Table of Contents
Spotlight
Research Articles
Research ArticlePhage Morons Play an Important Role in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PhenotypesEnvironmental and clinical isolates of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa frequently contain viruses known as prophages. These prophages can alter the virulence of their bacterial hosts through the expression of nonessential genes known as “morons.” In this study, we identified morons in a group of ...
Research ArticlePositive and Negative Regulation of Glycerol Utilization by the c-di-GMP Binding Protein PlzA in Borrelia burgdorferiThe Lyme disease pathogen, Borrelia burgdorferi, has a simple cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) signaling system essential for adaptation of the pathogen to the complicated tick environment. The c-di-GMP effector of B. burgdorferi, PlzA, has been shown to regulate multiple cellular processes, including...
Research ArticleLong Noncoding RNA SSR42 Controls Staphylococcus aureus Alpha-Toxin Transcription in Response to Environmental StimuliStaphylococcus aureus is a major cause of life-threatening infections. The bacterium expresses alpha-toxin, a hemolysin and cytotoxin responsible for many of the pathologies of S. aureus. Alpha-toxin production is enhanced by subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics. Here, we show that this...
Research Article | SpotlightDevelopment of Assay Systems for Amber Codon Decoding at the Steps of Initiation and Elongation in MycobacteriaGenetic analysis of the translational apparatus in Gram-positive bacteria has remained largely unexplored because of the unavailability of appropriate in vivo assay systems. We developed chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT)-based reporters which utilize specific decoding of amber codons by mutant tRNAs at the steps of initiation and/or elongation to allow structure-function analysis of the translational machinery. We show...
Research Article | SpotlightThree Distinct Contact-Dependent Growth Inhibition Systems Mediate Interbacterial Competition by the Cystic Fibrosis Pathogen Burkholderia dolosaHuman-associated polymicrobial communities can promote health and disease, and interbacterial interactions influence the microbial ecology of such communities. Polymicrobial infections of the cystic fibrosis respiratory tract impair lung function and lead to the death of individuals suffering from this disorder; therefore, a greater understanding of these microbial communities is necessary for improving treatment strategies. Bacteria...
Research ArticlePA5339, a RidA Homolog, Is Required for Full Growth in Pseudomonas aeruginosaRidA is a widely conserved protein that prevents endogenous metabolic stress caused by 2-aminoacrylate (2AA) damage to pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The framework for understanding the accumulation of 2AA and its consequences have largely been defined in Salmonella enterica. We show here that in...
Research ArticleUltrasensitive Response of Developing Myxococcus xanthus to the Addition of Nutrient Medium Correlates with the Level of MrpCMany signaling and gene regulatory networks convert graded stimuli into all-or-none switch-like responses. Such ultrasensitivity can produce bistability in cell populations, leading to different cell fates and enhancing survival. We discovered an ultrasensitive response of M. xanthus to nutrient medium addition during development. A small change in nutrient medium...
Research ArticleAnalysis of Pilin Antigenic Variation in Neisseria meningitidis by Next-Generation SequencingAntigenic variation is a strategy used by many pathogens to escape host immune surveillance and establish persistent infections. This study successfully applies next-generation sequencing to study pilin antigenic variation in the human pathogen Neisseria meningitidis. This assay provides an affordable and efficient solution for quantifying antigenic variation...
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