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Topic Review
Malassezia spp. and Hosts
Malassezia is a lipid-dependent genus of yeasts known for being an important part of the skin mycobiota. These yeasts have been associated with the development of skin disorders and cataloged as a causal agent of systemic infections under specific conditions, making them opportunistic pathogens. Little is known about the host–microbe interactions of Malassezia spp., and unraveling this implies the implementation of infection models.
  • 1.1K
  • 21 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Bifidobacteria in Hypercholesterolemia
Strains belonging to the genera Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are able to reduce skin disorders. They play an important role in modulating the cutaneous immune response and are able to promote the differentiation of normal human keratocytes inducing a high expression of differentiation markers. Moreover, some strains showed the ability to assimilate cholesterol and to produce shorty chain fatty acid, reducing the total cholesterol levels. 
  • 1.1K
  • 26 May 2021
Topic Review
The Bacterial Urban Resistome
Cities that are densely populated are reservoirs of antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs). The overall presence of all resistance genes in a specific environment is defined as a resistome. Spatial proximity of surfaces and different hygienic conditions leads to the transfer of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) within urban environments. Built environments, public transportation, green spaces, and citizens’ behaviors all support persistence and transfer of antimicrobial resistances (AMR). 
  • 1.1K
  • 14 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Biofilm Survival Strategies in Chronic Wounds
Bacterial biofilms residing in chronic wounds are thought to have numerous survival strategies, making them extremely difficult to eradicate and resulting in long-term infections. However, much of people's knowledge regarding biofilm persistence stems from in vitro models and experiments performed in vivo in animal models. While the knowledge obtained from such experiments is highly valuable, its direct translation to the human clinical setting should be undertaken with caution. 
  • 1.1K
  • 27 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Toxicity of Mycotoxins to Intestinal Epithelial Cells
Mycotoxin is a naturally occurring substance produced by fungi. Consumption of low concentrations of mycotoxins in animals would result in severe hazardous symptoms.
  • 1.1K
  • 26 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Tetracycline Resistance in Acid Bacterial Species
By comparing phenotypes with genotypes based on genome-wide annotations, five tetracycline resistance genes, tet(M), tet(W/N/W), tet(L), tet(S), and tet(45), were detected in LAB. Multiple LAB strains without tetracycline resistance genes were found to be resistant to tetracycline at the currently recommended cutoff values. 
  • 1.1K
  • 24 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Clostridioides difficile
Clostridioides difficile is an increasingly common pathogen both within and outside the hospital and is responsible for a large clinical spectrum from asymptomatic carriage to complicated infection associated with a high mortality. While diagnostic methods have considerably progressed over the years, the optimal diagnostic algorithm is still debated and there is no single diagnostic test that can be used as a standalone test. More importantly, the heterogeneity in diagnostic practices between centers along with the lack of robust surveillance systems in all countries and an important degree of underdiagnosis due to lack of clinical suspicion in the community, hinder a more accurate evaluation of the burden of disease. Our improved understanding of the physiopathology of CDI has allowed some significant progress in the treatment of CDI, including a broader use of fidaxomicine, the use of fecal microbiota transplantation for multiples recurrences and newer approaches including antibodies, vaccines and new molecules, already developed or in the pipeline.
  • 1.1K
  • 12 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Membrane Efflux Pumps of Pathogenic Vibrio Species
Infectious diseases caused by bacterial species of the Vibrio genus have had considerable significance upon human health for centuries. V. cholerae is the causative microbial agent of cholera, a severe ailment characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, a condition associated with epidemics, and seven great historical pandemics. V. parahaemolyticus causes wound infection and watery diarrhea, while V. vulnificus can cause wound infections and septicemia. Species of the Vibrio genus with resistance to multiple antimicrobials have been a significant health concern for several decades. Mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance machinery in Vibrio spp. include biofilm formation, drug inactivation, target protection, antimicrobial permeability reduction, and active antimicrobial efflux. Integral membrane-bound active antimicrobial efflux pump systems include primary and secondary transporters, members of which belong to closely related protein superfamilies. The RND (resistance-nodulation-division) pumps, the MFS (major facilitator superfamily) transporters, and the ABC superfamily of efflux pumps constitute significant drug transporters for investigation.
  • 1.1K
  • 11 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Angiotensin II Type I Receptor (AT1R)
AT1R has a major role in RAS by being involved in several physiological events including blood pressure control and electrolyte balance. Following SARS-CoV-2 infection, pathogenic episodes generated by the vasoconstriction, proinflammatory, profibrotic, and prooxidative consequences of the Ang II–AT1R axis activation are accompanied by a hyperinflammatory state (cytokine storm) and an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). AT1R, a member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, modulates Ang II deleterious effects through the activation of multiple downstream signaling pathways, among which are MAP kinases (ERK 1/2, JNK, p38MAPK), receptor tyrosine kinases (PDGF, EGFR, insulin receptor), and nonreceptor tyrosine kinases (Src, JAK/STAT, focal adhesion kinase (FAK)), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase.
  • 1.0K
  • 12 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Omics to Study Fungal Plant Pathogens
In plant pathology, multi-omics (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) can help mainly in the prevention and management of diseases. The omics have been applied to elucidate the function of genes and the structure of the genome to provide insights into gene and protein expression and to understand the metabolic profiling of both the host and the pathogen during an infection process. The application of omics in the genus Diaporthe is still poorly explored, although metabolomics has been widely applied to explore endophytic Diaporthe natural products for their potential applications in pharmacology. Although the genus Diaporthe comprises important plant pathogens and endophytes, these species also have the ability to switch lifestyles.
  • 1.0K
  • 29 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Plasmodium vivax Malaria
Plasmodium vivax malaria is a neglected tropical disease, despite being more geographically widespread than any other form of malaria.
  • 1.0K
  • 06 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Tick Protease Inhibitors
Protease inhibitors (PIs) are ubiquitous regulatory proteins present in all kingdoms. They play crucial tasks in controlling biological processes directed by proteases which, if not tightly regulated, can damage the host organism. PIs can be classified according to their targeted proteases or their mechanism of action.
  • 1.0K
  • 10 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Bacteriophage Therapy to Control Bovine Mastitis
Bovine mastitis is a polymicrobial disease characterised by inflammation of the udders of dairy and beef cattle. The infection has huge implications to health and welfare of animals, impacting milk and beef production and costing up to EUR 32 billion annually to the dairy industry, globally. Bacterial communities associated with the disease include representative species from Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Actinomyces, Aerococcus, Escherichia, Klebsiella and Proteus. Conventional treatment relies on antibiotics, but antimicrobial resistance, declining antibiotic innovations and biofilm production negatively impact therapeutic efficacy. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses which effectively target and lyse bacteria with extreme specificity and can be a valuable supplement or replacement to antibiotics for bovine mastitis. 
  • 1.0K
  • 29 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Phages in Food Industry Biocontrol
Bacteriophages are ubiquitous in nature and their use is a current promising alternative in biological control. Multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial strains are present in the livestock industry and phages are attractive candidates to eliminate them and their biofilms. 
  • 1.0K
  • 20 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Microbiota Alterations in Pancreatic Cancer
The human microbiome is a key factor in many malignancies, having the ability to alter host metabolism and immune responses and participate in tumorigenesis. Gut microbes have an influence on physiological functions of the healthy pancreas and are themselves controlled by pancreatic secretions. An altered oral microbiota may colonize the pancreas and cause local inflammation by the action of its metabolites, which may lead to carcinogenesis. The mechanisms behind dysbiosis and pancreatic cancer (PC) development are not completely clear. An altered microbiota may induce oncogenomic changes, or, on the other hand, cancer mutations may have an impact on microbiota composition. Altered microbiota can also influence drug efficacy in PC chemo- and immunotherapies. Possible future scenarios are the intentional manipulation of the gut microbiota in combination with therapy or the utilization of microbial profiles for the noninvasive screening and monitoring of PC.
  • 1.0K
  • 13 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Wolbachia
Wolbachia is an intracellular bacterium that occurs in arthropods and in filarial worms. First described nearly a century ago in the reproductive tissues of Culex pipiens mosquitoes, Wolbachia is now known to occur in roughly 50% of insect species, and has been considered the most abundant intracellular bacterium on earth. In insect hosts, Wolbachia modifies reproduction in ways that facilitate spread of the microbe within the host population, but otherwise is relatively benign. In this “gene drive” capacity, Wolbachia provides a tool for manipulating mosquito populations. In mosquitoes, Wolbachia causes cytoplasmic incompatibility, in which the fusion of egg and sperm nuclei is disrupted, and eggs fail to hatch, depending on the presence/absence of Wolbachia in the parent insects. Recent findings demonstrate that Wolbachia from infected insects can be transferred into mosquito species that do not host a natural infection. When transinfected into Aedes aegypti, an important vector of dengue and Zika viruses, Wolbachia causes cytoplasmic incompatibility and, in addition, decreases the mosquito’s ability to transmit viruses to humans. 
  • 1.0K
  • 31 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Phytophthora sansomeana
Phytophthora sansomeana has been shown to be a causal agent of Phytophthora root rot (PRR) in soybean in addition to P. sojae. The emergence and spread of a second pathogen causing PRR poses a significant threat to soybean production.
  • 1.0K
  • 20 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Occurrence of β-N-Methylamino-L-alanine
One interesting compound in the spectrum of cyanobacterial metabolites is the non-proteinogenic amino acid β-N-methylamino-L-alanine, abbreviated BMAA. In total, the presence of BMAA and/or its isomers was linked to more than 200 findings related to cyanobacteria from nature (freshwaters, marine and brackish environment, terrestrial habitats and plant symbionts), market samples and specimens from culture collections. Although BMAA and its isomers are found in many ecosystems, the occurrence of these compounds is not ubiquitous. 
  • 1.0K
  • 29 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Allelochemicals from Microalgae
Allelochemicals are toxic secondary metabolites produced by plants, microalgae, bacteria, and fungi that influence other organisms. The bioactivity of allelochemicals and their toxic or beneficial effects have been the focus of research in medicine and agriculture, and for their anticancer and antimicrobial properties. Microalgae are the source of a remarkable diversity of biologically active compounds, which can be involved in allelopathic interactions. The main chemical classes of microalgal allelochemicals are alkaloids, fatty acids and derivatives, polyketides, peptides, phenolics, and terpenoids. In the environment, these molecules are secreted by microalgae for communication, defence, and adaptation purposes.
  • 1.0K
  • 17 May 2023
Topic Review
Epidermal Growth Factor-Like Protein-7
Cancer growth and metastasis require interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM), which is home to many biomolecules that support the formation of new vessels and cancer growth. One of these biomolecules is epidermal growth factor-like protein-7 (EGFL7). EGFL7 alters cellular adhesion to the ECM and migratory behavior of tumor and immune cells contributing to tumor metastasis. EGFL7 is engaged in the formation of new vessels and changes in ECM stiffness. One of its binding partners on the endothelial and cancer cell surface is beta 3 integrin. Beta 3 integrin pathways are under intense investigation in search of new therapies to kill cancer cells. All these properties enable EGFL7 to contribute to drug resistance. 
  • 1.0K
  • 10 Mar 2021
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