Editorial Material
Microbiology
R. Elizabeth Sockett
Summary: Liz Sockett describes the lessons she learned from studying Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, a single-celled predator that invades and kills Gram-negative bacteria from within.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Ying Tang, Qian-Xiao Huang, Di-Wei Zheng, Yang Chen, Li Ma, Cui Huang, Xian-Zheng Zhang
Summary: By utilizing a material-assisted micro-organism (MAMO) strategy with ZnO nanorods engineered Bdellovibrio (ZnO@Bdello), the biofilm composed of Gram-negative bacteria can be effectively eradicated. This strategy demonstrates superior competence in alleviating inflammation and inhibiting bone resorption.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Camila Maurmann de Souza, Osmel Fleitas Martinez, Harry Morales Duque, Octavio Luiz Franco
Summary: Novel treatments are needed to combat resistant Gram-negative bacteria and predatory bacteria have emerged as a potential solution. However, the efficacy of predatory bacteria alone is limited, leading to the investigation of combination therapies with other agents. This article discusses recent advancements in the use of predatory bacteria for infections and proposes novel combination strategies with antivirulence compounds.
DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Karolina Plaskowska, Lukasz Makowski, Agnieszka Strzalka, Jolanta Zakrzewska-Czerwinska
Summary: Most eukaryotic and bacterial cells divide by binary fission, while some bacteria can also divide by nonbinary fission. The predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus exhibits bimodal fission, with the mode of division depending on the size of the prey bacterium. This finding provides insights into the proliferation and elimination strategies of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Christian Mariel Saenz-Santos, Omotayo Opemipo Oyedara, Yunia Veronica Garcia-Tejeda, Claudia A. Romero-Bastida, Esperanza Milagros Garcia-Oropesa, Eduardo Villalobo, Mario A. Rodriguez-Perez
Summary: The study evaluated the viability of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus in biopolymeric films, with CA-S film showing less reduction in bacterial viability. This suggests that CA-S could be a better agent for immobilization and preservation of B. bacteriovorus for enhanced predatory activities against Escherichia coli.
Review
Microbiology
Benjamin Havenga, Brandon Reyneke, Monique Waso-Reyneke, Thando Ndlovu, Sehaam Khan, Wesaal Khan
Summary: This article reviews the antibiotic resistance and virulence mechanisms of A. baumannii, and discusses the potential of biological control agents to target and combat this pathogen. Limitations and mitigation strategies are also outlined.
Review
Microbiology
Francis M. Cavallo, Lorea Jordana, Alexander W. Friedrich, Corinna Glasner, Jan Maarten van Dijl
Summary: Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is a predatory bacterium with potential applications as a probiotic and antibiotic agent due to its unique ability to prey on other Gram-negative bacteria. Recent studies have focused on its biology, life cycle, predation resistance, and potential use as a living antibiotic in human therapy. Data suggest that it could be upgraded from academic interest to a tool for combating antibiotic resistant infections.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Megan Kode, Monique Waso-Reyneke, Brandon Reyneke, Julia Denissen, Tanya Clements-Decker, Benjamin Havenga, Sehaam Khan, Wesaal Khan
Summary: This study investigated the reduction of antibiotic resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using combination treatments of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, solar disinfection, and Moringa oleifera flocculation. Results showed that pre-treatment with Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus alone did not reduce the concentration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but combining it with solar disinfection resulted in significant reductions. The combination treatment effectively reduced the counts of Klebsiella pneumoniae.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Xiaoli Chen, Huadong Yi, Shuang Liu, Yong Zhang, Yuqin Su, Xuange Liu, Sheng Bi, Han Lai, Zeyu Zeng, Guifeng Li
Summary: Addition of B. bacteriovorus to aquaculture water can significantly promote the pellet-feed feeding of mandarin fish, improve their survival rates and growth performance, as well as regulate intestinal flora and enhance innate immunity.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Manuel F. Varela, Jerusha Stephen, Deeksha Bharti, Manjusha Lekshmi, Sanath Kumar
Summary: Bacterial pathogens resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents through active efflux pose a serious threat to public health. This review discusses recent molecular studies focused on modulating the antimicrobial efflux transporters to restore the clinical efficacy of infectious disease chemotherapy.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
K. K. Sivakala, P. A. Jose, O. Matan, C. Zohar-Perez, A. Nussinovitch, E. Jurkevitch
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of B. bacteriovorus to prey on and survive in the gut of the Mediterranean fruit fly, leading to a shift in the gut microbiome community structure.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Hyochan Jang, Wonsik Mun, Robert J. J. Mitchell, Seong Yeol Choi, Seok Hoon Jeong
Summary: As mankind explores the possibility of permanently inhabiting outer space and other planets, finding alternatives to antibiotics for controlling drug-resistant pathogens becomes crucial. This study examines the efficacy of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100 as an alternative to antibiotics. The results show that the activity of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100 is similar or even better in simulated microgravity conditions compared to flask and normal gravity cultures. The study also demonstrates that Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100 is effective in killing carbapenem- and colistin-resistant pathogenic bacterial strains and can hydrolyze resistant genes in these clinical isolates. These findings suggest the potential applicability of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100 as an antibiotic against multidrug-resistant pathogens during spaceflight.
MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ophelie Remy, Thomas Lamot, Yoann Santin, Jovana Kaljevic, Charles de Pierpont, Geraldine Laloux
Summary: This protocol introduces a fluorescence-based technique for immediate evaluation of predator density, an optimized setup for monitoring predation in microplates, and the CuRveR package for quantifying both prey killing and predator proliferation dynamics. It can assess the impact of mutations or chemicals on predation and serves as a user-friendly tool for analyzing growth or decay data unrelated to predation.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Jerusha Stephen, Fathima Salam, Manjusha Lekshmi, Sanath H. Kumar, Manuel F. Varela
Summary: This review article discusses the S. aureus-specific MFS multidrug efflux pump systems from a molecular mechanistic perspective, including structure-function relationships, modulation of antimicrobial resistance mediated by MFS drug efflux pumps, and direction for future investigation.
Article
Microbiology
Yuki Hoshiko, Yoshito Nishiyama, Tae Moriya, Kiwao Kadokami, Luis Esau Lopez-Jacome, Ryutaro Hirano, Rodolfo Garcia-Contreras, Toshinari Maeda
Summary: The study found that the pqs QS system of P. aeruginosa inhibits the predatory activity of B. bacteriovorus, while the predatory activity of B. bacteriovorus increases when using pqs QS system mutant strains.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giovanna De Simone, Andrea Pasquadibisceglie, Fabio Polticelli, Alessandra di Masi, Paolo Ascenzi
Summary: Haptoglobin related protein (Hpr) is a component of the trypanosome lytic factor (TLF) and plays a critical role in the innate immune response against African trypanosomes. Unlike haptoglobin (Hp), Hpr does not bind the CD163 receptor, but retains the N-terminal signal peptide necessary for association with Apolipoprotein L-1 (ApoL-1). The structural analysis shows that Hpr:Hpr dimerization and recognition by hemoglobin and the Trypanosoma brucei brucei Hp receptor (TbHpHbR) are different from those of Hp:Hp, Hp:Hb, and TbHpHbR:Hp:Hb complexes.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Grazia Raffaella Tundo, Diego Sbardella, Francesco Oddone, Giuseppe Grasso, Stefano Marini, Maria Grazia Atzori, Anna Maria Santoro, Danilo Milardi, Francesco Bellia, Gabriele Macari, Grazia Graziani, Fabio Polticelli, Paolo Cascio, Mariacristina Parravano, Massimo Coletta
Summary: Carfilzomib has been found to target Insulin-Degrading Enzyme (IDE) in vitro, which has interactions with proteasomes in cells. The inhibitory effect of Carfilzomib on IDE is 10-fold lower than on 20S proteasomes. Additionally, the interaction of IDE with 20S enhances the inhibitory power of Carfilzomib on proteasomes. Silencing the IDE gene significantly reduces the cytotoxicity of Carfilzomib in rMC1 cells.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emiliano Fratini, Marianna Nicoletta Rossi, Lucrezia Spagoni, Alessandra Riccieri, Emiliano Mancini, Fabio Polticelli, Marco Alberto Bologna, Paolo Mariottini, Manuela Cervelli
Summary: Protease inhibitors, especially Kunitz-type protease inhibitors, are being widely studied as potential new drugs due to their reversible nature and minimal side effects. Further validation is required to consider these molecules for medical use.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giusi Ianiro, Luigi Rosa, Maria Carmela Bonaccorsi di Patti, Piera Valenti, Giovanni Musci, Antimo Cutone
Summary: Iron is an essential transition metal with crucial biological functions, but it also poses challenges for organisms due to its insolubility and formation of toxic radicals. Organisms have evolved extracellular carrier proteins to acquire and transport iron. Dysregulation of iron-proteins has been implicated in various pathological conditions, yet no resolutive therapy has been found. This review highlights the efficacy of Lactoferrin, a member of the transferrin family, in managing iron disorders associated with different pathologies.
Editorial Material
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Luigi Rosa, Maria Carmela Bonaccorsi di Patti, Vadim Vasilyev, Antimo Cutone
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Antimo Cutone, Luigi Rosa, Maria Carmela Bonaccorsi di Patti, Federico Iacovelli, Maria Pia Conte, Giusi Ianiro, Alice Romeo, Elena Campione, Luca Bianchi, Piera Valenti, Mattia Falconi, Giovanni Musci
Summary: Research has found that bovine and human lactoferrins have antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and can restore iron and inflammatory balance by binding to the viral glycoprotein Spike. This discovery suggests the potential use of lactoferrin as an adjunct therapy for COVID-19.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marco Zaccaria, William Dawson, Darius Russel Kish, Massimo Reverberi, Maria Carmela Bonaccorsi di Patti, Marek Domin, Viviana Cristiglio, Bun Chan, Luca Dellafiora, Frank Gabel, Takahito Nakajima, Luigi Genovese, Babak Momeni
Summary: We investigated the detoxification of aflatoxins, fungal carcinogenic food contaminants, by laccase. Experimental comparison of two similar aflatoxins (AFB(1) and AFG(2)) showed significant differences in laccase-mediated detoxification. A multi-scale modeling approach identified substrate-specific changes needed to improve laccase's detoxification capability, and a density functional theory-based model determined the amino acid residues affecting laccase's affinity for aflatoxins. The study concluded that AFB(1) is more challenging to degrade, while AFG(2) is easier due to its lack of side products and favorable binding dynamics, highlighting opportunities to optimize laccase for aflatoxin degradation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giusi Ianiro, Veronica D'Ezio, Ludovica Carpinelli, Cecilia Casella, Maria Carmela Bonaccorsi di Patti, Luigi Rosa, Piera Valenti, Marco Colasanti, Giovanni Musci, Antimo Cutone, Tiziana Persichini
Summary: The study examines the effect of bovine lactoferrin (bLf) on oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in human astroglial cells infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1). The results show that both forms of bLf, nat-bLf and holo-bLf, enhance the host antioxidant response and reduce reactive oxygen species-mediated damage in astrocytes. The study also demonstrates that bLf restores the physiological internalization of transferrin receptor 1 and exacerbates Tat-induced excitotoxicity on human neuronal cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Pasquadibisceglie, Virginia Quadrotta, Fabio Polticelli
Summary: The Carnitine-Acylcarnitine Carrier plays a crucial role in the exchange of acylcarnitine and carnitine in mitochondria. This study analyzes the structural dynamics and early substrate recognition of SLC25A20 using modeling techniques, molecular dynamics, and molecular docking. The results reveal asymmetry in conformational changes and provide insights into the pathogenic mutations and the substrates recognition mechanism.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emiliana Farina, Hellen Daghero, Mariela Bollati-Fogolin, Eduardo Boido, Jorge Cantero, Mauricio Moncada-Basualto, Claudio Olea-Azar, Fabio Polticelli, Margot Paulino
Summary: The antioxidant phenolics composition, antioxidant capacity, and anti-inflammatory properties of six Uruguayan red grape pomaces were evaluated. Results showed that Tannat grape pomaces have higher phenolic content and antioxidant capacity compared to Cabernet Franc. These extracts exhibited inhibitory effects on TNF-alpha mediated NF-κB activation and IL-8 production, suggesting potential anti-inflammatory bioactivity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matteo Amadei, Antonella Niro, Maria Rosaria Fullone, Rossella Miele, Fabio Polticelli, Giovanni Musci, Maria Carmela Bonaccorsi di Patti
Summary: Ferroportin (Fpn), a member of the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) of transporters, is the only known iron exporter found in mammals and plays a crucial role in regulating cellular and systemic iron levels. In this study, a fluorescent amino acid (DA) was introduced into specific positions of human Fpn to investigate conformational changes during metal translocation. The results indicate metal-induced conformational transitions, providing insights into the alternating access mechanism of Fpn and advancing our understanding of iron transport.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Pasquadibisceglie, Maria Carmela Bonaccorsi di Patti, Giovanni Musci, Fabio Polticelli
Summary: This passage mainly describes the importance of iron in biology and the regulation of intracellular and extracellular iron levels through transport systems.
Article
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Daniele Toti, Gabriele Macari, Enrico Barbierato, Fabio Polticelli
Summary: This work presents a graph database called Fragment Graph DataBase (FGDB), which contains ligand fragments extracted and generated from the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The database aims to support and facilitate fragment-based drug design by providing users with a comprehensive collection of fragments and query capabilities. Two sample use cases involving proteins of high biomedical relevance for cancer therapy are also presented.
DATABASE-THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DATABASES AND CURATION
(2022)
