{"title":"Novel insights into Bacillus thuringiensis: Beyond its role as a bioinsecticide","authors":"Gholamreza Salehi Jouzani , Reza Sharafi , Leandris Argentel-Martínez , Ofelda Peñuelas-Rubio , Ceyda Ozkan , Bengisu Incegul , Rana Goksu , Zehra Hayta , Deniz Yilki , Beyza Yazici , Vildan Hancer , Estibaliz Sansinenea , Jae-Ho Shin , A. El-Shabasy , Ugur Azizoglu","doi":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104264","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104264","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This review explores the diverse applications of <em>Bacillus thuringiensis</em> (<em>Bt</em>) beyond its traditional role as a bioinsecticide. <em>Bt</em> produces a variety of compounds with distinct chemical structures and biological activities. These include antimicrobial agents effective against plant pathogens and bioactive compounds that promote plant growth through the production of siderophores, hormones, and enzymes. Additionally, <em>Bt</em>'s industrial potential is highlighted, encompassing biofuel production, bioplastics, nanoparticle synthesis, food preservation, anticancer therapies, and heavy metal bioremediation. This critical analysis emphasizes recent advancements and applications, providing insights into <em>Bt</em>'s role in sustainable agriculture, biotechnology, and environmental management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21098,"journal":{"name":"Research in microbiology","volume":"176 3","pages":"Article 104264"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142828696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Navigating dual-species fungal biofilms: The competitive and cooperative dynamics of Candida albicans","authors":"Ouassila Bekkal Brikci-Benhabib","doi":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104262","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104262","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Research on microbial biofilms has primarily concentrated on bacterial-bacterial and bacterial-fungal interactions, leaving fungal-fungal dynamics underexplored. The present study examines interactions within dual-species fungal biofilms, with a particular emphasis on Candida albicans. The behavior and pathogenicity of this yeast are significantly influenced by its interactions with other fungal species in biofilms, where its ability to shift between yeast and hyphal forms contributes significantly to biofilm formation. These fungal species biofilms exhibit a complex interplay of synergistic cooperation and antagonistic competition, depending on the environmental context and resource availability. Understanding these interactions is essential for advancing our knowledge of fungal biofilm.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21098,"journal":{"name":"Research in microbiology","volume":"176 3","pages":"Article 104262"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142771900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anyang Li , Chen Chen , Yanmei Li , Yanshuang Wang , Xuemiao Li , Qiao Zhu , Yue Zhang , Shen Tian , Qianfeng Xia
{"title":"Characterisation of a new virulent phage isolated from Hainan Island with potential against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections","authors":"Anyang Li , Chen Chen , Yanmei Li , Yanshuang Wang , Xuemiao Li , Qiao Zhu , Yue Zhang , Shen Tian , Qianfeng Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104250","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104250","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multidrug-resistant (MDR) <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> is a serious life-threatening pathogen. The rise in <em>P. aeruginosa</em> resistance rates has renewed interest in phages as an alternative therapeutic approach for treating bacterial infections. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of the first <em>Pseudomonas</em> phage, vB_PaP_HN01, isolated from Hainan, the only tropical island in China. The lytic rate of this phage against <em>P. aeruginosa</em> reached 64.3 % (27/42). Under the optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1, more than 90 % of phage particles absorb onto the host cell within 10 min, with an eclipse period of around 15 min, and a high titer phage production (10<sup>11</sup> PFU/ml) within 90 min was demonstrated. vB_PaP_HN01 maintains a robust titer after 1 h exposure to pH values and temperatures (up to 50 °C). Genome annotation revealed that vB_PaP_HN01 did not contain drug-resistance or lysogeny-associated genes. It can effectively inhibit the formation of biofilms of MDR <em>P. aeruginosa</em> and eliminated aggressive biofilms (removal rate about 70 %). In the in vivo infection models, it was demonstrated that the survival rate and lifespan of <em>Galleria mellonella</em> larvae were increased alongside the injection of vB_PaP_HN01. These data revealed the potential of vB_PaP_HN01 against <em>P. aeruginosa</em> in clinic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21098,"journal":{"name":"Research in microbiology","volume":"176 1","pages":"Article 104250"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142547123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pragati Mahur, Amit Kumar Singh, Jayaraman Muthukumaran, Monika Jain
{"title":"Targeting MurG enzyme in Klebsiella pneumoniae: An in silico approach to novel antimicrobial discovery","authors":"Pragati Mahur, Amit Kumar Singh, Jayaraman Muthukumaran, Monika Jain","doi":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104257","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Antibiotic resistance poses a global crisis fuelled by widespread antibiotic use, particularly against Gram-negative bacteria like <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em>, a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections with high mortality rates. Urgent identification of effective drug targets is imperative, with a focus on metabolic pathways to inhibit bacterial growth. Targeting the crucial metabolic pathways of <em>K. pneumoniae</em> would be a more efficient way to prevent its growth and the diseases that it causes. The present study focused on inhibiting the UDP-N-acetylglucosamine--N-acetylmuramyl-(pentapeptide)pyrophosphoryl-undecaprenol <em>N</em>-acetylglucosamine transferase (MurG) enzyme, which is a key enzyme in peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway. A high throughput virtual screening was used to find possible lead molecules from Enamine -High-Throughput Screening Center library. The resulting high binding affinity ligands were further assessed for their drug-likeness and other pharmacokinetic properties. Based on these analyses, the three ligands Z95813755_1, Z324718246_1 and Z324718246_2 were selected for further molecular dynamic simulation studies. The molecular dynamic simulation results and MM/PBSA analysis predicted that both Z95813755_1 and Z324718246_2, molecules show higher binding affinity towards MurG. For the first time we are reporting potential candidate inhibitors against MurG from <em>K. pneumoniae</em>, providing new insights in management of multi drug resistant <em>K. pneumoniae</em> infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21098,"journal":{"name":"Research in microbiology","volume":"176 1","pages":"Article 104257"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142626734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kateřina Snopková , Eva Chaloupková , Matěj Hrala , David Šmajs
{"title":"Characterization of tailocins of Pragia fontium 24613 and the tailocin loci within the family Budviciaceae","authors":"Kateřina Snopková , Eva Chaloupková , Matěj Hrala , David Šmajs","doi":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tailocins are nano-scale phage tail-like protein complexes that can mediate antagonistic interactions between closely related bacterial species. While the capacity to produce R-type tailocin was found widely across Gammaproteobacteria, the production of F-type tailocins seems comparatively rare. In this study, we examined the freshwater isolate, <em>Pragia fontium</em> 24613, which can produce both R- and F-type tailocins. We investigated their inhibition spectrum, focusing on clinically relevant enterobacteria, and identified the associated tailocin gene cluster. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that inactivation of the tape measure protein within the tailocin cluster disrupted R-tailocin production. Comparative analysis of <em>Budviciaceae</em> gene clusters showed high conservation of R-type tailocin genes, whereas F-type tailocin genes were found in only a few species, with little conservation. Our findings indicate a high prevalence of bacteriocin production among underexplored Enterobacteriales species. Detected tailocins showed potential as antimicrobials targeting clinically significant pathogens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21098,"journal":{"name":"Research in microbiology","volume":"176 1","pages":"Article 104261"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142710927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Antoine Dampierre , Sandra Legout , Emmanuel Drouin
{"title":"The roots of the Institut Pasteur's “Grand Cours”","authors":"Antoine Dampierre , Sandra Legout , Emmanuel Drouin","doi":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The article presents an analysis of the history of the microbiology course delivered during the inaugural operational year of the Institut Pasteur in Paris. The year 1889 is examined through the lens of three hitherto unknown volumes that bring together the microbiology lectures delivered at the end of the 19th century.</div><div>The course was entirely independent from the teaching provided by the universities or faculties of medicine and rapidly gained international recognition. Indeed, the course provided the students with the theoretical knowledge of Pasteurian theories regarding the completely new discipline of microbiology and the specific techniques used to cultivate, conserve, and observe microbes. The steady increase in the number of lectures between 1889 and 1914 reflects the expansion of microbiological knowledge during this period. The contributions of researchers such as Émile Roux (1853–1933), Élie Metchnikoff (1845–1916), and Amédée Borrel (1867–1936) illuminated the collaboration and the growing diversification of expertise at the heart of the Institut Pasteur (IP).</div><div>Furthermore, this study highlights the international influence of the course, as evidenced by the participation of foreign students. It examines the history of the course as a powerful tool for disseminating knowledge of new microbiological techniques and the results of research carried out in Pasteur's laboratories. It also examines how the course served as a political instrument, asserting the authority of the Institut Pasteur in the field of microbiology in France and extending its influence worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21098,"journal":{"name":"Research in microbiology","volume":"176 1","pages":"Article 104259"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142792305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chien-Jui Huang , Ellen Pauwelyn , Marc Ongena , Peter Bleyaert , Monica Höfte
{"title":"Both GacS-regulated lipopeptides and the type three secretion system contribute to Pseudomonas cichorii induced necrosis in lettuce and chicory","authors":"Chien-Jui Huang , Ellen Pauwelyn , Marc Ongena , Peter Bleyaert , Monica Höfte","doi":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104249","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104249","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pseudomonas cichorii</em> SF1-54, the causal agent of lettuce midrib rot disease, produces lipopeptides cichofactins and cichopeptins which are important virulence factors. The GacS/GacA two-component system is well known to regulate production of lipopeptides in pseudomonads. Additionally, the functions of the type three secretion system (T3SS) in <em>P. cichorii</em>-plant interactions are not clarified. In this study, we investigated the role of the GacS-regulated lipopeptides and the T3SS in pathogenicity of <em>P. cichorii</em> SF1-54 on two host plants, chicory and lettuce, by constructing mutants in <em>hrpL</em>, which encodes the key sigma factor to control T3SS expression, and <em>gacS</em>. Compared with the wildtype, the <em>hrpL</em> mutant produced lipopeptides at a similar level but the <em>gacS</em> mutant was strongly impaired in lipopeptide production. The mutant deficient in <em>hrpL</em> did not significantly differ from the wildtype in virulence on chicory and lettuce. The <em>gacS</em> mutant exhibited significantly less symptoms on both host plants compared to the wildtype and the <em>hrpL</em> mutant. Intriguingly, the <em>gacS hrpL</em>-double mutant no longer produced lipopeptides, lost virulence and showed impaired colonization on chicory, but was still weakly virulent on lettuce. Thus, contribution of both the GacS-regulated lipopeptides and T3SS to virulence of <em>P. cichorii</em> SF1-54 is host plant dependent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21098,"journal":{"name":"Research in microbiology","volume":"176 1","pages":"Article 104249"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142506870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Laura Ripe-Jaime , Erika Díaz , Ángel G. Franco , Catherine Keim , Daniela Burgos , Valeria Pizarro , Luis F. Cadavid , Anny Cárdenas , Catalina Arévalo-Ferro
{"title":"Metabolic complexities and heterogeneity in quorum sensing signaling molecules in bacteria isolated from black band disease in a Caribbean coral","authors":"Laura Ripe-Jaime , Erika Díaz , Ángel G. Franco , Catherine Keim , Daniela Burgos , Valeria Pizarro , Luis F. Cadavid , Anny Cárdenas , Catalina Arévalo-Ferro","doi":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104248","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104248","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coral diseases contribute to the worldwide loss of coral reefs, with the Black Band Disease (BBD) being a prominent example. BBD is an infectious condition with lesions with a pigmented mat composed of cyanobacteria, sulphate-reducing, sulphide-oxidizing, and heterotrophic bacteria. We compared the heterotrophic bacterial communities of healthy and BBD-affected colonies of the Caribbean coral <em>Orbicella faveolat</em><em>a</em> using culture-dependent and -independent techniques. Twenty and 23 bacterial isolates were identified from healthy and diseased tissues, respectively, which differed in their capacities to metabolize carbohydrates and citrate, either anaerobically or aerobically. They also differed in their quorum-sensing (QS) activity, as QS signaling molecules were found exclusively, and QS-inhibition was found primarily, in isolates from diseased tissues. Screening of bacterial diversity by 16SrDNA metabarcoding showed that members of the bacterial genera <em>Muricauda</em> and <em>Maritimimonas</em> were dominant in healthy tissues whereas members of the cyanobacterial genus <em>Roseofilum</em> were dominant in diseased tissues. These results suggest that bacterial dysbiosis can be linked with altered bacterial communication, likely leading to diachrony and imbalance that may participate in the progression of BBD. Investigating physiological traits and QS-based communication offers insights into the onset and progression of coral infections, paving the way for novel strategies to mitigate their impact.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21098,"journal":{"name":"Research in microbiology","volume":"176 1","pages":"Article 104248"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142506871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jinjin Li , Jiaojiao Li , Peixian Li , Jie Zhang , Qian Liu , Hao Qi
{"title":"Influence of 5′-UTR nucleotide composition on translation efficiency in Escherichia coli","authors":"Jinjin Li , Jiaojiao Li , Peixian Li , Jie Zhang , Qian Liu , Hao Qi","doi":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Translation initiation for 5′-UTR contributes primarily to the efficient protein expression in <em>Escherichia coli</em>. Many studies have focused on constructing random 5′-UTR libraries to investigate the impact of mRNA features on protein translation efficiency. However, the study on the effect of the absence of specific types of nucleotides in the entire 5′-UTR region on translation efficiency has not yet been reported. Here, we constructed four reporter plasmid libraries encoding the sfGFP fluorescent protein, each preceded by 5′-UTRs that lack one specific nucleotide (25B, 25D, 25H, 25V). Each library was transformed into <em>E. coli</em> cells, and the fluorescence distribution among the different libraries was analyzed by flow cytometer. Additionally, we quantified the activity of 256 unique 5′-UTR sequences and analyzed the impact of the corresponding mRNA sequence features on translation efficiency. We found that the 25D library, which lacks the C nucleotide, exhibited the highest overall translation efficiency compared to the other three libraries. Moreover, the minimum free energy and 16S rRNA hybridization energy of the 5′-UTR sequence could work coordinately to influence translation efficiency. The 5′-UTR sequences lacking the C nucleotide also achieve efficient protein translation. These findings may provide several guiding principles for precisely tuning protein expression.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21098,"journal":{"name":"Research in microbiology","volume":"176 1","pages":"Article 104260"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142648976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evolutionary trends indicate a coherent organization of sap operons","authors":"Pratik Dasgupta, Kavya Vinil, Shankar Prasad Kanaujia","doi":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104228","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resmic.2024.104228","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><span>Human hosts possess a complex network of immune responses against microbial pathogens. The production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which target the pathogen cell membranes and inhibit them from inhabiting the hosts, is one such mechanism. However, pathogens have evolved systems that encounter these host-produced AMPs. The Sap (</span><u>s</u>ensitivity to <u>a</u>ntimicrobial <u>p</u>eptides) transporter uptakes AMPs inside the microbial cell and proteolytically degrades them. The Sap transporters comprise five subunits encoded by genes in an operon. Despite its ubiquitous nature, its subunits are not found to be in tandem with many organisms. In this study, a total of 421 Sap transporters were analyzed for their operonic arrangement. Out of 421, a total of 352 operons were found to be in consensus arrangement, while the remaining 69 show a varying arrangement of genes. The analysis of the intergenic distance between the subunits of the <em>sap</em> operon suggests a signature pattern with <em>sapAB</em> (-4), <em>sapBC</em> (-14), <em>sapCD</em> (-1), and <em>sapDF</em><span> (-4 to 1). An evolutionary analysis of these operons favors the consensus arrangement of the Sap transporter systems, substantiating its prevalence in most of the Gram-negative pathogens. Overall, this study provides insight into bacterial evolution, favoring the maintenance of the genetic organization of essential pathogenicity factors.</span></div></div>","PeriodicalId":21098,"journal":{"name":"Research in microbiology","volume":"175 8","pages":"Article 104228"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141555423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}