With the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, researchers around the globe are seeking alternatives to stem bacterial
pathogenesis. One such alternative is bacteriocins, proteins produced by bacterial species to inhibit the growth and viability
of related bacterial species. With their diverse mechanisms, which include pore formation and nuclease activities, and
narrow spectrum of activities, which limit their impact to only certain bacterial species, unlike many chemical antibiotics,
bacteriocins offer intriguing possibilities to selectively control individual bacterial populations. Within this review, therefore,
we highlight current research exploring the application of colicins and microcins, a subset of bacteriocins, with an emphasis
on their activities against drug-resistant pathogens, both in in vitro and in vivo settings.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Isolation, Genomics-Based and Biochemical Characterization of Bacteriocinogenic Bacteria and Their Bacteriocins, Sourced from the Gastrointestinal Tract of Meat-Producing Pigs Ester Sevillano, Irene Lafuente, Nuria Peña, Luis M. Cintas, Estefanía Muñoz-Atienza, Pablo E. Hernández, Juan Borrero International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2024; 25(22): 12210. CrossRef
Intelligent Biological Networks: Improving Anti-Microbial Resistance Resilience through Nutritional Interventions to Understand Protozoal Gut Infections Avinash V. Karpe, David J. Beale, Cuong D. Tran Microorganisms.2023; 11(7): 1800. CrossRef
Pairing Colicins B and E5 with Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus To Eradicate Carbapenem- and Colistin-Resistant Strains of Escherichia coli Sumudu Upatissa, Wonsik Mun, Robert J. Mitchell, Minsu Kim Microbiology Spectrum.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
Bacteriocin-Producing Escherichia coli Q5 and C41 with Potential Probiotic Properties: In Silico, In Vitro, and In Vivo Studies Veronika S. Mihailovskaya, Dmitry A. Sutormin, Marina O. Karipova, Anna B. Trofimova, Victor A. Mamontov, Konstantin Severinov, Marina V. Kuznetsova International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2023; 24(16): 12636. CrossRef
Since the floristic study of lichens at the Barton and Weaver Peninsulas of King George Island in 2006, there have been
intense investigations of the lichen flora of the two peninsulas as well as that of Fildes Peninsula and Ardley Island in Maxwell
Bay, King George Island, South Shetland Islands, maritime Antarctic. In this study, a total of 104 species belonging
to 53 genera, are identified from investigations of lichens that were collected in austral summer seasons from 2008 to 2016.
Phenotypic and molecular analyses were incorporated for taxonomic identification. In particular, 31 species are found to
be endemic to the Antarctic and 22 species are newly recorded to the Maxwell Bay region. Lepra dactylina, Stereocaulon
caespitosum, and Wahlenbergiella striatula are newly recorded in the Antarctic, and the previously reported taxon Cladonia
furcata is excluded from the formerly recorded list due to misidentification. We also provide ecological and geographical
information about lichen associations and habitat preferences.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Lichens of Larsemann Hills and adjacent oases in the area of Prydz Bay (Princess Elizabeth Land and MacRobertson Land, Antarctica) Mikhail Andreev (Mихаил АНДРЕЕВ) Polar Science.2023; 38: 101009. CrossRef
Two Gram-stain-positive, motile, endospore-forming, facultatively anaerobic strains, designated MEBiC13591T
and
MEBiC13594T,
were isolated from tidal flat sediment of the Incheon City on the west coast of Korea. Growth of both
novel strains was observed at pH 5–9 (optimum, pH 7–7.5), and in 0–8% NaCl (optimum, 2% for MEBiC13591T
and
3% for MEBiC13594T).
Strains MEBiC13591T
and MEBiC13594T
grew optimally at 50 °C, (37.5–56.1 °C) and 44 °C
(20.7–50.7 °C), respectively. The main cellular fatty acids of strain MEBiC13591T
were iso-C15: 0, anteiso-C15: 0, iso-C16: 0,
iso-C17: 0 and anteiso-C17: 0, while those for strain MEBiC13594T
were C14:
0, iso-C14: 0, iso-C15: 0, anteiso-C15: 0 and C16:
0. In
both taxa, the major isoprenoid was MK-7. The genomic DNA G + C contents were 34.1 and 37.0 mol% for MEBiC13591T
and MEBiC13594T,
respectively. A 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the novel strains showed high similarity
with members of the genera Aeribacillus (95.0%) and Caldibacillus (93.5–94.5%); however, showed lower than 90%
with Caldibacillus debilis TfT.
Phylogenetic and Phylogenomic analysis revealed that two novel strains comprised distinct
phyletic line with members formerly assigned to Caldibacillus. Based on genomic indices, such as AAI and ANI, members
formerly affiliated with Caldibacillus and Bacillus as well as the novel strains should be classified into five independent
genera. Based on the phenotypic, genomic and biochemical data, strains MEBiC13591T
and MEBiC13594T
represent two
novel species in the novel genus, for which the names Fervidibacillus albus gen. nov., sp. nov. (
MEBiC13591T [= KCCM
43317T
= KCTC 43181T
= JCM 33662T
= MCCC 1K04565T]),
and Fervidibacillus halotolerans sp. nov. (
MEBiC13594T
[= KCTC 43182T
= JCM 34001T])
are proposed. Three additional genera Caldifermentibacillus, Palidibacillus, and Perspicuibacillus
are also proposed by reclassification of the several species with valid names that formerly affiliated with the
genera Caldibacillus.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
An update on novel taxa and revised taxonomic status of bacteria isolated from domestic companion and agricultural animals described in 2023 Sara D. Lawhon, Claire R. Burbick, Trinity Krueger, Elena Ruiz-Reyes, Erik Munson, Romney M. Humphries Journal of Clinical Microbiology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Congregibacter variabilis sp. nov. and Congregibacter brevis sp. nov. Within the OM60/NOR5 Clade, Isolated from Seawater, and Emended Description of the Genus Congregibacter Hyeonsu Tak, Miri S. Park, Hyerim Cho, Yeonjung Lim, Jang-Cheon Cho Journal of Microbiology.2024; 62(9): 739. CrossRef
Validation List no. 213. Valid publication of new names and new combinations effectively published outside the IJSEM Aharon Oren, Markus Göker
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology
.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
Indoor fungi obtain carbon sources from natural sources and even recalcitrant biodegradable materials, such as plastics
and synthetic dye. Their vigorous activity may have negative consequences, such as structural damage to building materials
or the destruction of precious cultural materials. The animal specimen room of the Seoul National University stocked
36,000 animal resources that had been well-maintained for over 80 years. Due to abandonment without the management of
temperature and humidity during the rainy summer season, many stuffed animal specimens had been heavily colonized by
fungi. To investigate the fungal species responsible for the destruction of the historical specimens, we isolated fungi from
the stuffed animal specimens and identified them at the species level based on morphology and molecular analysis of the
β-tubulin (BenA) gene. A total of 365 strains were isolated and identified as 26 species in Aspergillus (10 spp.), Penicillium
(14 spp.), and Talaromyces (2 spp.). Penicillium brocae and Aspergillus sydowii were isolated from most sections of the animal
specimens and have damaged the feathers and beaks of valuable specimens. Our findings indicate that within a week of
mismanagement, it takes only a few fungal species to wipe out the decades of history of animal diversity. The important lesson
here is to prevent this catastrophe from occurring again through a continued interest, not to put all previous efforts to waste.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Investigating the Role of Microclimate and Microorganisms in the Deterioration of Stone Heritage: The Case of Rupestrian Church from Jac, Romania Dorina Camelia Ilieș, Andrei-Ionuț Apopei, Cristina Mircea, Alexandru Ilieș, Tudor Caciora, Berdenov Zharas, Lucian Barbu-Tudoran, Nicolaie Hodor, Alexandru Turza, Ana Cornelia Pereș, Thowayeb H. Hassan, Bahodirhon Safarov, Ioan-Cristian Noje Applied Sciences.2024; 14(18): 8136. CrossRef
Fungal biodeterioration and preservation of cultural heritage, artwork, and historical artifacts: extremophily and adaptation Geoffrey Michael Gadd, Marina Fomina, Flavia Pinzari, Mark D. Rose Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Transcriptional regulation has been adopted for developing metabolic engineering tools. The regulatory promoter is a crucial
genetic element for strain optimization. In this study, a gene set of Aspergillus oryzae with highly constitutive expression
across different growth stages was identified through transcriptome data analysis. The candidate promoters were functionally
characterized in A. oryzae by transcriptional control of β-glucuronidase (GUS) as a reporter. The results showed that
the glyceraldehyde triphosphate dehydrogenase promoter (PgpdA1) of A. oryzae with a unique structure displayed the most
robust strength in constitutively controlling the expression compared to the PgpdA2 and other putative promoters tested. In
addition, the ubiquitin promoter (Pubi) of A. oryzae exhibited a moderate expression strength. The deletion analysis revealed
that the 5' untranslated regions of gpdA1 and ubi with the length of 1028 and 811 nucleotides, counted from the putative
translation start site (ATG), respectively, could efficiently drive the GUS expression. Interestingly, both promoters could
function on various carbon sources for cell growth. Glucose was the best fermentable carbon source for allocating high constitutive
expressions during cell growth, and the high concentrations (6–8% glucose, w/v) did not repress their functions. It
was also demonstrated that the secondary metabolite gene coding for indigoidine could express under the control of PgpdA1
or Pubi promoter. These strong and moderate promoters of A. oryzae provided beneficial options in tuning the transcriptional
expression for leveraging the metabolic control towards the targeted products.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Construction of an Aspergillus oryzae △nptB△pyrG Host for Homologous Expression of Lipase and Catalytic Property Characterization of Recombinant Lipase Yueting Zhang, Hongmei Nie, Fei Zhang, Mengmeng Jin, Zhao Wang, Jianyong Zheng Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Mining and Understanding of New Transcriptional Regulatory Elements from Licorice-Derived Endophyte Serratia Rubidaea W12-1 Ying Zhang, Yunyang Ma, Bing Hu, H.M. Zabed, A.K. Singh, M.A. Ibrahim, N. Chen BIO Web of Conferences.2024; 142: 03018. CrossRef
Exploring and Engineering Novel Strong Promoters for High-Level Protein Expression in Bacillus subtilis DB104 through Transcriptome Analysis Ji-Su Jun, Hyang-Eun Jeong, Kwang-Won Hong Microorganisms.2023; 11(12): 2929. CrossRef
Efficient de novo production of bioactive cordycepin by Aspergillus oryzae using a food-grade expression platform Sukanya Jeennor, Jutamas Anantayanon, Sarocha Panchanawaporn, Chanikul Chutrakul, Wanwipa Vongsangnak, Kobkul Laoteng Microbial Cell Factories.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
RNase E is an essential enzyme in Escherichia coli. The cleavage site of this single-stranded specific endoribonuclease is
well-characterized in many RNA substrates. Here, we report that the upregulation of RNase E cleavage activity by a mutation
that affects either RNA binding (Q36R) or enzyme multimerization (E429G) was accompanied by relaxed cleavage specificity.
Both mutations led to enhanced RNase E cleavage in RNA I, an antisense RNA of ColE1-type plasmid replication,
at a major site and other cryptic sites. Expression of a truncated RNA I with a major RNase E cleavage site deletion at the
5′-end (RNA I-
5) resulted in an approximately twofold increase in the steady-state levels of RNA I-
5 and the copy number
of ColE1-type plasmid in E. coli cells expressing wild-type or variant RNase E compared to those expressing RNA I. These results indicate that RNA I-
5 does not efficiently function as an antisense RNA despite having a triphosphate group at the
5′-end, which protects the RNA from ribonuclease attack. Our study suggests that increased cleavage rates of RNase E lead
to relaxed cleavage specificity on RNA I and the inability of the cleavage product of RNA I as an antisense regulator in vivo
does not stem from its instability by having 5′-monophosphorylated end.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Engineering an Escherichia coli based in vivo mRNA manufacturing platform Edward Curry, George Muir, Jixin Qu, Zoltán Kis, Martyn Hulley, Adam Brown Biotechnology and Bioengineering.2024; 121(6): 1912. CrossRef
Candida spp. and Cryptococcus are conditional pathogenic fungi that commonly infect immunocompromised patients.
Over the past few decades, the increase in antifungal resistance has prompted the development of new antifungal agents. In
this study, we explored the potential antifungal effects of secretions from Serratia marcescens on Candida spp. and Cryptococcus
neoformans. We confirmed that the supernatant of S. marcescens inhibited fungal growth, suppressed hyphal and
biofilm formation, and downregulated the expression of hyphae-specific genes and virulence-related genes in Candida spp.
and C. neoformans. Furthermore, the S. marcescens supernatant retained biological stability after heat, pH, and protease
K treatment. The chemical profile of the S. marcescens supernatant was characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid
chromatography–linear ion trap/orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry analysis and a total of 61 compounds with an
mzCloud best match of greater than 70 were identified. In vivo, treatment with the S. marcescens supernatant reduced the
mortality of fungi-infected Galleria mellonella. Taken together, our results revealed that the stable antifungal substances in
the supernatant of S. marcescens have promising potential applications in the development of new antifungal agents.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Antifungal activities of Equol against
Candida albicans in vitro
and
in vivo
Fen Wang, Jinping Zhang, Qian Zhang, Zhangyong Song, Caiyan Xin Virulence.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Antifungal Effect of Vitamin D3 against Cryptococcus neoformans Coincides with Reduced Biofilm Formation, Compromised Cell Wall Integrity, and Increased Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species Jian Huang, Junwen Lei, Anni Ge, Wei Xiao, Caiyan Xin, Zhangyong Song, Jinping Zhang Journal of Fungi.2023; 9(7): 772. CrossRef
The use of antibiotics can disrupt the body’s natural balance and increase the susteptibility of patients towards fungal infections.
Candida albicans is a dimorphic opportunistic fungal pathogen with niches similar to those of bacteria. Our aim was
to study the interaction between this pathogen and bacteria to facilitate the control of C. albicans infection. Alpha-hemolysin
(Hla), a protein secreted from Staphylococcus aureus, causes cell wall damage and impedes the yeast–hyphae transition in
C. albicans. Mechanistically, Hla stimulation triggered the formation of reactive oxygen species that damaged the cell wall
and mitochondria of C. albicans. The cell cycle was arrested in the G0/G1 phase, CDC42 was downregulated, and Ywp1
was upregulated, disrupting yeast hyphae switching. Subsequently, hyphae development was inhibited. In mouse models,
C. albicans pretreated with Hla reduced the C. albicans burden in skin and vaginal mucosal infections, suggesting that S.
aureus Hla can inhibit hyphal development and reduce the pathogenicity of candidiasis in vivo.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Candida albicans
and
Candida glabrata
: global priority pathogens
Myrto Katsipoulaki, Mark H. T. Stappers, Dhara Malavia-Jones, Sascha Brunke, Bernhard Hube, Neil A. R. Gow, Joseph Heitman Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Sung Min Won , Na Young Lee , Ki , Haripriya Gupta , Satya Priya Sharma , Kyung Hwan Kim , Byoung Kook Kim , Hyun Chae Joung , Jin Ju Jeong , Raja Ganesan , Sang Hak Han , Sang Jun Yoon , Dong Joon Kim , Ki Tae Suk
J. Microbiol. 2023;61(2):245-257. Published online February 6, 2023
The progression and exacerbation of liver fibrosis are closely related to the gut microbiome. It is hypothesized that some
probiotics may slow the progression of liver fibrosis. In human stool analysis [healthy group (n = 44) and cirrhosis group
(n = 18)], difference in Lactobacillus genus between healthy group and cirrhosis group was observed. Based on human
data, preventive and therapeutic effect of probiotics Lactobacillus lactis and L. rhamnosus was evaluated by using four
mice fibrosis models. L. lactis and L. rhamnosus were supplied to 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine or carbon
tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis C57BL/6 mouse model. Serum biochemical measurements, tissue staining, and mRNA
expression in the liver were evaluated. The microbiome was analyzed in mouse cecal contents. In the mouse model, the
effects of Lactobacillus in preventing and treating liver fibrosis were different for each microbe species. In case of L. lactis,
all models showed preventive and therapeutic effects against liver fibrosis. In microbiome analysis in mouse models administered
Lactobacillus, migration and changes in the ratio and composition of the gut microbial community were confirmed.
L. lactis and L. rhamnosus showed preventive and therapeutic effects on the progression of liver fibrosis, suggesting that
Lactobacillus intake may be a useful strategy for prevention and treatment.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Enhancing the application of probiotics in probiotic food products from the perspective of improving stress resistance by regulating cell physiological function: A review Dingkang Wang, Ruijie Xu, Sha Liu, Xiaomin Sun, Tianxiao Zhang, Lin Shi, Youfa Wang Food Research International.2025; 199: 115369. CrossRef
Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17 and Limosilactobacillus fermentum ABF21069 Ameliorate High Sucrose-Induced Obesity and Fatty Liver via Exopolysaccharide Production and β-oxidation Yu Mi Jo, Yoon Ji Son, Seul-Ah Kim, Gyu Min Lee, Chang Won Ahn, Han-Oh Park, Ji-Hyun Yun Journal of Microbiology.2024; 62(10): 907. CrossRef
Probiotics modulation of the endotoxemic effect on the gut and liver of the lipopolysaccharide challenged mice Gyan Babu, Banalata Mohanty Drug and Chemical Toxicology.2024; : 1. CrossRef
Research reviews and prospects of gut microbiota in liver cirrhosis: a bibliometric analysis (2001–2023) Xiaofei Zhu, Ziyuan Zhou, Xiaxia Pan Frontiers in Microbiology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Gut microbes combined with metabolomics reveal the protective effects of Qijia Rougan decoction against CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis Xue Li, Xinyi Xu, Sian Tao, Yue Su, Li Wen, Dong Wang, Jibin Liu, Quansheng Feng Frontiers in Pharmacology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Assessment of probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from an artisanal Colombian cheese Samantha Roldán-Pérez, Sara Lucía Gómez Rodríguez, José Uriel Sepúlveda-Valencia, Orlando Simón Ruiz Villadiego, María Elena Márquez Fernández, Olga I. Montoya Campuzano, Mónica María Durango-Zuleta Heliyon.2023; 9(11): e21558. CrossRef
Agrocybe aegerita Polysaccharide Combined with Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 Attenuates Aging-Related Oxidative Stress and Restores Gut Microbiota Xiaoyan Liu, Yanyu Feng, Hongmin Zhen, Lina Zhao, Hongqiang Wu, Bin Liu, Guangsen Fan, Aijun Tong Foods.2023; 12(24): 4381. CrossRef
Probiotics and liver fibrosis: An evidence-based review of the latest research Lin Cheng, Jianyou Shi, Haoyuan Peng, Rongsheng Tong, Yonghe Hu, Dongke Yu Journal of Functional Foods.2023; 109: 105773. CrossRef
Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella in primary infection of children and zoster during reactivation in adults. Type
I interferon (IFN) signaling suppresses VZV growth, and stimulator of interferon genes (STING) plays an important role
in anti-VZV responses by regulating type I IFN signaling. VZV-encoded proteins are shown to inhibit STING-mediated
activation of the IFN-β promoter. However, the mechanisms by which VZV regulates STING-mediated signaling pathways
are largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that the transmembrane protein encoded by VZV open reading frame
(ORF) 39 suppresses STING-mediated IFN-β production by interacting with STING. In IFN-β promoter reporter assays,
ORF39 protein (ORF39p) inhibited STING-mediated activation of the IFN-β promoter. ORF39p interacted with STING in
co-transfection assays, and this interaction was comparable to that of STING dimerization. The cytoplasmic N-terminal 73
amino acids region of ORF39P was not necessary for ORF39 binding and suppression of STING-mediated IFN-β activation.
ORF39p also formed a complex containing both STING and TBK1. A recombinant VZV expressing HA-tagged ORF39
was produced using bacmid mutagenesis and showed similar growth to its parent virus. During HA-ORF39 virus infection,
the expression level of STING was markedly reduced, and HA-ORF39 interacted with STING. Moreover, HA-ORF39 also
colocalized with glycoprotein K (encoded by ORF5) and STING at the Golgi during virus infection. Our results demonstrate
that the transmembrane protein ORF39p of VZV plays a role in evading the type I IFN responses by suppressing STINGmediated
activation of the IFN-β promoter.