor production and biofilm formation, providing an opportunity for the development of new antibacterial drugs.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tomas Besta, Jan Mares, Katerina Capkova, Emil Janecek, Lenka Stenclova, Andreja Kust, Milan Riha, Eliska Konopacova, Klara Rehakova
Summary: Hydric recultivation by flooding abandoned mining pits creates a new habitat for aquatic organisms. The periphyton in the littoral zone of post-mining lakes showed a high diversity, with different species compositions and successional patterns. Calcium ions were found to be correlated with the periphytic mats and should be investigated further.
Review
Plant Sciences
Otakar Strunecky, Anna Pavlovna Ivanova, Jan Mares
Summary: Cyanobacterial taxonomy is undergoing rapid changes due to advancements in 16S rRNA gene sequencing and new classification workflows. A study has reconstructed a robust phylogenomic tree using genomic sequences and established a polyphasic classification system for Cyanobacteria. This system incorporates both phylogenomic and phenotypic data to provide useful information for professionals in the field. However, the study also highlights the need for integrating genomic data to conclusively classify a large number of cyanobacterial genera in the future.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katerina Capkova, Tomas Besta, Jan Mares, Petr Capek, Klara Rehakova
Summary: Measuring in situ primary productivity of periphyton during the growing season gradient can provide insights into the quantitative effect of environmental drivers and species composition. Using noninvasive oxygen sensors for real-time measurement allows for accurate monitoring and understanding of primary productivity dynamics.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Andrea P. Falanga, Monica Terracciano, Giorgia Oliviero, Giovanni N. Roviello, Nicola Borbone
Summary: G-quadruplex (G4) structures in plants have significant implications in biological processes and pathological states. The exploration of plant compounds and G4 ligands can lead to potential anticancer treatments and biomedical applications.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Domenica Capasso, Paola Marino, Sonia Di Gaetano, Nicola Borbone, Monica Terracciano, Roberta Trani, Caterina Longo, Vincenzo Piccialli
Summary: Several five-membered bromolactones were synthesized from D-xylonolactone and D-ribonolactone, which are related to the C1-C5 portion of mycalin A lactone. The bromination of D-ribonolactone with HBr/AcOH, without transesterification, resulted in the majority of the acetylated lactones investigated. The evaluation of their anti-tumor activity indicated that the acetates possess cytotoxicity towards multiple cancer cells, with selectivity towards tumor cells and limited toxicity on healthy cells.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Vishal Ahuja, Amanpreet Singh, Debarati Paul, Diptarka Dasgupta, Petra Urajova, Sounak Ghosh, Roshani Singh, Gobardhan Sahoo, Daniela Ewe, Kumar Saurav
Summary: Edibles undergo physicochemical changes during preparation and storage, which can destroy their nutritive value and pose a threat to public health. Mass spectrometry is an ideal technique for detecting food toxins, but it faces challenges in routine food safety monitoring. However, continuous advancements in mass spectrometry technology and its integration with other techniques hold promising prospects for revolutionizing food safety monitoring.
CHEMICAL RESEARCH IN TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Sabrina Giordano, Enrico Gallo, Carlo Diaferia, Elisabetta Rosa, Barbara Carrese, Nicola Borbone, Pasqualina Liana Scognamiglio, Monica Franzese, Giorgia Oliviero, Antonella Accardo
Summary: Multicomponent hydrogels based on ultrashort aromatic peptides have been widely studied for their applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery, diagnostics, and biosensing. The incorporation of additional molecules into these hydrogels allows for the development of novel hydrogels with improved mechanical and functional properties. These hybrid hydrogels are biocompatible and support cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, making them potential scaffolds for cell culture.