Current Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Antimicrobial Peptides as Eco-Innovative Therapeutics to Overcome Antifungal Pressure-Induced Resistance in Candida Infections.","authors":"Bahgat Fayed","doi":"10.1007/s00284-026-05105-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00284-026-05105-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The emergence of Candida species as a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections poses a growing challenge in the clinical management of fungal diseases, driven by increasing antifungal resistance. Both intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms have been documented, often as a consequence of prolonged antifungal pressure, leading to treatment failures. This review explores the role of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as a potential solution to overcoming acquired resistance in Candida species, specifically targeting resistance pathways that bypass conventional antifungal treatments. AMPs act via multifaceted mechanisms, such as disrupting the fungal cell membrane, inducing mitochondrial dysfunction, and generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), which reduces the likelihood of resistance development. Furthermore, AMPs exhibit a lower propensity for resistance emergence compared to traditional antifungal drugs due to their rapid action and broad spectrum of activity. The review investigates the molecular mechanisms of acquired resistance in Candida, including genetic mutations and adaptations that occur under antifungal pressure, and discusses how AMPs can counteract these adaptive responses. It also addresses the challenges of scaling AMP production, including issues related to batch variability, cost, and metabolic stability. Industrial efforts to overcome these hurdles are examined that could enhance sustainability and cost-effectiveness. The review concludes by advocating for the use of AMPs as part of combination therapies to address the limitations of existing antifungal treatments, offering a promising alternative in the fight against multidrug-resistant Candida infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":11360,"journal":{"name":"Current Microbiology","volume":"83 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148826264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deciphering the Effect of Functional Diet Containing Single and Multiple Strain Probiotic, on the Growth, Gut Histology and Microbiome Signatures in the Pacific White Leg Shrimp (Penaeus vannamei).","authors":"Natarajan Lalitha, Kondusamy Ambasankar, Sivaramakrishnan Thirugnanamurthy, Sherly Tomy, Panjan Nathamuni Suganya, Ashok Kumar Jangam","doi":"10.1007/s00284-026-05101-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00284-026-05101-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The present study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with single- and multi-strain autochthonous lactic acid probiotics on the growth performance, gut histomorphology, and gut microbiome of juvenile Penaeus vannamei. Shrimp were fed probiotic-supplemented or control diets for 60 days. Dietary supplementation with Pediococcus pentosaceus (10⁹ CFU g⁻¹) and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (10⁹ CFU g⁻¹) significantly (P < 0.05) improved growth performance compared with the control. Additionally, MSP11, MSP9, and PP11 significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced localized gut histology, including villi length, crypt depth, and muscularis mucosae thickness, respectively. Gut microbiome analysis showed treatment-specific shifts in bacterial community composition, with significantly (P < 0.05) increased microbial diversity (alpha diversity) in shrimp receiving the high-dose multi-strain probiotic. Probiotic supplementation also enriched beneficial bacterial taxa, including members of the families Oxalobacteraceae, Flavobacteriaceae, and Bacillaceae, while promoting the establishment of potentially beneficial genera such as Ralstonia and Paracoccus. Overall, dietary supplementation with autochthonous lactic acid probiotics, administered individually or as a multi-strain consortium, improved growth, enhanced gut morphology, and favorably modulated the gut microbiome of P. vannamei, highlighting their potential as sustainable functional feed additives in shrimp aquaculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":11360,"journal":{"name":"Current Microbiology","volume":"83 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148826278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Salivary Mycobiome and Metabolomic Profiles in HIV-Infected Men Who Have Sex with Men: An Exploratory Study.","authors":"Lu Lin, Miao Zhang, Meilin Guan, Si Chen, Yan Wang, Jie Cao, Wei An, Ying Guo","doi":"10.1007/s00284-026-05100-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00284-026-05100-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To investigate alterations in the oral salivary mycobiome and metabolite profiles of men who have sex with men (MSM) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. A total of 36 MSM were enrolled, including individuals with mid-stage HIV infection (HIV, n = 14), patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, n = 8), and HIV-negative controls (HIV_neg, n = 14). Saliva samples were analyzed using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing and untargeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Fungal mycobiome analysis revealed that both HIV and AIDS groups exhibited a declining trend in alpha diversity, with significantly reduced Shannon index (HIV vs. HIV_neg: P < 0.05; AIDS vs. HIV_neg: P < 0.01). Candida abundance was significantly increased in HIV (P = 0.003) and AIDS (P < 0.001), with good discriminatory performance. Metabolomic analysis revealed that intergroup differences were primarily enriched in lipids and their derivatives, amino acids and related metabolites. Metabolites were generally upregulated in HIV but declined subsequently in AIDS. Pathway enrichment indicated that HIV was predominantly enriched in immune regulation, inflammatory signaling, and virus infection-related pathways, while AIDS was enriched in pathways linked to opportunistic infections and metabolic alterations. Integrated analysis demonstrated that Candida correlated positively with tyramine, histamine, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, and kynurenic acid, and negatively with glycerol 3-phosphate and 5-acetamidovalerate. These results indicate that HIV infection induces significant alterations in the salivary mycobiome and metabolic landscape. The abundance of Candida and its associated metabolites may serve as potential biomarkers, providing insights for early detection and intervention of HIV/AIDS-related fungal infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":11360,"journal":{"name":"Current Microbiology","volume":"83 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148825903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Psychromonas saccharinae sp. nov., Isolated from Marine Macroalga Saccharina japonica.","authors":"Ying Ouyang, Jiapeng Li, Ruojing Tu, Hao Dong, Xianzhen Zhou, Anyi Hu, Feng Lin, Xiuli Chen, Chenhui Zhong, Jiangwei Li","doi":"10.1007/s00284-026-05114-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00284-026-05114-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The genus Psychromonas includes psychrophilic or psychrotolerant bacteria frequently isolated from cold marine environments, such as polar regions, the deep sea and cold currents, however, its taxonomic diversity associated with marine macroalgae remains underexplored. A taxonomic study was conducted on strain PT13^T, which was isolated from the tissue of marine macroalga Saccharina japonica collected from a kelp farming area in Putian, China. The isolate was characterized as Gram-stain-negative, short-rod-shaped, non-pigmented, and motile by means of polar flagella. Growth occurred in the presence of 2-4.5% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 4%) and at 4-35℃ (optimum, 25℃). Phylogenetic analysis based on the full-length 16 S rRNA gene sequence revealed that the closest relatives were Psychromonas heitensis AK15-027^T (97.5% sequence similarity) and Psychromonas agarivorans J42-3A^T (97.0%). Average nucleotide identity (ANI) values with other species with other validly published species of the genus were all below 95.0%. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C_16:1ω7c/C_16:1ω6c, followed by C_16:0. The genomic DNA G + C content was determined to be 37.8%. Genome analyses revealed an ability to utilize the components of Saccharina japonica tissue via secreted enzymes. The genome analyses of PT13^T contained genes for alginate lyase and fucosidase, and it possesses both Type II and Sec-SRP secretion systems. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, genomic, and phylogenetic data, strain PT13^T represents a novel species of the genus Psychromonas, for which the name Psychromonas saccharinae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PT13^T (= JCM 38121^T = MCCC 1K09960^T).</p>","PeriodicalId":11360,"journal":{"name":"Current Microbiology","volume":"83 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148826326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isolation and Characterization of Variants of Quorum-Sensing Signal Molecules in Clinical Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates.","authors":"Bhavya Jayanth Nirmala, Akshatha Naik, Rajitha Golla Venkateshulu, Ramya Harsha","doi":"10.1007/s00284-026-05094-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00284-026-05094-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acinetobacter baumannii is a multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen that poses a significant global health threat. Quorum sensing (QS), a communication system found in this bacterium, is pivotal in biofilm formation, virulence factor production, and its overall survival. This study aimed to detect, quantify, and characterize signaling molecules in representative high biofilm forming clinical isolates of A. baumannii, thereby advancing the chemical understanding of microbial communication signals in this clinically important pathogen and providing a foundation for future investigations into their biological roles. The clinical isolates were screened for QS-associated phenotypes, signal molecule production, and the compounds were extracted, purified, and identified by thin-layer chromatography, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The analyses identified the presence of the diketopiperazine cyclo (L-prolyl-L-valine) and the long-chain acyl-homoserine lactone C14:1-HSL in the examined A. baumannii isolates. Based on the available literature, these molecules have not been previously reported in A. baumannii. This variation highlights the diversity of signaling molecules associated with the clinical isolates examined. These findings expand current knowledge of the chemical profiles of signaling molecules produced by high-biofilm-forming A. baumannii isolates and provide a basis for future studies investigating their potential biological significance.</p>","PeriodicalId":11360,"journal":{"name":"Current Microbiology","volume":"83 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148826256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In Silico Discovery and in vitro Evaluation of the Antifungal and Cytotoxicity Properties of Zeaxanthin and β-Carotene.","authors":"Mohadese Panahi Moghadam, Soroush Sardari, Mohammad Norouzi Nejad, Mohammad Rahmati, Hamid Madanchi","doi":"10.1007/s00284-026-05102-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00284-026-05102-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing drug resistance in pathogenic fungi has highlighted the need to identify novel molecular targets and safer antifungal compounds. In this study, a target-based chemoinformatics approach was employed to identify mannosyltransferase 2 (MNT2), key components of fungal cell wall glycosylation. Virtual screening of FDA-approved drugs against these fungal enzymes identified two natural carotenoids, Zeaxanthin and β-carotene, as promising candidates. The interaction of these compounds with MNTs was evaluated by molecular docking and ADMET analyses. The antifungal activity of Zeaxanthin and β-carotene was investigated in vitro against selected yeast and mold species, including Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp., and the MIC and MFC values were determined. Additionally, the cytotoxicity of these compounds on the L929 cell line and their hemolytic activity on human erythrocytes were assessed. The results showed that both compounds had mild but detectable antifungal activity, while exhibiting negligible cytotoxicity and hemolysis, even at high concentrations. FE-SEM analysis indicated that both compounds compromised the cell envelope and membrane integrity of C. albicans, leading to cell wall damage. Taken together, these findings suggest that Zeaxanthin and β-carotene, identified through a target-based chemoinformatics approach, could be considered as low-toxicity natural compounds with potential for topical or complementary applications in novel antifungal strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":11360,"journal":{"name":"Current Microbiology","volume":"83 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148826299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the Potential of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 for P(3HB-co-3HV-co-4HB) Terpolymer Production.","authors":"Sadaf Tanweer, Bhabatarini Panda","doi":"10.1007/s00284-026-05106-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00284-026-05106-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing environmental impact of plastic pollution has intensified the demand for sustainable alternatives, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). Among different types of PHAs, terpolymer demonstrates superior polymer properties compared to polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and its copolymers. Thus, the capability of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 for the synthesis of P(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB-co-3HV-co-4HB) terpolymer using sodium acetate (SA), γ-butyrolactone (BL), and sodium valerate (SV) in a two-step process was assessed in this study. To the best of our knowledge, this study reports the production of a terpolymer by any cyanobacterium using carbon sources, expanding the current understanding of cyanobacterial biopolymer biosynthesis. The terpolymer production in the test organism was carried out using polymer accumulation media deprived of nitrogen and phosphorus. The monomer composition of the polymer produced was significantly affected by the concentration of carbon sources. Supplementation of 0.4% SA, 0.01% BL, and 0.01% SV to the cyanobacterial culture medium resulted in the maximum terpolymer accumulation (40.16% dry cell weight). The terpolymer yield (36.33% dcw) decreased when the concentrations of BL and SV were increased to 0.1%, resulting in a terpolymer with higher 3HV and 4HB monomer composition. The purity of the polymer and the mole fraction composition were validated using ¹H-NMR and FTIR analysis. The terpolymer synthesized with varied monomer concentrations was subjected to material characterization using thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and mechanical tests. All the terpolymer properties studied here were found to be superior to those of commercial as well as microbially synthesized homo- and copolymers.</p>","PeriodicalId":11360,"journal":{"name":"Current Microbiology","volume":"83 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148826270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Strain of Mycoplasma hominis Causing Pleuropneumonia Infection in an Immunocompetent Patient and Recent Epidemiological Trends: Implications for Clinical Management.","authors":"Hangfei Chen, Zhenping Wu, Qing Yang, Wenqiao Yu, Hua Zhou","doi":"10.1007/s00284-026-05065-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00284-026-05065-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mycoplasma hominis (M. hominis) is an opportunistic pathogen linked to urogenital and neonatal infections; however, limited genetic and epidemiological data are available. Extragenital infections in healthy adults are rare, and effective antibiotics are species-specific, complicating diagnosis and treatment. Hence, this study aimed to elucidate the clinical process, update the epidemiological characteristics, and investigate the genomic features of a fluoroquinolone-resistant M. hominis isolate from an immunocompetent patient with pleuropneumonia in China. The M. hominis isolate ZY_MH01 was recovered from pleural fluid and was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS). The completed genome was annotated using the NCBI Prokaryotic Genome Annotation Pipeline (PGAP). Snippy v4.4.5 was utilized to conduct a core genome single nucleotide polymorphism (cgSNP) analysis between ZY_MH01 and 144 M. hominis strains from the NCBI GenBank database. Subsequently, phylogenies were constructed using IQ-TREE v3.1.2 and visualized by iTOL. Antimicrobial resistance determinants were identified using strict criteria of Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) RGI 6.0.5 (Web portal) and broth microdilution test. Virulence genes were screened using Abricate v1.0.1 against the Virulence Factor Database (VFDB). A total of 42 strains (including ZY_MH01) from Genbank with an assembly level of Complete or Chromosome were re-annotated using Prokka v1.2.0 and pangenome analysis was performed using the Roary. The core genome constitutes only 17.1%, which may contribute to the unusually high level of polymorphism observed among M. hominis strains. No antibiotic resistance genes or virulence genes were detected in the genome of ZY_MH01. However, some resistance-associated mutations of gene parC and gyrA in the Quinolone Resistance Determining Region (QRDR) were identified. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that strains originating from the same geographic region typically exhibit reduced genetic distances; this trend is especially pronounced in regions with a higher number of publicly available strain sequences. In specific circumstances, when conventional broad-spectrum antibiotics are ineffective, even immunocompetent patients should consider the possibility of M. hominis infection. This study presents a detailed account of the diagnostic and therapeutic course of a pleuropneumonia infection caused by M. hominis in an immunocompetent patient, and performs an epidemiological analysis of all M. hominis sequences that have been recently made publicly available.</p>","PeriodicalId":11360,"journal":{"name":"Current Microbiology","volume":"83 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148826346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Description of a Novel Species Quadrisphaera endophytica sp. nov., a Potential Strain as a Plant Growth Promotor and Comparative Genome Analysis of the Genus Quadrisphaera.","authors":"Sudarat Sukpanoa, Chanwit Suriyachadkun, Sumalee Chookhampaeng, Onuma Kaewkla","doi":"10.1007/s00284-026-05068-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00284-026-05068-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quadrisphaera is a rare genus of the phylum Actinomycetota which is rarely studied for functional characteristics of its phenotype and genome. The endophytic actinobacterium, strain KR29^T, was isolated from the surface-sterilized Jasmine rice leaf (Oryza sativa KDML 105). This strain was an aerobic actinobacterium that formed cocci cells with tetrad arrangements. The type strains that shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with strain KR29^T were Quadrisphaera oryzae TBRC 8486^T (99.6%), Quadrisphaera setariae NBRC 113770^T (99.4%), and Quadrisphaera granulorum JCM 16010^T (99.0%). Chemotaxonomic data confirmed the affiliation of strain KR29^T to the genus Quadrisphaera. Strain KR29^T contained MK-8(H₂) as a major menaquinone; the whole-cell sugar of strain KR29^T was galactose, glucose, and mannose. Strain KR29^T exhibited the highest similarity values with Q. oryzae TBRC 8486^T and Q. setariae NBRC 113770^T, showing average nucleotide identity (ANI)-MUMmer (ANIm), average amino acid identity (AAI), and digital DNA-DNA hybidization (dDDH) values of 87.5%, 84.8%, and 28.5%, respectively. In comparison, its values with Q. granulorum JCM 16010^T were 86.8% (ANIm), 81.5% (AAI), and 26.1% (dDDH). The polyphasic taxonomy confirmed that strain KR29^T represents a novel species, and the name Quadrisphaera endophytica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KR29^T (= TBRC 17753^T = NRRL B-65687^T). Strain KR29^T could produce a high amount of indole acetic acid and hydrolyze L-asparagine. Genome data mining of strain KR29^T revealed that its genome contained genes encoding proteins relating to plant growth promotion, bioactive compounds, and beneficial enzymes, including L-asparaginase. The genomic insight into strain KR29^T and the three type strains of genus Quadrisphaera was studied. The findings suggest that Quadrisphaera strains possess metabolic pathways relating to useful plant bioactive compound production, such as brassinosteroid, diterpenoid, and isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis and xenobiotic biodegradation, and 1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) degradation.</p>","PeriodicalId":11360,"journal":{"name":"Current Microbiology","volume":"83 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148826333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inhibitory Effects of Oxysterlina 3, Satanin 1, and Curvicin Cecropins on the Growth and stx2 Gene Expression of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC).","authors":"Edwin Stiven Quiguanás Guarín, Yuly Andrea Ramírez Tabares, Jhon Carlos Castaño Osorio, Lily Johana Toro, Leonardo Padilla Sanabria, Germán Alberto Téllez Ramírez","doi":"10.1007/s00284-026-05096-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00284-026-05096-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) poses a significant health risk, with Stx1 and Stx2 as key virulence factors associated with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Current STEC treatment relies on supportive care, avoiding antimicrobial therapy. This study evaluates the antibacterial activity of three cecropin peptides and their effect on the expression of the stx2 gene in STEC. Employing microdilution assays and RT-qPCR, all three cecropins demonstrated antibacterial efficacy, displaying MIC and MBC values of 12.5 µg/mL, and decreased gene expression levels following treatment. Notably, these cecropins not only inhibited STEC growth but also significantly reduced stx2 mRNA expression. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of cecropins as an alternative treatment for STEC infections and suggest they may mitigate associated complications.</p>","PeriodicalId":11360,"journal":{"name":"Current Microbiology","volume":"83 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148826276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}