Review
Microbiology
Conrad A. Fihn, Erin E. Carlson
Summary: Targeting bacterial signaling through two-component systems (TCSs) and developing inhibitors that target the HK ATP-binding domain may be effective strategies in combating antimicrobial resistance.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Adeline Espinasse, Manibarsha Goswami, Junshu Yang, Onanong Vorasin, Yinduo Ji, Erin E. Carlson
Summary: The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria has led to the need for novel approaches and targets to combat this challenge. Bacterial two-component systems (TCSs) are important in bacterial adaptive responses and are linked to antibiotic resistance and virulence. A study developed maleimide-based compounds and evaluated them against a model histidine kinase, resulting in the identification of a molecule that decreased the lesion size caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus skin infection by 65% in a murine model.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
James Gurney, Camille Simonet, Kristofer Wollein Waldetoft, Sam P. Brown
Summary: The article discusses how bacterial pathogens communicate and cooperate within groups to make us sick, and introduces two cheat therapy methods. These methods, including genetic engineering and chemical induction, can reduce pathogen burden and disease severity, but also face challenges of instability in efficacy.
NATURAL PRODUCT REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Chongzhen Wang, Wanlin Xing, Fan Lu
Summary: This article summarizes previous investigations on the effects of microgravity on bacterial virulence, infection, and antibiotic resistance. The results show that microgravity can enhance or attenuate the virulence of certain bacterial strains, mitigate or exacerbate the severity of infection, and enhance or attenuate antibiotic resistance. The limitations of previous studies are discussed, and the need for future research is emphasized.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Pedro Blanco-Picazo, Clara Gomez-Gomez, Marc Tormo, Maria Dolores Ramos-Barbero, Lorena Rodriguez-Rubio, Maite Muniesa
Summary: This study analyzed viral sequences from different types of food samples and found antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in these viral sequences, suggesting that the transmission of resistance by phage particles may contribute to the emergence of resistant strains along the food chain.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Umesh I. Kasabe, Kishor B. Kale, Nitin R. Rode, Amruta V. Shelar, Rajendra H. Patil, Pravin C. Mhaske, Manohar G. Chaskar
Summary: A series of hexahydro-1H-xanthene-1,8(2H)-dione (XDs 1-10) derivatives were synthesized and tested for their anti-Candida albicans biofilm and morphogenesis inhibition activity at varying concentrations. Derivatives XD-2, 4, 5, and 6 showed potential activity against biofilm and morphogenesis, as well as adhesion inhibition, without displaying cytotoxicity to human epithelial cells. These xanthene derivatives have the potential to be developed as lead compounds for treating fungal infections.
NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Meishan Wu, Angela C. Brown
Summary: Tea, containing antimicrobial properties of catechins, shows antimicrobial and antiviral effects, and synergistic actions with certain antibiotics. However, challenges such as poor absorption, low bioavailability, and rapid degradation hinder the development of catechins as therapeutic agents.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Qi Zhao, Wanqian Guo, Haichao Luo, Chuanming Xing, Huazhe Wang, Banghai Liu, Qishi Si, Nanqi Ren
Summary: This study investigated the development of ARGs in sludge exposed to two sulfonamide antibiotics by constructing anaerobic sequence batch reactors (ASBR). The results showed that the presence of sulfonamide antibiotics triggered functional modules such as oxidative stress response, signal transduction, and type IV secretion systems, which promoted the transfer of ARGs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Camilla Pecoraro, Daniela Carbone, Barbara Parrino, Stella Cascioferro, Patrizia Diana
Summary: Infectious diseases caused by antimicrobial-resistant strains have become a serious threat to global health, with a high social and economic impact. Strategies to fight antibiotic resistance, such as inhibiting bacterial adhesion to host surfaces, can effectively hamper bacterial virulence without affecting cell viability. Targeting structures and biomolecules involved in the adhesion of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens can lead to the development of promising tools against pathogens.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Jackson Luu, Valerie J. Carabetta
Summary: Protein acetylation is a crucial posttranslational modification in bacteria, regulated by enzymatic and nonenzymatic mechanisms. Research on acetylation in bacterial virulence and biofilm formation is ongoing, shedding light on its impact on host-pathogen interactions and antimicrobial resistance.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Giulia Bernabe, Giovanni Marzaro, Giuseppe Di Pietra, Ana Otero, Massimo Bellato, Anthony Pauletto, Melania Scarpa, Stefania Sut, Adriana Chilin, Stefano Dall'Acqua, Paola Brun, Ignazio Castagliuolo
Summary: In this study, a novel inhibitor of acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated signaling in P. aeruginosa, GM-50, was identified. GM-50 reduced virulence factors, enhanced the anti-biofilm activity of aztreonam, and protected Galleria mellonella larvae from damage induced by P. aeruginosa. It also showed activity against clinical strains, highlighting its potential as a starting point for the development of new phenolic derivatives as QS inhibitors in P. aeruginosa infections.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hualiang Pi, Andy Weiss, Clare L. Laut, Caroline M. Grunenwald, Hannah K. Lin, Xinjie Yi, Devin L. Stauff, Eric P. Skaar
Summary: HitRS is a two-component system that responds to cell envelope damage in the human pathogen Bacillus anthracis. KrrA, an RNA-binding protein, regulates HitRS function by modulating the stability of the hitRS mRNA. KrrA also binds to over 70 RNAs and affects the expression of over 150 genes involved in multiple processes.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Naveed Ahmed, Hira Khalid, Mariam Mushtaq, Sakeenabi Basha, Ali A. Rabaan, Mohammed Garout, Muhammad A. Halwani, Abbas Al Mutair, Saad Alhumaid, Zainab Al Alawi, Chan Yean Yean
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of bacterial infection and antimicrobial resistance in UTI patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was found to have a prevalence of 16.93% and showed high resistance to several antibiotics.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rawaf Alenazy
Summary: An increased number of research articles highlighting the challenges of infectious disease and multidrug resistance reveal the seriousness of antibiotic resistance as a health issue. Efflux pumps in Salmonella play a crucial role in developing multidrug resistance and are considered important drug targets. In this review, the various efflux pumps, regulators, and inhibitors are summarized to target the antibiotic resistance pattern of Salmonella, with a special focus on their role in virulence and biofilm formation.
JOURNAL OF KING SAUD UNIVERSITY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Elina Multamaki, Andres Garcia de Fuentes, Oleksii Sieryi, Alexander Bykov, Uwe Gerken, Americo Tavares Ranzani, Juergen Koehler, Igor Meglinski, Andreas Moeglich, Heikki Takala
Summary: In optogenetics, BphP photoreceptors control cellular processes by sensing red and farred light and regulating downstream gene expression. By reprogramming bacterial gene expression from blue-light to red-light control, pREDusk and pREDawn systems enable high spatial resolution and tissue penetration, providing red-light-regulated expression for diverse use cases in bacteria.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Beatriz G. S. Rocha, Caroline C. Picoli, Bryan O. P. Goncalves, Walison N. Silva, Alinne C. Costa, Michele M. Moraes, Pedro A. C. Costa, Gabryella S. P. Santos, Milla R. Almeida, Luciana M. Silva, Youvika Singh, Marcelo Falchetti, Gabriela D. A. Guardia, Pedro P. G. Guimaraes, Remo C. Russo, Rodrigo R. Resende, Mauro C. X. Pinto, Jaime H. Amorim, Vasco A. C. Azevedo, Alexandre Kanashiro, Helder I. Nakaya, Edroaldo L. Rocha, Pedro A. F. Galante, Akiva Mintz, Paul S. Frenette, Alexander Birbrair
Summary: This study reveals the presence of perivascular GFAP+/Plp1+ cells derived from tissue-resident Schwann cells in the tumor microenvironment. Genetic ablation of Schwann cells slows down tumor growth and angiogenesis, while boosting immune surveillance by increasing tumor-infiltrating anti-tumor lymphocytes and reducing immune-suppressor cells. In humans, increased expression of Schwann cell-related genes within melanoma is associated with improved survival.
Article
Cell Biology
Kenneth Lundstrom, Altijana Hromic-Jahjefendic, Esma Bilajac, Alaa A. A. Aljabali, Katarina Baralic, Nagwa A. Sabri, Eslam M. Shehata, Mohamed Raslan, Ana Claudia B. H. Ferreira, Lidiane Orlandi, Angel Serrano-Aroca, Murtaza M. Tambuwala, Vladimir N. Uversky, Vasco Azevedo, Khalid J. Alzahrani, Khalaf F. Alsharifm, Ibrahim F. Halawani, Fuad M. Alzahrani, Elrashdy M. Redwan, Debmalya Barhl
Summary: This review summarizes major events of SARS-CoV-2 infection route, immune response following host-cell infection as an important factor for disease outcome, as well as comorbidity issues of various tissues and organs arising due to COVID-19. Investigations on alterations of host-cell machinery and viral interactions with multiple intracellular signaling pathways could represent a major factor in more effective disease management.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Debmalya Barh, Sandeep Tiwari, Lucas Gabriel Rodrigues Gomes, Cecilia Horta Ramalho Pinto, Bruno Silva Andrade, Shaban Ahmad, Alaa A. A. Aljabali, Khalid J. Alzahrani, Hamsa Jameel Banjer, Sk Sarif Hassan, Elrashdy M. Redwan, Khalid Raza, Aristoteles Goes-Neto, Robinson Sabino-Silva, Kenneth Lundstrom, Vladimir N. Uversky, Vasco Azevedo, Murtaza M. Tambuwala
Summary: The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is highly transmissible with decreased disease severity. It has lower pathogenicity but higher antigenicity compared to other variants. These findings contribute to our understanding of variant dynamics and can help in managing emerging variants.
Article
Microbiology
Pedro Negri Bernardino, Carolina Lechinski de Paula, Ana Flavia Marques Pereira, Marcio Garcia Ribeiro, Vasco Ariston de Carvalho Azevedo, Alexandre Secorun Borges, Ary Fernandes Jr, Jose Paes Oliveira-Filho
Summary: Caseous lymphadenitis is a disease caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis with minimal zoonotic potential. This study investigated the antimicrobial action of 2',3'-dideoxiadenosine (ddATP) against C. pseudotuberculosis and its potential synergy with penicillin, suggesting the potential of nucleotide analogs and combination therapy as a novel treatment for C. pseudotuberculosis infections.
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Mauro A. F. Guimaraes, Natalia Pinheiro-Rosa, Rafael P. Oliveira, Sarah L. F. Aguiar, Mariana C. G. Miranda, Luisa Lemos, Adna L. Souza, Daniela S. dos Reis, Samara R. Medeiros, William A. Goncalves, Sylvia S. Amaral, Vanessa Pinho, Anderson Miyoshi, Vasco A. Z. Azevedo, Rafael M. Rezende, Ana M. C. Faria
Summary: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. In this study, a protocol of oral tolerance induction using HSP65-producing Lactococcus lactis was proposed and successfully prevented and controlled MOG-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice. The treatment resulted in a reduction in EAE clinical score, higher frequencies of regulatory T cells, and reduced leukocyte adherence in the spinal cord. These findings suggest a novel therapeutic strategy for MS and other autoimmune diseases.
CELLULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Paula Cristina Silva Almeida, Bruno Stelmastchuk Roque, Andrei Giacchetto Felice, Arun Kumar Jaiswal, Sandeep Tiwari, Vasco Azevedo, Mario Leon Silva-Vergara, Siomar de Castro Soares, Kennio Ferreira-Paim, Fernanda Machado Fonseca
Summary: This study identified four potential vaccine candidates and drug targets through genome analysis, which could contribute to the development of vaccines and drugs that can change the current scenario of histoplasmosis treatment and prevention.
Article
Ecology
Priscyla dos Santos Ribeiro, Natalia Barbosa Carvalho, Flavia Aburjaile, Thiago Sousa, Graciete Verissimo, Talita Gomes, Fabio Neves, Luiza Blanco, Joao Antonio Lima, Daiana de Oliveira, Arun Kumar Jaiswal, Bertram Brenig, Siomar Soares, Rommel Ramos, Mateus Matiuzzi, Aristoteles Goes-Neto, Claudio Pereira Figueira, Federico Costa, Paula Ristow, Vasco Azevedo
Summary: This study identified a new non-pathogenic species of spirochetes in biofilms in a polluted urban environment, suggesting that biofilms may serve as natural reservoirs for leptospires.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emilio Mateev, Maya Georgieva, Alexandrina Mateeva, Alexander Zlatkov, Shaban Ahmad, Khalid Raza, Vasco Azevedo, Debmalya Barh
Summary: With the increase in neurodegenerative diseases, monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) inhibitors are emerging as promising structures for treatment. Structure-based virtual screening (SBVS), specifically using molecular docking, is a useful tool for drug discovery and development. This study provides insight into the role of MAOs in treating neurodegenerative diseases, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of docking simulations and software, and explores the active sites of MAO-A and MAO-B. New chemical classes of MAO-B inhibitors and their essential fragments are also discussed, providing potential directions for further research.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Sankaran Venkatachalam, Nisha Murlidharan, Sowmya R. Krishnan, C. Ramakrishnan, Mpho Setshedi, Ramesh Pandian, Debmalya Barh, Sandeep Tiwari, Vasco Azevedo, Yasien Sayed, M. Michael Gromiha
Summary: AIDS is a challenging infectious disease with a need for understanding drug resistance mechanisms. A new double-insertion mutation (L38HL) in HIV subtype C protease was investigated for its potential in inducing drug resistance towards the protease inhibitor Saquinavir (SQV). Computational techniques revealed that the L38HL mutation increased flexibility in certain regions and decreased binding affinity of SQV compared to wild-type. The mutation also resulted in a wide opening at the binding site and altered flap dynamics, leading to decreased interactions with the binding site and a potential drug resistance phenotype.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Joseph Pateras, Pratip Rana, Preetam Ghosh
Summary: Physics-informed machine learning (PIML) is an emerging field that utilizes physically relevant prior information to extract physically relevant solutions from data lacking in quantity and veracity. This paper discusses recent advancements in PIML and highlights novel methods and applications of domain decomposition in physics-informed neural networks (PINNs). It also explores the use of neural operator learning to intuit relationships in physics systems traditionally modeled with complex governing equations and expensive differentiation techniques. Additionally, the paper discusses the limitations and applications of traditional physics-informed machine learning, and proposes a novel taxonomic structure to categorize PIML based on the derivation and injection of physics information into the machine learning process.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Joyce Dutra, Glen Garcia, Rosimeire Gomes, Mariana Cardoso, Arley Cortes, Tales Silva, Luis de Jesus, Luciano Rodrigues, Andria Freitas, Vinicius Waldow, Juliana Laguna, Gabriela Campos, Monique Americo, Rubens Akamine, Maira de Sousa, Claudia Groposo, Henrique Figueiredo, Vasco Azevedo, Aristoteles Goes-Neto
Summary: The study aimed to analyze the physicochemical features of microbial communities occurring in produced water and enrichment cultures in oil pipelines. It was found that produced water samples have higher phylogenetic diversity of bacteria and archaea, while enrichment cultures have higher dominance of bacterial genera associated with microbial influenced corrosion (MIC). All samples had a core community composed of 19 distinct genera, with Desulfovibrio as the dominant genus. Metabarcoding of uncultured produced water samples, along with physicochemical characterization, was suggested as a more efficient method for monitoring MIC in oil industry facilities.
Article
Microbiology
Juan Carlos Ariute, Andrei Giachetto Felice, Siomar Soares, Marco Aurelio Siqueira da Gama, Elineide Barbosa de Souza, Vasco Azevedo, Bertram Brenig, Flavia Aburjaile, Ana Maria Benko-Iseppon
Summary: In this study, 14 Ralstonia solanacearum isolates from Brazil were sequenced and analyzed, revealing their similarity to R. solanacearum genomes in NCBI. The new isolates shared more Rips with Moko IIA and Moko IIB than with other public BW genome isolates from Brazil. These findings provide important insights into the association between Rips repertoire and host specificities.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jordana Almeida Santana, Amanda Oliveira Paraguassu, Ranielle Stephanie Toledo Santana, Rafael Gariglio Clark Xavier, Patricia Maria Colleto Freitas, Flavia Figueira Aburjaile, Vasco Ariston de Carvalho Azevedo, Bertram Brenig, Anders Miki Bojesen, Rodrigo Otavio Silveira Silva
Summary: This study evaluated the risk factors associated with MRSP colonization in dogs admitted to an ICU, and reported antimicrobial resistance profiles and genetic relatedness of MRSP isolates. The results found that female sex, age (>7 years), and previous antimicrobial treatment were associated with MRSP acquisition. Whole-genome sequencing revealed the presence of the same MRSP clone causing infections in dogs outside the ICU. Therefore, improved infection prevention and control practices are necessary in veterinary hospitals, especially in ICUs.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Carine Rodrigues Pereira, Rodrigo Bentes Kato, Fabricio Almeida Araujo, Alessandra Lima da Silva, Roselane Goncalves dos Santos, Thiago de Jesus Sousa, Raquel Costa Neia, Saulo Britto da Silva, Charles H. D. Williamson, John Gillece, Andrey Pereira Lage, David O'Callaghan, Derek Pickard, Rommel Thiago Juca Ramos, Vasco Ariston de Carvalho Azevedo, Jeffrey T. Foster, Elaine Maria Seles Dorneles
Summary: This study investigated the genetic determinants responsible for antimicrobial resistance in 53 genomes of B. abortus strains isolated from cattle in Brazil. Eight genes associated with antimicrobial resistance were identified, but no association was found between the genetic polymorphisms in these genes and the observed resistance phenotypes in the Brazilian strains.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Satyaki Roy, Ahmad F. Al Musawi, Preetam Ghosh
Summary: Complex networks are abstract mathematical representations of real-world systems, and predicting unknown interactions in these networks is of great interest in various fields. Network motifs, which are recurring subnetworks, play a crucial role. In the realm of social science, link prediction models are used to understand various phenomena. This study proposes a new metric, based on a specific network motif called feed-forward loop, which outperforms existing methods on multiple datasets. The authors also discuss the potential applications of this metric in dynamic network inference and the design of combined metrics using different network motifs.
HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
