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Topic Review
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a bacterium of great medical importance because it causes tuberculosis, a disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Two important features are related to this bacterium: its ability to infect and survive inside the host, minimizing the immune response, and the burden of clinical isolates that are highly resistant to antibiotics treatment. These two phenomena are directly affected by cell envelope proteins, such as proteins from the ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC transporters) superfamily.
  • 1.4K
  • 18 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Corynebacterium Glutamicum Mechanosensing
Corynebacterium glutamicum is a workhorse for industrial amino acid production, and the most striking feature of this bacterium is L-glutamate secretion. L-glutamate secretion is triggered by altering cell surface structures by biotin limitation, adding surfactants, penicillin, etc. Mechanosensing by MscCG-type mechanosensitive channels is the central physiological phenomenon for the L-glutamate secretion, and understanding the structural and functional diversity of MscS bacterial mechanosensitive channel superfamily will solve long-puzzling questions in Corynebacterium glutamicum.
  • 1.4K
  • 25 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a Gram-negative diplococcus which causes the sexually transmitted infection (STI) gonorrhea.
  • 1.4K
  • 24 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli
Avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) are the major etiology of avian colibacillosis. Unlike other pathogenic E. coli, APEC causes extra-intestinal infections. Here we focus on the first time detection of APEC from layer farms in Bangladesh using molecular based approach targeting specific APEC associated virulence genes. In addition, their antibiotic resistance profile were also evaluated. Surprisingly all the isolates were found MDR in nature which is very alarming from public health point of view because of their zoonotic potentiality.
  • 1.4K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Drug-Resistance of Candida glabrata
Candida glabrata is a yeast of increasing medical relevance, particularly in critically ill patients. It is the second most isolated Candida species associated with invasive candidiasis (IC) behind C. albicans. The attributed higher incidence is primarily due to an increase in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) population, cancer, and diabetic patients. The elderly population and the frequent use of indwelling medical devices are also predisposing factors.
  • 1.4K
  • 30 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Helicobacter pylori in Gastric Cancer
The H. pyloriinfection generates an inflammatory reaction in the stomach, resulting in the loss of parietal cells and an elevation in gastric pH. H. pylorimay contribute to microbial dysbiosis, and effective eradication can restore the gut microbiota to a state comparable to that of uninfected people.
  • 1.4K
  • 02 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Molecular Virology
Molecular virology is the study of viruses on a molecular level. Viruses are submicroscopic parasites that replicate inside host cells. They are able to successfully infect and parasitize all kinds of life forms- from microorganisms to plants and animals- and as a result viruses have more biological diversity than the rest of the bacterial, plant, and animal kingdoms combined. Studying this diversity is the key to a better understanding of how viruses interact with their hosts, replicate inside them, and cause diseases.
  • 1.4K
  • 31 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Quercetin and Akkermansia muciniphila: Facing NAFLD & Obesity
Obesity is a disease characterized by an excessive body fat accumulation and by the presence of a subclinical chronic inflammation. It is related to many comorbidities, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the predominant cause of chronic liver disease in many parts of the world. NAFLD is a disease spectrum which starts with simple steatosis (the accumulation of fat in the liver) and could progress to steatohepatitis, cirrhosis or even hepatocarcinoma, mainly due to sedentary lifestyle.  Gut microbiota is a metabolic organ involved in physiological homeostasis and is defined as all the microorganisms that habit along the digestive tract. The alteration of its composition and functionality, called dysbiosis, has been associated with many pathologies, such as obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development. Gut microbiota emerges as a therapeutic target, in which probiotics or prebiotics play a central role. Probiotics are live microorganisms that have beneficial effects on health status when are consumed in proper doses, whereas prebiotics are non-digestible ingredients which promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the gut. A synbiotic is a combination of prebiotics and probiotics that confers a healthy benefit on the host. 
  • 1.3K
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria in Medicinal Plants
Plants are constantly exposed to both biotic and abiotic stresses which limit their growth and development and reduce productivity. In order to tolerate them, plants initiate a multitude of stress-specific responses which modulate different physiological, molecular and cellular mechanisms. The microbial community in the rhizosphere (known as the rhizomicrobiome) undergoes intraspecific as well as interspecific interaction and signaling. The rhizomicrobiome, as biostimulants, play a pivotal role in stimulating the growth of plants and providing resilience against abiotic stress. Such rhizobacteria which promote the development of plants and increase their yield and immunity are known as PGPR (plant growth promoting rhizobacteria). On the basis of contact, they are classified into two categories, extracellular (in soil around root, root surface and cellular space) and intracellular (nitrogen-fixing bacteria). They show their effects on plant growth directly (i.e., in absence of pathogens) or indirectly. Generally, they make their niche in concentrated form around roots, as the latter exude several nutrients, such as amino acids, lipids, proteins, etc. Rhizobacteria build a special symbiotic relationship with the plant or a section of the plant’s inner tissues. There are free-living PGPRs with the potential to work as biofertilizers. Additionally, studies show that PGPRs can ameliorate the effect of abiotic stresses and help in enhanced growth and development of plants producing therapeutically important compounds. 
  • 1.3K
  • 20 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Phage-Bacteria Interactions
With the increasing global threat of antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need to develop new effective therapies to tackle antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Bacteriophage therapy is considered as a possible alternative over antibiotics to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bacteria can evolve resistance towards bacteriophages through antiphage defense mechanisms, which is a major limitation of phage therapy. The antiphage mechanisms target the phage life cycle, including adsorption, the injection of DNA, synthesis, the assembly of phage particles, and the release of progeny virions.
  • 1.3K
  • 21 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Classification of Postbiotics
Postbiotics are (i) “soluble factors secreted by live bacteria, or released after bacterial lysis, such as enzymes, peptides, teichoic acids, peptidoglycan-derived muropeptides, polysaccharides, cell-surface proteins and organic acids”; (ii) “non-viable metabolites produced by microorganisms that exert biological effects on the hosts”; and (iii) “compounds produced by microorganisms, released from food components or microbial constituents, including non-viable cells that, when administered in adequate amounts, promote health and wellbeing”. A probiotic- and prebiotic-rich diet ensures an adequate supply of these vital nutrients. During the anaerobic fermentation of organic nutrients, such as prebiotics, postbiotics act as a benevolent bioactive molecule matrix. Postbiotics can be used as functional components in the food industry by offering a number of advantages, such as being added to foods that are harmful to probiotic survival. Postbiotic supplements have grown in popularity in the food, cosmetic, and healthcare industries because of their numerous health advantages. Their classification depends on various factors, including the type of microorganism, structural composition, and physiological functions. 
  • 1.3K
  • 15 Jan 2024
Topic Review
The STEC–MFG Association
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are zoonotic Gram-negative bacteria. While raw milk cheese consumption is healthful, contamination with pathogens such as STEC can occur due to poor hygiene practices at the farm level. STEC infections cause mild to serious symptoms in humans. The raw milk cheese-making process concentrates certain milk macromolecules such as proteins and milk fat globules (MFGs), allowing the intrinsic beneficial and pathogenic microflora to continue to thrive. MFGs are surrounded by a biological membrane, the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), which has a globally positive health effect, including inhibition of pathogen adhesion.
  • 1.3K
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Nutritional Therapies on the Intestinal Microbiome
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, autoimmune disorder of the gastrointestinal tract with numerous genetic and environmental risk factors. Patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) often demonstrate marked disruptions of their gut microbiome. The intestinal microbiota is strongly influenced by diet. The association between the increasing incidence of IBD worldwide and increased consumption of a westernized diet suggests host nutrition may influence the progression or treatment of IBD via the microbiome. Several nutritional therapies have been studied for the treatment of CD and UC. While their mechanisms of action are only partially understood, existing studies do suggest that diet-driven changes in microbial composition and function underlie the diverse mechanisms of nutritional therapy. Despite existing therapies for IBD focusing heavily on immune suppression, nutrition is an important treatment option due to its superior safety profile, potentially low cost, and benefits for growth and development. These benefits are increasingly important to patients. In this entry, we will describe the clinical efficacy of the different nutritional therapies that have been described for the treatment of CD and UC. 
  • 1.3K
  • 05 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Metschnikowia bicuspidata
Metschnikowia bicuspidata is an opportunistic pathogenic yeast that is distributed in marine and freshwater environments worldwide. 
  • 1.3K
  • 01 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Current Methods for Bacterial Infection Clinical Diagnosis
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), defined as the ability of microorganisms to withstand antimicrobial treatment, is responsible for millions of deaths annually. The rapid spread of AMR across continents warrants systematic changes in healthcare routines and protocols. One of the fundamental issues with AMR spread is the lack of rapid diagnostic tools for pathogen identification and AMR detection. Resistance profile identification often depends on pathogen culturing and thus may last up to several days. This contributes to the misuse of antibiotics for viral infection, the use of inappropriate antibiotics, the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics, or delayed infection treatment.
  • 1.3K
  • 05 May 2023
Topic Review
CRISPR-Cas9 Innovations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been for a long time a common model for fundamental biological studies and a popular biotechnological engineering platform to produce chemicals, fuels, and pharmaceuticals due to its peculiar characteristics. Both lines of research require an effective editing of the native genetic elements or the inclusion of heterologous pathways into the yeast genome. Although S. cerevisiae is a well-known host with several molecular biology tools available, a more precise tool is still needed. The clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats–associated Cas9 (CRISPR-Cas9) system is a current, widespread genome editing tool. The implementation of a reprogrammable, precise, and specific method, such as CRISPR-Cas9, to edit the S. cerevisiae genome has revolutionized laboratory practices.
  • 1.3K
  • 17 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Fungal Co-Infections in COVID-19 Patients
Fungal co-infections are reported in severely ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU, with a higher rate of incidence for aspergillosis followed by candidemia, as observed from our literature analysis. Fungal co-infections may increase disease severity and lead to more severe outcomes. 
  • 1.3K
  • 16 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Bacterial–Fungal Interactions
At the cell-to-cell level, bacteria and fungi interact at many different levels of intimacy that can be considered from two perspectives: in terms of physical associations and in terms of molecular communication. More often than not, multiple mechanism of interaction can be employed by one microorganism. Cumulative cell-to-cell interactions among organisms belonging to very different taxa levels and origins, such as animals, protists, fungi, bacteria, archaea, and viruses, determine the overall microbial community activity in a given habitat. These interactions have an effect not just on their surrounding environment (i.e., microenvironment), but also influence large-scale fluxes and, thus, impact global ecosystem processes.
  • 1.3K
  • 25 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Nano-Microbial Remediation of Polluted Soil
Nanobiotechnology has been used to bio-remediate or reclaim soil contaminated with organic and inorganic pollutants. The removal of pollutants from industrial wastes is a major challenge. The utilization of nanomaterials is gaining popularity, which might be accredited to their enhanced physical, chemical, and mechanical qualities. The development of advanced nanobiotechnological techniques involving the use of nanomaterials for the reclamation of polluted soils has indicated promising results and future hope for sustainable agriculture. By manufacturing environment-friendly nanomaterials, the industrial expenditure on decreasing the load of pollution might be reduced. A potential emerging domain of nanotechnology for eco-friendly production and cost reduction is “green biotechnology”, alongside the utilization of microorganisms in nanoparticle synthesis.
  • 1.3K
  • 31 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Bacteria and Boar Semen Storage
Artificial insemination (AI) is a widely used technique in swine production. Advances in the technique have made it possible to store spermatozoa at temperatures of 15–20 °C for short periods, up to ten days. Unfortunately, it is currently associated with bacterial contamination of semen during collection and dilution. Although the temperature is reduced to induce sperm inactivity during storage, bacterial growth can still occur. Bacterial growth has been associated with deleterious effects on semen quality and shelf life, such as sperm agglutination, decreased sperm motility and viability. In addition, reproductive output after AI can also be affected by bacteriospermia.
  • 1.3K
  • 19 Dec 2022
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