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Journal articleFurniss RCD, Kostrzewa M, Mavridou DAI, et al., 2020,
The clue is in the lipid A: Rapid detection of colistin resistance
, PLoS Pathogens, Vol: 16, ISSN: 1553-7366 -
Journal articleRitchie AI, Singanayagam A, 2020,
Immunosuppression for hyperinflammation in COVID-19: a double-edged sword?
, LANCET, Vol: 395, Pages: 1111-1111, ISSN: 0140-6736- Author Web Link
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- Citations: 213
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Journal articleJégouzo SAF, Nelson C, Hardwick T, et al., 2020,
Mammalian lectin arrays for screening host–microbe interactions
, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol: 295, Pages: 4541-4555, ISSN: 0021-9258Many members of the C-type lectin family of glycan-binding receptors have been ascribed roles in the recognition of microorganisms and serve as key receptors in the innate immune response to pathogens. Other mammalian receptors have become targets through which pathogens enter target cells. These receptor roles have often been documented with binding studies involving individual pairs of receptors and microorganisms. To provide a systematic overview of interactions between microbes and the large complement of C-type lectins, here we developed a lectin array and suitable protocols for labeling of microbes that could be used to probe this array. The array contains C-type lectins from cow, chosen as a model organism of agricultural interest for which the relevant pathogen–receptor interactions have not been previously investigated in detail. Screening with yeast cells and various strains of both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria revealed distinct binding patterns, which in some cases could be explained by binding to lipopolysaccharides or capsular polysaccharides, but in other cases they suggested the presence of novel glycan targets on many of the microorganisms. These results are consistent with interactions previously ascribed to the receptors, but they also highlight binding to additional sugar targets that have not previously been recognized. Our findings indicate that mammalian lectin arrays represent unique discovery tools for identifying both novel ligands and new receptor functions.
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Journal articleAllegretti JR, Kassam Z, Mullish BH, et al., 2020,
Effects of fecal microbiota transplantation with oral capsules in obese patients
, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Vol: 18, Pages: 855-863.e2, ISSN: 1542-3565Background & AimsStudies in mice have shown that the intestinal microbiota can contribute to obesity via the anorexigenic gut hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) and bile acids, which affect lipid metabolism. We performed a randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study of the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in obese, metabolically uncompromised patients.MethodsWe performed a double-blind study of 22 obese patients (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 35kg/m2) without a diagnosis of diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or metabolic syndrome. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to groups that received FMT by capsules (induction dose of 30 capsules at week 4 and maintenance dose of 12 capsules at week 8) or placebo capsules. FMT capsules were derived from a single, lean donor (BMI, 17.5 kg/m2). Patients were followed through week 26; the primary outcome was safety. Stool and serum samples were collected from patients at baseline and at weeks 1, 4, 6, 8 and 12 after administration of the first dose of FMT or placebo and analyzed by 16S RNA gene sequencing. Stool and serum samples were analyzed for metabolomics by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Additional outcomes were change in area under the curve for GLP1 at week 12.ResultsWe observed no significant differences in adverse events between patients who received FMT vs placebo. There was no increase in the area under the curve of GLP1 in either group. Patients who received FMT had sustained shifts in microbiomes associated with obesity toward those of the donor (P<.001). Patients who received FMT had a sustained decrease in stool levels of taurocholic acid (P<.05), compared with baseline; bile acid profiles began to more closely resemble those of the donor. We did not observe significant changes in mean BMI at week 12 in either group.ConclusionsIn a placebo-controlled pilot study, we found that FMT capsules (derived from a lean donor) were safe but did not reduce BMI in obese metabol
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Journal articleSchuster CF, Wiedemann DM, Kirsebom FCM, et al., 2020,
High‐throughput transposon sequencing highlights the cell wall as an important barrier for osmotic stress in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and underlines a tailored response to different osmotic stressors
, Molecular Microbiology, Vol: 113, Pages: 699-717, ISSN: 0950-382XStaphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause soft tissue infections but is also a frequent cause of foodborne illnesses. One contributing factor for this food association is its high salt tolerance allowing this organism to survive commonly used food preservation methods. How this resistance is mediated is poorly understood, particularly during long‐term exposure. In this study, we used TN‐seq to understand how the responses to osmotic stressors differ. Our results revealed distinctly different long‐term responses to NaCl, KCl and sucrose stresses. In addition, we identified the DUF2538 domain containing gene SAUSA300_0957 (gene 957) as essential under salt stress. Interestingly, a 957 mutant was less susceptible to oxacillin and showed increased peptidoglycan crosslinking. The salt sensitivity phenotype could be suppressed by amino acid substitutions in the transglycosylase domain of the penicillin binding protein Pbp2, and these changes restored the peptidoglycan crosslinking to WT levels. These results indicate that increased crosslinking of the peptidoglycan polymer can be detrimental and highlight a critical role of the bacterial cell wall for osmotic stress resistance. This study will serve as a starting point for future research on osmotic stress response and help develop better strategies to tackle foodborne staphylococcal infections.
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Conference paperXu X, van Sorge N, van der Lans S, et al., 2020,
Structural and Interaction Insight in <it>Streptococcal</it> beta C Proteins
, Annual Meeting on Experimental Biology, Publisher: WILEY, ISSN: 0892-6638 -
Journal articleSanchez Garrido J, Slater SL, Clements A, et al., 2020,
Vying for the control of inflammasomes: the cytosolic frontier of enteric bacterial pathogen - host interactions
, Cellular Microbiology, Vol: 22, Pages: 1-19, ISSN: 1462-5814Enteric pathogen-host interactions occur at multiple interfaces,includingthe intestinal epitheliumand deeper organsof the immune system. Microbial ligands and activities are detected by host sensorsthat elicit a range of immune responses. Membrane-bound Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) and cytosolic inflammasomepathways are key signal transducers that trigger production of pro-inflammatory molecules such as cytokines and chemokinesand regulate cell deathin response to infection. In recent years, the inflammasomes have emerged as a key frontier in the tusslebetween bacterial pathogens and the host. Inflammasomes are complexes that activate caspase-1and are regulated by related caspases, such as caspase-11, -4, -5 and -8.Importantly, enteric bacterial pathogens can actively engage or evade inflammasome signalling systems. Extracellular, vacuolar and cytosolic bacteria have developed divergent strategies to subvert inflammasomes. While some pathogens take advantage of inflammasomeactivation(e.g. Listeria monocytogenes, Helicobacter pylori), others(e.g. E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia sp.) deploy a range of virulence factors, mainly type 3 secretion system (T3SS) effectors, that subvert or inhibit inflammasomes. In this review we focus on inflammasomepathwaysand their immune functions and discuss how enteric bacterial pathogens interact with them.These studies have not only shed light on the inflammasome-mediated immunity, but also the exciting area of mammalian cytosolic immune
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Journal articleLarrouy-Maumus G, Shahrezaei V, tang W, et al., 2020,
Discrimination of bovine milk from non-dairy milk by lipids fingerprinting using routine matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry
, Scientific Reports, Vol: 10, ISSN: 2045-2322An important sustainable development goal for any country is to ensure food security by producing a sufficient and safe food supply. This is the case for bovine milk where addition of non-dairy milks such as vegetables (e.g., soya or coconut) has become a common source of adulteration and fraud. Conventionally, gas chromatography techniques are used to detect key lipids (e.g., triacylglycerols) has an effective read-out of assessing milks origins and to detect foreign milks in bovine milks. However, such approach requires several sample preparation steps and a dedicated laboratory environment, precluding a high throughput process. To cope with this need, here, we aimed to develop a novel and simple method without organic solvent extractions for the detection of bovine and non-dairy milks based on lipids fingerprint by routine MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS). The optimized method relies on the simple dilution of milks in water followed by MALDI-TOF MS analyses in the positive linear ion mode and using a matrix consisting of a 9:1 mixture of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzoic acid (super-DHB) solubilized at 10 mg/mL in 70% ethanol. This sensitive, inexpensive, and rapid method has potential for use in food authenticity applications.
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Journal articleWalter A, Unsleber S, Rismondo J, et al., 2020,
Phosphoglycerol-type wall- and lipoteichoic acids are enantiomeric polymersdifferentiated by the stereospecific glycerophosphodiesterase GlpQ
, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol: 12, Pages: 4024-4034, ISSN: 0021-9258The cell envelope of Gram-positive bacteria generally comprises two types of polyanionic polymers linked to either peptidoglycan (wall teichoic acids; WTA) or to membrane glycolipids (lipoteichoic acids; LTA). In some bacteria, including Bacillus subtilis strain 168, both WTA and LTA are glycerolphosphate polymers yet are synthesized through different pathways and have distinct but incompletely understood morphogenetic functions during cell elongation and division. We show here that the exolytic sn-glycerol-3-phosphodiesterase GlpQ can discriminate between B. subtilis WTA and LTA. GlpQ completely degraded unsubstituted WTA, which lacks substituents at the glycerol residues, by sequentially removing glycerolphosphates from the free end of the polymer up to the peptidoglycan linker. In contrast, GlpQ could not degrade unsubstituted LTA unless it was partially precleaved, allowing access of GlpQ to the other end of the polymer, which, in the intact molecule, is protected by a connection to the lipid anchor. Differences in stereochemistry between WTA and LTA have been suggested previously on the basis of differences in their biosynthetic precursors and chemical degradation products. The differential cleavage of WTA and LTA by GlpQ reported here represents the first direct evidence that they are enantiomeric polymers: WTA is made of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate, and LTA is made of sn-glycerol-1-phosphate. Their distinct stereochemistries reflect the dissimilar physiological and immunogenic properties of WTA and LTA. It also enables differential degradation of the two polymers within the same envelope compartment in vivo, particularly under phosphate-limiting conditions, when B. subtilis specifically degrades WTA and replaces it with phosphate-free teichuronic acids.
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Journal articleSingh Khara J, Mojsoska B, Mukherjee D, et al., 2020,
Ultra-short antimicrobial peptoids show propensity for membrane activity against multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol: 11, Pages: 1-11, ISSN: 1664-302XTuberculosis (TB) results in both morbidity and mortality on a global scale. With drug resistance on the increase, there is an urgent need to develop novel anti-mycobacterials. Thus, we assessed the anti-mycobacterial potency of three novel synthetic peptoids against drug-susceptible and multi-drug resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro using Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, killing efficacy and intracellular growth inhibition assays, and in vivo against mycobacteria infected BALB/c mice. In addition, we verified cell selectivity using mammalian cells to assess peptoid toxicity. The mechanism of action was determined using flow cytometric analysis, and microfluidic live-cell imaging with time-lapse microscopy and uptake of propidium iodide. Peptoid BM 2 demonstrated anti-mycobacterial activity against both drug sensitive and MDR M. tuberculosis together with an acceptable toxicity profile that showed selectivity between bacterial and mammalian membranes. The peptoid was able to efficiently kill mycobacteria both in vitro and intracellularly in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages, and significantly reduced bacterial load in the lungs of infected mice. Flow cytometric and time lapse fluorescence microscopy indicate mycobacterial membrane damage as the likely mechanism of action. These data demonstrate that peptoids are a novel class of antimicrobial which warrant further investigation and development as therapeutics against TB.
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