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Topic Review
Porphyromonas gingivalis in Cancer Development
A periodontal pathogen, namely, Porphyromonas gingivalis, was found to be associated with all three types of cancers: oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
  • 621
  • 25 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Immune-Based Anti-Staphylococcal Therapeutic Approaches
Widespread methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections within community and healthcare settings are responsible for accelerated development of antibiotic resistance. As the antibiotic pipeline began drying up, alternative strategies were sought for future treatment of S. aureus infections. Here, we review immune-based anti-staphylococcal strategies that, unlike conventional antibiotics, target non-essential gene products elaborated by the pathogen. These strategies stimulate narrow or broad host immune mechanisms that are critical for anti-staphylococcal defenses. Alternative approaches aim to disrupt bacterial virulence mechanisms that enhance pathogen survival or induce immunopathology. Although immune-based therapeutics are unlikely to replace antibiotics in patient treatment in the near term, they have the potential to significantly improve upon the performance of antibiotics for treatment of invasive staphylococcal diseases.
  • 613
  • 24 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Molecular Basis for Toxicity of Yeast Ppz1
Overexpression of Ppz1 causes abundant changes in gene expression and modifies the phosphorylation state of more than 150 proteins, including key signaling protein kinases such as Hog1 or Snf1. Diverse cellular processes are altered: halt in translation, failure to properly adapt to low glucose supply, acidification of the cytosol, or depletion of intracellular potassium content are a few examples. Therefore, the toxicity derived from an excess of Ppz1 appears to be multifactorial, the characteristic cell growth blockage thus arising from the combination of various altered processes. Notably, overexpression of the Ppz1 regulatory subunit Hal3 fully counteracts the toxic effects of the phosphatase, and this process involves intracellular relocation of the phosphatase to internal membranes.
  • 612
  • 19 May 2022
Topic Review
Genetic Engineering in Bacillus 
Due to the increase in the global population, there is an urgent call to enhance the crop production through sustainable agriculture. Biological control is a possible solution. There are many examples of biological control agents applied to different crops that have improved their yield or quality, including vegetable and fruit crops and ornamental plants. The Bacillus species have been used as powerful tools since they suppress plant pathogens and promote plant growth as well. B. thuringiensis has been used as biopesticide in several crops. 
  • 612
  • 06 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Methods for Determining Bacterial Contamination of Platelet Products
A wide variety of direct and indirect methods have been used to test platelets for the presence of bacterial contamination, and those that are in current use will be discussed. Tests performed on platelet products have been defined by the recent US FDA guidance document on this subject as primary and secondary. Primary testing is the initial bacterial detection test, usually by culture, performed following collection and before release of products for transfusion. Secondary testing is any additional test to detect bacteria in a platelet unit that showed no bacterial contamination upon primary testing. Secondary testing can be by culture or rapid testing methods.
  • 612
  • 18 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Metal-Based Drugs for Lung Microbiome in COPD
The concept of the lung microbiome has been radically altered with the understanding that the human lung hosts a complex ecosystem comprised of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, which actively participate in maintaining respiratory health by contributing to immune modulation, pathogen displacement, and metabolic contributions. The composition of the respiratory microbiome is transient and determined by continuous microbial immigration (through microaspiration, inhalation, and direct mucosal spread), elimination (by the immune system and mucociliary clearance), and replication. The notion of a healthy lung microbiome refers to a state in which a multitude of beneficial microorganisms coexist in harmony, promoting an immune environment that is neither too reactive nor too lax, providing robustness against invading pathogens, and supporting the crucial function of the lungs. 
  • 606
  • 17 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Biotechnological Versatility of Bacillus spp.
The genus Bacillus represents a diverse group of Gram-positive, endospore-forming bacterial species with the well-deserved fame of being potent, versatile, and one of the most promising industrial microorganisms yet discovered. They have an average genome size between 3.4 and 6.0 Mbp. Genetically modified B. subtilis and, to a lesser extent, B. licheniformis, B. amyloliquefaciens, and B. megaterium have been used for the heterologous expression of numerous proteins (enzymes, vaccine components, growth factors), platform chemicals, and other organic compounds of industrial importance.
  • 606
  • 29 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Impacts of Nasal Microbiome on Childhood Asthma
Childhood asthma is a major chronic non-communicable disease in infants and children, often triggered by respiratory tract infections. The nasal cavity is a reservoir for a broad variety of commensal microbes and potential pathogens associated with respiratory illnesses including asthma. A healthy nasal microenvironment has protective effects against respiratory tract infections. The first microbial colonisation in the nasal region is initiated immediately after birth. Subsequently, colonisation by nasal microbiota during infancy plays important roles in rapidly establishing immune homeostasis and the development and maturation of the immune system. Dysbiosis of microbiota residing in the mucosal surfaces, such as the nasopharynx and guts, triggers immune modulation, severe infection, and exacerbation events. Nasal microbiome dysbiosis is related to the onset of symptomatic infections. Dynamic interactions between viral infections and the nasal microbiota in early life affect the later development of respiratory infections.
  • 605
  • 14 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Marine Bacterial Genus Euzebya in Terrestrial Environments
Euzebya and other haloalkaliphilic bacteria can thrive under harsh conditions, such as high concentrations of sodium and/or calcium, high electric conductivity and alkaline pH, highly variable temperatures, and water fluctuations. These conditions are quasi-extreme in the studied terrestrial environments. 
  • 605
  • 01 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Single Particle Trajectories
Single particle trajectories (SPTs) consist of a collection of successive discrete points causal in time. These trajectories are acquired from images in experimental data. In the context of cell biology, the trajectories are obtained by the transient activation by a laser of small dyes attached to a moving molecule. Molecules can now by visualized based on recent Super-resolution microscopy, which allow routine collections of thousands of short and long trajectories. These trajectories explore part of a cell, either on the membrane or in 3 dimensions and their paths are critically influenced by the local crowded organization and molecular interaction inside the cell, as emphasized in various cell types such as neuronal cells, astrocytes, immune cells and many others.
  • 604
  • 02 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Bacterial Opportunistic Infections via the Dietary Route
Different bacterial groups present in food or drinking water, other than the major pathogens which are objects of specific surveillance and control measures according to food legislation norms, may behave as opportunistic pathogens in people with underlying conditions or predisposing factors. These belong to bacterial genera or species that cause mild or no illness in immunocompetent persons but can cause life-threatening infections in vulnerable subjects. As an example, lactobacilli, which are essential for food fermentation and probiotics with in vivo proven beneficial effects, were the cause of bacteremia, endocarditis, and other localized infections most often in immunocompromised, diabetic persons, or patients with a history of predisposing events such as medical interventions, diseases, or oral infections and dental procedures. The bacterial groups involved in opportunistic infections, the illnesses caused and sources of infection are described below.
  • 604
  • 10 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Wine and Non-Dairy Fermented Beverages
Probiotics and prebiotics are microbiota-management instruments for improving human health once they may be beneficial for maintaining a healthy community of gut microbiota and bowel function. Probiotic’s main target is the gut, via the gastrointestinal tract, although direct application to other body zones such as the vaginal tract, the oral cavity, and skin have been studied.
  • 603
  • 04 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Candida Infections
Candidiasis (oral, vulvovaginal, or systemic bloodstream infections) are important human fungal infections associated with a high global prevalence in otherwise healthy adults but are also opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. With the recent discovery of the multidrug resistant—and often difficult to treat—Candida auris, as well as the rising costs associated with hospitalisations and the treatment of infections caused by Candida species, there is an urgent need to develop effective therapeutics against these pathogenic yeasts. Essential oils have been documented for many years as treatments for different ailments and are widely known and utilised in alternative and complementary therapies, including treating microbial infections.
  • 601
  • 08 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Agrobacterium fabrum atu0526-Encoding Protein
Soil-born plant pathogens, especially Agrobacterium, generally navigate their way to hosts through recognition of the root exudates by chemoreceptors. However, there is still a lack of appropriate identification of chemoreceptors and their ligands in Agrobacterium. Here, Atu0526, a sCache-type chemoreceptor from Agrobacterium fabrum C58, was confirmed as the receptor of a broad antibacterial agent, formic acid. The binding of formic acid to Atu0526 was screened using a thermo shift assay and verified using isothermal titration calorimetry. Inconsistent with the previously reported antimicrobial properties, formic acid was confirmed to be a chemoattractant to A. fabrum and could promote its growth. The chemotaxis of A. fabrum C58 toward formic acid was completely lost with the knock-out of atu0526, and regained with the complementation of the gene, indicating that Atu0526 is the only chemoreceptor for formic acid in A. fabrum C58.
  • 600
  • 19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Medical Applications of Phages
Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses with a size of 20 to 200 nm that infect bacteria with very high specificity. Due to their bactericidal activity and their inability to infect eukaryotic cells, phages could be used in the fight against infectious diseases. 
  • 597
  • 19 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Virulence Factors of UPEC-Associated Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections, especially among women and older adults, leading to a significant global healthcare cost burden. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are the most common cause and accounts for the majority of community-acquired UTIs. Infection by UPEC can cause discomfort, polyuria, and fever. More serious clinical consequences can result in urosepsis, kidney damage, and death. UPEC is a highly adaptive pathogen which presents significant treatment challenges rooted in a complex interplay of molecular factors that allow UPEC to evade host defences, persist within the urinary tract, and resist antibiotic therapy. 
  • 596
  • 15 Sep 2023
Topic Review
In Vitro Models of Bacterial Biofilms
Bacterial infections are a growing concern to the health care systems. Bacteria in the human body are often found embedded in a dense 3D structure, the biofilm, which makes their eradication even more challenging. Indeed, bacteria in biofilm are protected from external hazards and are more prone to develop antibiotic resistance. Moreover, biofilms are highly heterogeneous, with properties dependent on the bacteria species, the anatomic localization, and the nutrient/flow conditions. Therefore, antibiotic screening and testing would strongly benefit from reliable in vitro models of bacterial biofilms.
  • 595
  • 13 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Elevated Mortality Risk from CRKp Associated with Comorbidities
Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKp) has become a public health problem with therapeutic limitations and high mortality associated with comorbidities.
  • 594
  • 15 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Understanding Antimicrobial Resistance Using Genome-Scale Metabolic Modeling
The urgent necessity to fight antimicrobial resistance is universally recognized. In the search of new targets and strategies to face this global challenge, a promising approach resides in the study of the cellular response to antimicrobial exposure and on the impact of global cellular reprogramming on antimicrobial drugs’ efficacy. The metabolic state of microbial cells has been shown to undergo several antimicrobial-induced modifications and, at the same time, to be a good predictor of the outcome of an antimicrobial treatment. Metabolism is a promising reservoir of potential drug targets/adjuvants that has not been fully exploited to date. One of the main problems in unraveling the metabolic response of cells to the environment resides in the complexity of such metabolic networks. To solve this problem, modeling approaches have been developed, and they are progressively gaining in popularity due to the huge availability of genomic information and the ease at which a genome sequence can be converted into models to run basic phenotype predictions.
  • 592
  • 25 May 2023
Topic Review
DnaA and Hyperstructure Dynamics in the Cell Cycle
The DnaA protein has long been considered to play the key role in the initiation of chromosome replication in modern bacteria.
  • 592
  • 26 Sep 2023
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