Microbiology spectrum最新文献

{"title":"Beyond antiparasitic activity: elucidating the antibacterial potency of pyrvinium pamoate.","authors":"Angela Alcaraz-Martínez, Paloma Muñoz-Báez, Pablo Peñalver, Juan Carlos Morales, Rubén Cebrián","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.02158-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02158-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antimicrobial resistance represents a critical global health threat, demanding innovative therapeutic strategies. In this study, we investigate the repurposing potential of pyrvinium pamoate (PP)-a long-established anthelmintic agent-for antibacterial applications. Comprehensive <i>in vitro</i> analyses revealed that while gram-negative bacteria exhibited inherent resistance due to limited drug uptake, gram-positive pathogens, particularly within the orders <i>Actinomycetales</i> and <i>Bacillales</i>, were markedly susceptible at low micromolar concentrations. Enhanced antibacterial efficacy was observed when PP was combined with outer membrane-permeabilizing agents, such as the peptide D11 or pentamidine, which facilitated increased intracellular accumulation. Additionally, the role of efflux pump activity was explored; its inhibition in <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> resulted in significant drug retention and a concomitant reduction in minimum inhibitory concentrations, while disruption of the proton motive force attenuated uptake. The compound demonstrated bactericidal effects against <i>S. aureus</i> and a bacteriostatic profile against <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> when sensitized with outer membrane permeabilizing agents. Furthermore, synergistic studies with several antibiotics revealed the potential of PP as a valuable addition to the antimicrobial arsenal against multidrug-resistant pathogens. These findings motivate further mechanistic studies and clinical evaluation of PP in antimicrobial therapy. PP shows promise as a repurposed antibacterial agent, particularly against gram-positive pathogens, with enhanced activity against gram-negative pathogens when combined with membrane-permeabilizing agents or in the presence of efflux pump inhibitors.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global crisis that threatens the effectiveness of current treatments. Developing new antibiotics is challenging and time-consuming, so repurposing existing drugs offers a faster alternative. Pyrvinium pamoate (PP) is a well-known antiparasitic drug that has also been studied for cancer treatment, but its antibacterial potential has received little attention. In this study, we show that PP is effective in killing several gram-positive bacteria, including <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, at low doses. Although gram-negative bacteria are more resistant, we found that combining PP with agents that open up bacterial membranes makes these bacteria more vulnerable. Our research also explains how bacteria take in and remove PP, which can affect how well it works. These findings support the idea of repurposing PP as an antibiotic, especially in combination therapies, to help combat multidrug-resistant infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0215825"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145192010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proteomic comparison of epidemic Australian <i>Bordetella pertussis</i> biofilm cells.","authors":"Hiroki Suyama, Laurence Don Wai Luu, Ling Zhong, Mark J Raftery, Ruiting Lan","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.01715-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01715-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Bordetella pertussis</i> causes whooping cough, a severe respiratory infectious disease. Studies have compared the currently dominant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) cluster I (pertussis toxin promoter allele, <i>ptxP3</i>) and previously dominant SNP cluster II (<i>ptxP1</i>) strains as planktonic cells. Since biofilm formation is linked with <i>B. pertussis</i> pathogenesis <i>in vivo</i>, this study compared the biofilm formation capabilities of representative strains of cluster I and cluster II. Confocal laser scanning microscopy found that the cluster I strain had a denser biofilm structure compared to the cluster II strain. Differences in protein abundance of the biofilm cells were then compared using tandem mass tagging and high-resolution multiple reaction monitoring. In total, 1,453 proteins were identified, of which 40 proteins had significant differential abundance between the two strains in biofilm conditions. Of particular interest was a large increase in the abundance of energy metabolism proteins (cytochrome proteins PetABC and BP3650) in the cluster I strain. When the abundance of these proteins was compared between six additional strains from each cluster, it was found that the protein abundance varied between all strains. These findings suggest that there are large levels of individual proteomic diversity between <i>B. pertussis</i> strains in biofilm conditions despite the highly conserved genome of the species. Overall, this study revealed visual differences in biofilm structure between <i>B. pertussis</i> strains and highlighted strain-specific variation in protein abundance that dominates potential cluster-specific changes that may be linked with the dominance of cluster I strains.IMPORTANCE<i>Bordetella pertussis</i> causes whooping cough. The currently circulating cluster I strains have taken over previously dominant cluster II strains. It is important to understand the reasons behind this evolution to develop new strategies against the pathogen. Recent studies have shown that <i>B. pertussis</i> can form biofilms during infection. This study compared the biofilm formation capabilities of a cluster I and a cluster II strain and identified visual differences in the biofilms. The protein abundance between these strains grown in biofilms was compared, and proteins identified with varied abundance were measured with additional strains from each cluster. It was found that despite the highly conserved genetics of the species, there was varied protein abundance between the additional strains. This study highlights that strain-specific variation in protein abundance during biofilm conditions may dominate the cluster-specific changes that may be linked to the dominance of cluster I strains.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0171525"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145192068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The selective culture and enrichment of major rumen bacteria on three distinct anaerobic culture media.","authors":"Alice M Buckner, Laura Glendinning, Juan M Palma Hidalgo, Jolanda M van Munster, Mark Stevens, Mick Watson, C Jamie Newbold","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00563-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.00563-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ruminants play an important part in global food security, but also emit methane, which contributes to global warming. Rumen microbes strongly influence the energy retention efficiency from the host's plant-based diet and produce methane as a by-product. While thousands of novel microbial genomes have been assembled from metagenomic sequence data, their culturability is ill-defined. Here, different media (Med10, Med2, and MedTC) were used to isolate co-cultures of microbes from rumen fluid. Thirty-four OTUs were identified belonging to the phyla <i>Bacillota</i> (75.28 ± 6.34%), <i>Bacteroidota</i> (19.99 ± 4.85%), <i>Pseudomonadota</i> (2.46 ± 2.01%), and <i>Actinomycetota</i> (2.09 ± 1.07%). The most abundant genera were <i>Selenomonas</i> (28.08 ± 11.71%), <i>Streptococcus</i> (22.67 ± 6.06%), <i>Prevotella</i> (18.71 ± 4.02%), and unclassified <i>Lachnospiraceae</i> (11.50 ± 2.54%), and 31 significantly enriched on at least one medium, with each medium successfully culturing a distinct range of microbes. The composition of the source rumen fluid was vastly different from those cultured. <i>Bacteroidota</i> (52.53 ± 5.10%) predominated, with <i>Bacillota</i> (41.00 ± 3.96%), <i>Methanobacteriota</i> (5.12 ± 1.94%), <i>Pseudomonadota</i> (1.22 ± 0.78%), and <i>Actinomycetota</i> (0.12 ± 0.08%) comprising the rest. The most abundant genera were <i>Prevotella</i> (29.13 ± 4.16%), <i>Butyrivibrio</i> (18.21 ± 2.08%), <i>Succiniclasticum</i> (15.57 ± 5.03%), unclassified <i>Bacteroidetes</i> (13.91 ± 1.67%), and unclassified <i>Prevotellaceae</i> (9.50 ± 2.01%). These data further emphasize the importance of using defined media to select for different microbial taxa. This is essential to understand the complex workings of the rumen microbes to enhance digestion efficiency and reduce the loss of energy that could potentially be utilized by the host.IMPORTANCEThis research demonstrates that using a range of culture media, containing a wide variety of substrates, can lead to the culture of key rumen microbes. The knowledge of which of these microbes is selectively enriched on each medium is essential to understand how to grow these microbes in co-culture and isolate them in pure culture for further investigation. In addition, this research shows the stark disparity between the population of rumen microbes grown in co-culture and those found in the rumen itself. This further demonstrates the need for a targeted approach to growing and isolating these microbes. Learning how these microbes respond to culture media with different nutritional compositions will lead to a better understanding of the rumen microbiota, and this research provides a valuable insight into how selective media can target the enrichment of different microbes. This knowledge will contribute to increasing ruminant digestion efficiency and reducing methane production.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0056325"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145192080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rapid and accurate sepsis diagnostics via a novel probe-based multiplex real-time PCR system.","authors":"Marco Favaro, Christian Fini, Maurizio Capannari, Ivano Petriccione, Claudia Rotondo, Assunta Navarra, Chiara Stellitano, Chiara De Giuli, Antonella Vulcano, Carla Fontana","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00559-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.00559-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sepsis is a critical clinical emergency that requires prompt diagnosis and intervention. Its prevalence has increased due to the aging population and increased antibiotic resistance. Early identification and the use of innovative technologies are crucial for improving patient outcomes. Modern methodologies are needed to minimize the turnaround time for diagnosis and improve outcomes. Rapid diagnostic tests and multiplex PCR are effective but have limitations in identifying a range of pathogens and target genes. Our study evaluated two novel probe-based multiplex real-time PCR systems: the SEPSI ID and SEPSI DR panels. These systems can quickly identify bacterial and fungal pathogens, alongside antibiotic resistance genes. The assays cover 29 microorganisms (gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, yeast, and mold species), alongside 23 resistance genes and four virulence factors. A streamlined workflow uses 2 µL of broth from positive blood cultures (BCs) without nucleic acid extraction and provides results in approximately 1 h. We present the results from an evaluation of 228 BCs and 22 isolates previously characterized by whole-genome sequencing. In comparison to the reference methods, the SEPSI ID panel demonstrated a sensitivity of 96.88%, a specificity of 100%, and a PPV of 100%, whereas the SEPSI DR panel showed a sensitivity of 97.8%, a PPV of 89.7%, and a specificity of 96.7%. Both panels also identified additional pathogens and resistance-related targets not detected by conventional methods. This assay shows promise for rapidly and accurately diagnosing sepsis. Future studies should validate its performance in various clinical settings to enhance sepsis management and improve patient outcomes.IMPORTANCEWe present a new diagnostic method that enables the quick and precise identification of pathogens and resistance genes from positive blood cultures, eliminating the need for nucleic acid extraction. This technique can also be used on fresh pathogen cultures. It has the potential to greatly improve treatment protocols, leading to better patient outcomes, more responsible antibiotic use, and more efficient management of healthcare resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0055925"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145200341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dronedarone hydrochloride targets cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol to increase colistin susceptibility in gram-negative pathogens.","authors":"Zhiying Liu, Moyun Liu, Zichu Wang, Chenxiao Jiang, Jianfeng Wang, Xuming Deng, Hongtao Liu, Yanhong Deng, Jiazhang Qiu","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.01196-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01196-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Treating multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections has become progressively dependent on limited therapeutic options, particularly polymyxins, such as colistin. This reliance has precipitated a concerning epidemiological trend: the emergence and global propagation of plasmid-mediated (<i>mcr</i>) as well as chromosome-mediated polymyxin resistance. Consequently, escalating resistance rates will certainly lead to diminished clinical efficacy of colistin, correlating with elevated mortality in septic patients who already face therapeutic limitations. Utilizing antimicrobial potentiators to restore the sensitivity of resistant pathogens to polymyxins represents a promising pharmacological strategy for reinvigorating the clinical utility of these agents. Here, we demonstrate that dronedarone hydrochloride (DH) exhibits significant synergistic bactericidal activity with colistin against colistin-resistant strains. DH enhances the antibacterial potency of colistin by approximately 32-fold (MIC from 8 μg/mL to 0.25 μg/mL in ExPEC ECQ001), effectively reversing resistance phenotypes. <i>In vivo</i> therapeutic efficacy studies demonstrated that combination therapy achieved a statistically significant reduction in bacterial burden compared to colistin therapy alone. Mechanistic studies revealed that DH has the capacity for specific molecular interactions with two critical phospholipid components: cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in bacterial membranes. This binding induces membrane disruption, impairs energy production, and stimulates oxidative stress, which collectively augment the bactericidal activity of colistin. These findings position DH as a viable antibiotic adjuvant with translational potential for combination therapies against MDR pathogens. The dual targeting of membrane integrity and redox homeostasis presents a strategic advantage in circumventing conventional resistance mechanisms, thereby extending the application potential of colistin in contemporary antimicrobial regimens.IMPORTANCEColistin remains a last resort antibiotic for treating infections caused by extensively drug-resistant pathogens. However, the emergence of colistin resistance has significantly compromised its clinical utility. Our research identifies and characterizes that dronedarone hydrochloride (DH) restores bacterial sensitivity to colistin by binding to cardiolipin (CL) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). Mechanistic studies revealed that DH bound specifically to CL and PG, thereby enhancing membrane disruption, impairing energy production, and stimulating oxidative stress levels, which collectively augment the bactericidal activity of colistin. These findings present DH as a lead compound for combating colistin resistance, while offering novel mechanistic insights into its role as a colistin potentiator.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0119625"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145191984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comprehensive reference catalog of human skin DNA virome reveals novel viral diversity and microenvironmental influences.","authors":"Zhiming Li, Shenghui Li, Chongyin Han, Yuxiao Chen, Hefu Zhen, Yuzhe Sun, Xiaofeng Zhou, Yanmei Chen, Yan Zheng, Lianyi Han, Jean Krutmann, Chao Nie, Jiucun Wang, Jingjing Xia","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.01178-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01178-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human skin serves as a dynamic habitat for a diverse microbiome, including a complex array of viruses whose diversity and roles are not fully understood. A total of 2,760 skin metagenomes from 6 published skin studies were collected. A skin virome catalog was constructed using standard methods in the viromics field. Viral characteristics were identified through cross-cohort meta-analysis and used to characterize viral features across different skin environments. We identified 20,927 viral sequences, which clustered into 2,873 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs), uncovering a substantial breadth of viral diversity on human skin. The results also highlight significant differences in viral communities that are associated with varying skin microenvironments. The oily skin is enriched in <i>Papillomaviridae</i>, the dry skin area is enriched in <i>Autographiviridae</i> and <i>Inoviridae</i>, and the moist skin is enriched in <i>Herelleviridae</i>. We also investigated the relationship between bacteriophages and bacteria on the skin surface. We found that skin bacteria such as <i>Pseudomonas</i>, <i>Klebsiella</i>, and <i>Staphylococcus</i> are predicted to be infected by phages from the class <i>Caudoviricetes</i>. This comprehensive skin DNA viral catalog significantly advances our understanding of the virome's role within the skin ecosystem.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>This study presents a comprehensive reference catalog of the human skin DNA virome, constructed from 2,760 metagenomic datasets collected globally. It identified 20,927 viral sequences, with 90.85% representing previously unknown viruses, greatly expanding our understanding of skin viral diversity. The findings reveal significant differences in viral communities between distinct skin microenvironments (oily, dry, and moist) and highlight close interactions between bacteriophages and their bacterial hosts, suggesting a potential role for the virome in maintaining microbial balance and skin health. This extensive skin viral catalog constitutes a crucial resource for future epidemiological and therapeutic research, potentially facilitating the development of novel phage therapies and diagnostic markers for skin disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0117825"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145192062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and evaluation of multiepitope fusion proteins for serological diagnosis of animal brucellosis.","authors":"Liping Guo, Qichuan Pei, Shiqi Zhao, Xinru Qi, Yixiao Chen, Peifei Yang, Yangguang Du, Mingjun Sun, Dehui Yin, Tiansong Zhan","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00516-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.00516-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brucellosis, a zoonotic disease caused by <i>Brucella</i> spp., leads to severe reproductive issues in livestock and economic losses. Current serological diagnostics using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigens often exhibit cross-reactivity, reducing diagnostic specificity. This study aimed to develop multiepitope fusion proteins based on <i>Brucella</i> B-cell epitopes using bioinformatics tools and the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) to enhance diagnostic accuracy. B-cell epitopes from major <i>Brucella</i> outer membrane proteins and other antigenic proteins were predicted using bioinformatics tools (BepiPred, ABCpred, and IEDB). Two fusion proteins were designed and produced. The diagnostic performance of the two fusion proteins was evaluated using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with 198 small ruminant serum samples and 232 bovine serum samples in comparison with conventional LPS and Rose Bengal antigen. Sensitivity, specificity, and cross-reactivity were evaluated. Both fusion proteins exhibited high sensitivity and specificity. For ruminant samples, Fusion Protein 2 achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9849, with sensitivity and specificity of 93.90% and 97.26%, respectively. For bovine samples, it showed an AUC of 0.9664, sensitivity of 92.71%, and specificity of 90.44%. Minimal cross-reactivity with other pathogens was observed, indicating high diagnostic specificity. The developed multiepitope fusion proteins demonstrated superior diagnostic performance. These proteins provide a novel tool for rapid and accurate diagnosis of brucellosis, with potential applications in vaccine development and disease control. Future work will focus on optimizing fusion protein design and expanding clinical validation.IMPORTANCEBrucellosis, a zoonotic disease caused by <i>Brucella</i> spp., poses a significant threat to livestock industries and human health. Current serological diagnostic methods using LPS antigens often suffer from cross-reactivity, leading to reduced diagnostic specificity. This study addresses this challenge by developing multiepitope fusion proteins based on <i>Brucella</i> B-cell epitopes. Using bioinformatics tools and IEDB, we designed and produced two fusion proteins and evaluated their diagnostic performance. The results demonstrated that these fusion proteins exhibited high sensitivity and specificity, with minimal cross-reactivity, offering a more accurate tool for brucellosis diagnosis. This advancement not only enhances the effectiveness of disease surveillance and control but also provides a foundation for potential vaccine development. The successful application of these fusion proteins in serological diagnosis highlights their importance in improving the accuracy and reliability of brucellosis detection, which is crucial for minimizing economic losses and public health risks associated with the disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0051625"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145192057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive profiling of lysine lactylation in <i>Candida albicans</i> and exploratory analysis of fluconazole tolerance associations.","authors":"Yuying Huang, Nana Song, Danrui Jing, Weida Liu, Dongmei Li, Xiaowei Zhou, Xiaofang Li","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00810-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.00810-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Candida albicans</i> is the primary pathogen of invasive candidiasis in most regions worldwide, but the therapy options for <i>C. albicans</i> infections are limited, and drug tolerance further exacerbates the treatment challenges. Lysine lactylation (Kla), a recently identified post-translational modification (PTM), is observed in numerous organisms; however, the role of Kla in <i>C. albicans</i> remains unknown. Hence, we report the first proteomic analysis of this specific modification in <i>C. albicans</i> and discuss its potential roles in drug tolerance of <i>C. albicans</i>. Altogether, 7,233 lactylation sites on 1,608 lactylated proteins were identified in <i>C. albicans</i>, with the highest degree of lactylation among the species studied so far. The further bioinformatics analysis revealed that the lactylated proteins were implicated in a variety of cellular functions with diverse subcellular localizations. Additionally, we found a unique survival mode of tolerant cells in the presence of fluconazole, which will be subject to a more thorough investigation in our future studies. This paper is the first report on the lactylome of <i>Candida</i> spp. and provides a reliable foundation for further research on Kla in <i>C. albicans</i> and other human pathogens.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>This is the first report on the lactylome of <i>Candida</i> spp., and it provides some valuable insights for further research on lactylation in <i>C. albicans</i> and other human pathogens. Moreover, the observations in tolerant cells have prompted plausible hypotheses regarding the potential role of lactylation in mediating <i>C. albicans</i> tolerance to fluconazole, thereby offering a conceptual framework for subsequent investigations. Notably, fungal tolerance to azoles, a concept distinct from resistance, represents a critical phenomenon in <i>C. albicans</i> with profound clinical implications, as it directly correlates with therapeutic failure and persistent infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0081025"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145192065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of an automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing system performance for colistin susceptibility in carbapenem-resistant <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> isolates.","authors":"Arzu İlki, Fatih Mehmet Akıllı, Sevim Alpsoy Özsoy, Zeynep Saygı, İsmail Yüceel-Timur","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00859-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.00859-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aims to assess the efficacy of VITEK 2 AST-XN21 (bioMérieux, Marcy l'Étoile, France) cards in identifying colistin susceptibility, comparing their performance with broth microdilution (BMD) results. A total of 187 carbapenem-resistant <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> were included and identified by MALDI-TOF (VITEK MS, bioMérieux, Marcy l'Étoile, France), and colistin susceptibility was determined by BMD and the VITEK 2 AST-XN21 card. The cs02n version is used in the VITEK 2. Isolates were evaluated for essential (EA) and categorical (CA) agreements, error rates, and ISO 20776-2:2021 bias rate (acceptable if bias rate is between -30% ≤ bias ≤+30%). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was interpreted according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing breakpoints (susceptible ≤2 µg/mL; resistant >2 µg/mL). All isolates were subjected to in-house multiplex PCR for possible resistance genes <i>mcr</i>-1, <i>mcr</i>-2, <i>mcr-</i>3<i>, mcr-</i>4<i>,</i> and <i>mcr-</i>5. Out of 187 isolates, 16.04% (<i>n</i> = 30) of all isolates were determined as colistin resistant by the BMD method. MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ of the isolates were detected as 1 and 4 mg/L, respectively. When VITEK 2 AST-XN21 results were compared with BMD, CA and EA were 94.6% (177/187) and 89.1% (156/175), respectively. Very major error (3.2%, 6/187) and major error (2.1%, 4/187) were detected. ISO 20776-2:2021 bias rate was 3.6%. No <i>mcr</i>1-5 genes were detected.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>Colistin resistance in carbapenem-resistant <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> (CR-Ab) remains a global problem, and broth microdilution constitutes the workload of routine clinical microbiology laboratories. This study is the first to evaluate the cs02n version in the VITEK 2. Our results suggest that VITEK 2 AST-XN21 cards could be an alternative method to detect colistin resistance in CR-Ab isolates.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0085925"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145192031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diversity and evolutionary history of endogenous retroviruses in the genome of <i>Manis pentadactyla</i>.","authors":"Tiancheng Zhang, Juan Xu, Hongfeng Yang, Chenglin Zhou, Wen Zhang","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.03203-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.03203-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), remnants of ancient viral infections integrated into host genomes, serve as invaluable molecular fossils for studying viral evolution. In this study, we performed a genomic analysis of the Chinese pangolin (<i>Manis pentadactyla</i>), identifying novel full-length endogenous retroviruses, designated as <i>Manis pentadactyla</i> ERVs (MPERVs). MPERVs span three retroviral genera: <i>Alpha</i>-, <i>Beta</i>-, and <i>Gamma-retroviruses</i>. Using genomic screening and phylogenetic analysis, we classified MPERVs and reconstructed their evolutionary history, uncovering evidence of complex recombination events and cross-species transmission. Estimated insertion times for MPERVs range from very recent to 18.38 million years ago. MPERVs exhibit diverse structural features, notably including conserved retroviral domains and functional motifs and highlighting their preservation across extensive evolutionary periods. These findings shed light on the evolutionary dynamics of ERVs in Chinese pangolin and suggest the potential for expanded host ranges among certain retrovirus genera.IMPORTANCEEndogenous retroviruses are unique viruses distinguished by the fact that they are retained as part of the host genome after an exogenous retrovirus infects the host. The Chinese pangolin, as a host with a long independent evolutionary history, likely holds valuable insights in its genome regarding retrovirus endogenization and transmission. In this study, we identified the footprints of exogenous retroviruses from three different genera in the pangolin genome: <i>Alpharetrovirus</i>, <i>Betaretrovirus</i>, and <i>Gammaretrovirus</i>. Additionally, by calculating the integration times of the pangolin's endogenous retroviruses and analyzing the domains of the three main functional proteins (GAG, POL, and ENV), we found that the insertions are relatively young. This suggests that these endogenous retroviruses infected the Chinese pangolin long before their endogenization. This study represents the exploration of endogenous retroviruses in the Chinese pangolin genome, expanding our understanding of endogenous retroviruses in mammals. Furthermore, our findings provide new evidence for the phenomenon of the cross-species transmission of retroviruses prior to endogenization.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0320324"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145192042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}