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Spotlight
Minireview
Minireviewylm Has More than a (Z Anchor) Ring to It!The division and cell wall (dcw) cluster is a highly conserved region of the bacterial genome consisting of genes that encode several cell division and cell wall synthesis factors, including the central division protein FtsZ. The region immediately downstream of ftsZ encodes the ylm genes and is conserved across diverse lineages of Gram-positive bacteria and Cyanobacteria. In some organisms, this...
Research Articles
Research ArticleIdentification of a Transcriptomic Network Underlying the Wrinkly and Smooth Phenotypes of Vibrio fischeriThe wrinkly bacterial colony phenotype has been associated with increased squid host colonization in V. fischeri. The significance of our research is in identifying the genetic mechanisms that are responsible for heightened biofilm formation in V. fischeri.
Research Article | SpotlightStructure of the Bacterial Cellulose Ribbon and Its Assembly-Guiding Cytoskeleton by Electron CryotomographyThis work’s relevance for the microbiology community is twofold. It delivers for the first time high-resolution near-native snapshots of Gluconacetobacter spp. (previously Komagataeibacter spp.) in the process of cellulose ribbon synthesis, in their native biofilm environment.
Research Article | SpotlightPhage Proteins Required for Tail Fiber Assembly Also Bind Specifically to the Surface of Host Bacterial StrainsWith the growing interest in using phages to combat antibiotic-resistant infections or manipulate the human microbiome, establishing approaches for the modification of phage host range has become an important research topic. Tfa proteins are a large family of proteins known previously to function as chaperones for the folding of phage fibers, which are crucial determinants of host range for long-tailed phages. Here, we reveal that some...
Research Article | SpotlightAgrobacterium tumefaciens Deploys a Versatile Antibacterial Strategy To Increase Its Competitiveness...The T6SS encodes multiple effectors with diverse functions, but little is known about the biological significance of harboring such a repertoire of effectors. We reported that the T6SS antibacterial activity of the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens can be enhanced under carbon starvation or when recipient cell wall peptidoglycan is disturbed.
Research ArticleGenome-Wide Functional Screen for Calcium Transients in Escherichia coli Identifies Increased Membrane Potential Adaptation to Persistent DNA DamageAll eukaryotic cells use calcium as a critical signaling molecule. There is tantalizing evidence that bacteria also use calcium for cellular signaling, but much less is known about the molecular actors and physiological roles.
Research ArticleTransposon Insertion Sequencing in a Clinical Isolate of Legionella pneumophila Identifies Essential Genes and Determinants of Natural TransformationLegionella pneumophila is the etiologic agent of a severe form of nosocomial and community-acquired pneumonia in humans. The environmental life traits of L. pneumophila are essential to its ability to accidentally infect humans.
Research ArticleSimulations of Proposed Mechanisms of FtsZ-Driven Cell ConstrictionFtsZ is thought to generate constrictive force to divide the cell, possibly via one of two predominant models in the field. In one, FtsZ filaments overlap to form complete rings which constrict as filaments slide past each other to maximize lateral contact.
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Commentary
Although mechanistic understanding of calcium signaling in bacteria remains inchoate, current evidence clearly links Ca2+ signaling with membrane potential and mechanosensation. Adopting a radically new approach, Luder et al. scanned the Keio collection of Escherichia coli gene knockouts (R.