microLife最新文献

{"title":"Interferon-stimulated gene 15 expression negatively regulates resistance to <i>Candida albicans</i> infection in vulvovaginal epithelial cells.","authors":"Jördis V Schuchardt, Alexis Urtecho Valverde, Beatriz Cristóvão, Marina Pekmezović, Raquel Alonso-Roman, Mark S Gresnigt","doi":"10.1093/femsml/uqag024","DOIUrl":"10.1093/femsml/uqag024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is one of the most common fungal infections, affecting most women during their reproductive years. A core characteristic of VVC is the interplay between <i>Candida albicans</i> pathogenicity and dysregulated innate immune responses. While these inflammatory responses generally underlie VVC severity, epithelial type I interferon (IFN) responses have been associated with improved epithelial resistance to infection and dampened downstream neutrophil activation. Yet, the role of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in epithelial resistance to <i>C. albicans</i> infection remains unclear. Here, we investigated the threshold for mounting type I IFN responses in A-431 vulvovaginal epithelial cells (VECs), and the role of interferon-stimulated gene 15 (<i>ISG15</i>) in epithelial resistance and inflammation. We found that increasing <i>C. albicans</i> burdens corresponded to increasing epithelial cytotoxicity and the release of neutrophil chemoattractant IL-8. Further, expression of <i>IFNB1</i> and ISGs, specifically <i>ISG15</i> and <i>MX2</i>, was induced at fungal burdens, before the induction of significant cytotoxicity at later time points. We observed intracellular ISG15 accumulation following <i>C. albicans</i> infection, yet detected reduced unconjugated intracellular ISG15, suggesting its conjugation to other proteins. Mechanistically, we show that <i>ISG15</i> silencing reduced epithelial cytotoxicity and IL-8 responses to <i>C. albicans</i> infection. Concurrently, a <i>C. albicans</i> infection-specific downregulation of the gene encoding the cell death regulator Z-DNA binding protein 1 (ZBP1) was observed. Accordingly, <i>ZBP1</i> silencing, similar to <i>ISG15</i>, exhibited reduced tissue damage and IL-8 responses. Collectively, our data suggest that <i>ISG15</i>, expressed by VECs upon <i>C. albicans</i> infection, may exert negative feedback on epithelial resistance to infection induced by type I IFNs.</p>","PeriodicalId":74189,"journal":{"name":"microLife","volume":"7 ","pages":"uqag024"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13359237/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148439379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genome-scale metabolic modelling of the priority fungal pathogen <i>Lichtheimia corymbifera</i>.","authors":"Wassili Dimitriew, Jaime David Acosta Espana, Thomas Krüger, Olaf Kniemeyer, Gianni Panagiotou, Stefan Schuster, Axel A Brakhage, Kerstin Voigt, Sascha Schäuble","doi":"10.1093/femsml/uqag025","DOIUrl":"10.1093/femsml/uqag025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fungi harbor unique primary and secondary metabolic pathways that represent a hidden treasure of biochemical and natural compounds. Their metabolism is central to their ability to interact with, to adapt to and to survive in host environments, and to cause human disease and great harm. Among these is <i>Lichtheimia corymbifera</i>, an emerging causative agent of mucormycosis that has been classified as high priority fungal pathogen by the World Health Organization and is gaining increasing importance as a model organism for research on invasive fungal infections. We reconstructed a genome-scale <i>L. corymbifera</i> metabolic model and show substantial differential metabolic activity to process carbohydrate or amino acid carbon sources. We furthermore adapt the model to proteome changes depending on the presence of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and show fungal sphingolipid metabolic activity changes next to changes in cytoskeleton and tight junction associated PBMC activity over three days of cultivation. These insights underline the possibility that <i>L. corymbifera</i> can potentially scavenge host-derived lipids to fortify its own cell membrane. We demonstrate that <i>in silico</i> metabolic predictions can provide testable hypotheses and can lead to the identification of metabolic processes which are essential for the development of targeted antifungal drugs and novel solutions for balancing host challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":74189,"journal":{"name":"microLife","volume":"7 ","pages":"uqag025"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13390580/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148564012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Divergent chemotactic sensing in <i>Acanthamoeba</i> reveals ligand-promiscuous, threshold-tuned pattern recognition without canonical formyl peptide receptors.","authors":"Viktor Hermaraj, Brendan W Wren, Fauzy Nasher","doi":"10.1093/femsml/uqag023","DOIUrl":"10.1093/femsml/uqag023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chemotaxis, the directed movement of an organism towards nutrients or away from noxious agents is a fundamental process for the survival of many micro-organisms. We combined high-resolution imaging, microfluidic gradients, and frame-by-frame tracking to re-evaluate <i>Acanthamoeba</i> chemotaxis to microbial glycans [mannan, mannose, <i>N</i>-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc), <i>N</i>-acetyl-muramic acid (MurNAc)] and peptides [<i>N</i>-formyl methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) and Boc-Phe-Leu-Phe-Leu-Phe (BOC-FLFLF)]. Our quantitative tracking results on <i>Acanthamoeba castellanii</i> confirm the core patterns in the original studies reported by Schuster and Levandowsky; attraction to fMLP and GlcNAc and lack of response to MurNAc or the peptide antagonist BOC-FLFLF, while revealing previously missed attraction to mannan. In contrast, <i>Acanthamoeba polyphaga</i> demonstrated a more restricted response, with significant chemotaxis observed only toward fMLP, and lack of motility in the presence of MurNAc or BOC-FLFLF. Notably, formyl peptide responses were differentially modulated: BOC-FLFLF reduced fMLP-induced directionality in <i>A. castellanii</i> without impairing motility, while in <i>A. polyphaga</i>, it suppressed both velocity and orientation. When considered alongside genomic analyses that do not reveal a canonical metazoan-like formyl peptide receptor, these behavioural differences suggest that formyl peptide sensing in <i>Acanthamoeba</i> relies on a divergent, pattern-recognition-like signalling strategy, rather than a conserved FPR homolog. These distinct chemoattractant \"signatures\" are consistent with micro-niche adaptation, and we hypothesise that fine scale tuning of receptor thresholds to local prey spectra contributes to the observed differences between the tested strains. By revisiting classical paradigms, this study offers new perspectives on <i>Acanthamoeba</i> chemotaxis and supports emerging models of protist pattern recognition paralleling innate immunity.</p>","PeriodicalId":74189,"journal":{"name":"microLife","volume":"7 ","pages":"uqag023"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13359236/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148439282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to: <i>Salmonella</i> relies on siderophore exploitation at low pH.","authors":"","doi":"10.1093/femsml/uqag022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/femsml/uqag022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/femsml/uqaf041.].</p>","PeriodicalId":74189,"journal":{"name":"microLife","volume":"7 ","pages":"uqag022"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13285723/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148310555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicted bacterial uRBSs reveal translational coupling and ribosome-mediated RBS occlusion as gene-controlling mechanisms.","authors":"Theresa Dietz, Julian M Hahnfeld, Sophie Neumann, Yonca A Reinsch, Tessa Wenz, Susanne Barth-Weber, Jochen Blom, Alexander Goesmann, Elena Evguenieva-Hackenberg","doi":"10.1093/femsml/uqag021","DOIUrl":"10.1093/femsml/uqag021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in the 5' leader of bacterial mRNAs can modulate gene expression, yet genome-wide identification remains limited. We combined bioinformatic prediction of ribosome-binding sites (RBSs)-a Shine-Dalgarno sequence and a start codon-with experimental validation to uncover new uORFs in <i>Sinorhizobium meliloti</i> 2011. From totally 1106 predicted upstream RBSs (uRBSs), we first examined 15 candidates using eGFP reporters and integrating existing RNA-seq and Ribo-seq data. Translation was detected at 13 sites, with fluorescence intensity broadly correlating with predicted initiation rates. Two uRBSs correspond to gene start sites, thereby refining gene annotations. In nine cases, uRBS mutations affected downstream gene expression in reporter fusions. Among others, the data suggests that a Type I secretion system operon, the RNA chaperone gene <i>hfq</i>, and metabolic genes are regulated by uORFs. Four uORFs acted through translational coupling. We also identified uRBSs that were ribosome-occupied yet (nearly) silent in eGFP assays, and closely spaced to the downstream main RBS (mRBS). These uRBSs probably mediate ribosomal occlusion downregulating <i>lacR</i> and SM2011_RS36230. A re-screen of the prediction set revealed 335 close uRBS/mRBS pairs. Three of them were analyzed, supporting the proposed ribosomal occlusion mechanism for SM2011_RS03630 and SM2011_RS22110, while for <i>glnK</i> translational coupling to an uORF was suggested. These results indicate that uORFs are more widespread in bacteria than previously recognized and suggest that direct ribosomal occlusion of the mRBS is a novel mechanism for down-regulating protein synthesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":74189,"journal":{"name":"microLife","volume":"7 ","pages":"uqag021"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13285730/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148310584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A <i>Chryseobacterium massiliae</i> pore-forming MACPF domain protein mediates intra and interspecies competition against <i>Bacteroides</i>.","authors":"Bianca Audrain, David Perez-Pascual, Stanislas Thiriet-Rupert, Joaquin Bernal-Bayard, Franziska Stressmann, Jean-Marc Ghigo","doi":"10.1093/femsml/uqag019","DOIUrl":"10.1093/femsml/uqag019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microbiota play crucial roles in host health, including protection against pathogens through competitive interactions between commensal and pathogenic bacteria that are mediated by direct contact or secreted factors. We previously demonstrated that <i>Chryseobacterium massiliae</i>, a zebrafish commensal, protects larvae against infection by <i>Flavobacterium covae</i> (formerly <i>F. columnare</i>). Here, we investigated whether interference interactions contribute to this protective effect. We found that <i>C. massiliae</i> culture supernatant inhibits <i>F. covae</i> growth and a transposon mutagenesis screen identified mutants lacking this activity. All identified mutants carried insertions in a gene encoding a protein homologous to <i>Bacteroidales</i> BSAP pore-forming toxins, characterized by a Membrane Attack Complex/Perforin (MACPF) domain. We showed that this protein, which we named CSAP-1 (for <i>Chryseobacterium</i> Secreted Antimicrobial Protein) displays bactericidal, pore-forming activity that lyses <i>F. covae</i> cells. Unlike BSAP proteins from <i>Bacteroides</i> spp., CSAP-1 displays broader antagonistic activity, targeting multiple species across the <i>Flavobacterium</i> and <i>Chryseobacterium</i> genera-thus mediating interspecies and intergenus inhibition within <i>Bacteroidetes</i>. Although CSAP-1 is not essential for the <i>in vivo</i> protective effect of <i>C. massiliae</i>, administration of purified CSAP-1 alone confers significant protection to zebrafish larvae against sensitive <i>F. covae</i> infection. This study therefore identifies CSAP-1 as the first MACPF protein from <i>C. massiliae</i> with broad-spectrum inhibitory activity against members of the order <i>Flavobacteriales</i>. These findings highlight CSAP-1 as a promising candidate for the development of novel antimicrobial strategies and warrant further mechanistic investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":74189,"journal":{"name":"microLife","volume":"7 ","pages":"uqag019"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13245386/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148213680","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative proteome analyses of human natural killer cells from patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation and healthy individuals challenged with <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i>.","authors":"Jan Springer, Matthias Drobny, Linda Heilig, Sabrina Kraus, Olaf Kniemeyer, Thomas Krüger, Christian Olischer, Lydia Bussemer, Gianni Panagiotou, Axel A Brakhage, Hermann Einsele, Sascha Schäuble, Jürgen Löffler","doi":"10.1093/femsml/uqag020","DOIUrl":"10.1093/femsml/uqag020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Natural killer (NK) cells contribute to the innate immune system and are pivotal for the defence against opportunistic pathogens, including fungi. <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> (AF), a filamentous mold, can cause invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients, e.g. in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). In this pilot study, we challenged NK cell samples from alloSCT recipients collected 90, 120, and 180 days after transplantation and from healthy individuals with AF and characterize the proteome response differences. We identified 2259 differentially abundant proteins between the NK cell proteomes of alloSCT recipients and healthy individuals. Among these, 1118 proteins were differentially abundant at all time points and 1931 proteins specifically at day 180 post-alloSCT. Following stimulation of NK cells with AF, we found a profoundly different early proteome (day 90, <i>n</i>=1652 proteins), while at day 180, only 77 proteins remained significantly differentially abundant. We identified, among others, a major differentially abundant protein cluster related to IL27RA (including OAS, STAT1, and MX). Furthermore, for selected markers [granzyme A (GZMA), Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 (NCAM1/CD56), perforin-1 (PRF1)], we confirmed our proteome data by flow cytometry in NK cells from an independent second patient and healthy individual cohort. In conclusion, we demonstrate the advantage of combining comprehensive proteomic profiling with targeted flow cytometry to investigate NK cell responses to AF. Our data analysis connects STAT1 with IL27RA as well as granzyme, IFNg, and NCAM1 activity, which may be exploited towards future therapeutics warranting confirmation in larger study cohorts.</p>","PeriodicalId":74189,"journal":{"name":"microLife","volume":"7 ","pages":"uqag020"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13224827/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148152431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dual regulation of <i>cueP</i> by the CueR and Cpx systems enables <i>Salmonella</i> adaptation to copper and <i>N</i>-chlorotaurine.","authors":"Maxence Dessertine, Jérôme Becam, Benjamin Ezraty, Laurent Aussel","doi":"10.1093/femsml/uqag018","DOIUrl":"10.1093/femsml/uqag018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Salmonella enterica</i> is a facultative intracellular pathogen capable of surviving within host cells, where it faces a sophisticated immune arsenal. Within the phagosomal compartment, the bacterium encounters significant stress from copper and reactive chlorine species like <i>N</i>-chlorotaurine (<i>N</i>-ChT) generated during the oxidative burst. We investigated the regulatory mechanisms enabling <i>Salmonella</i> to adapt to this dual copper/oxidative stress, specifically focusing on the regulation and function of CueP. This periplasmic protein was previously proposed to bind copper ions and to transfer them to the superoxide dismutase SodCII. Here, we demonstrated that copper specifically triggered the CueR pathway and that <i>N</i>-ChT activated the Cpx pathway; simultaneous exposure to both stresses resulted in maximum <i>cueP</i> expression levels. Moreover, CueP was shown to be important for copper resistance in the absence of the multicopper oxidase CueO and exhibits high thermostability in the presence of copper. Additionally, in a Δ<i>cueO</i> background, copper is sufficient to activate the Cpx pathway, ensuring robust <i>cueP</i> induction even without external oxidative signals. These findings establish a direct molecular link between a host antimicrobial agent (<i>N</i>-ChT) and the activation of the Cpx-CueP axis, revealing a new layer of bacterial adaptation to innate immunity. Moreover, they highlight an integrated response strategy contributing to bacterial adaptation to the dual copper/oxidative stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":74189,"journal":{"name":"microLife","volume":"7 ","pages":"uqag018"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13201067/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148038433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Methods for evaluating bacterial dispersal on hyphal networks.","authors":"Aureline Bouchard, Martin Darino, Guillaume Cailleau, Achala Narayanan, Melissa Cravero, Peter G Kennedy, Buck T Hanson, Aaron J Robinson, Julia M Kelliher, Kim E Hammond-Kosack, Patrick S G Chain, Saskia Bindschedler, Pilar Junier","doi":"10.1093/femsml/uqag017","DOIUrl":"10.1093/femsml/uqag017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In heterogeneous environments, the hyphae of filamentous fungi and oomycetes can facilitate the dispersal of other microorganisms. The use of these \"fungal highways\" (FH) is regulated by both physical and biological factors with their interplay resulting in variable capabilities of different microbes to establish FH. Several devices have been developed to test the movement of bacteria across mycelium. However, these methods are usually time-consuming and cannot be applied at a large scale. In this study, we developed 3D-printed experimental devices that physically separate two environments while allowing hyphal networks to act as bridges for bacterial movement. The final design allows for the simultaneous testing of up to 10 pairs and the inclusion of any culturing media. With these devices, we investigated how fungal-bacterial pairing, nutrient conditions, and inoculation strategies influence FH formation. Bacterial transport was limited in nutrient-rich media but increased under poorer nutrient conditions, consistent with enhanced exploratory growth of the mycelium. Both cis- and trans-inoculation supported FH formation, although bacterial arrival was delayed in the absence of co-inoculation. The devices were used to demonstrate that transport of bacteria by FH was relevant for the colonization of a natural substrate. Finally, we established a novel <i>in planta</i> assay to evaluate FH formation during host colonization. This assay demonstrated that <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> can transport bacteria during wheat spike colonization. Together, these results provide accessible, scalable tools to study hyphal-mediated bacterial dispersal and highlight the combined role of biological specificity and nutrient context in the establishment of FH.</p>","PeriodicalId":74189,"journal":{"name":"microLife","volume":"7 ","pages":"uqag017"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13198026/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148019236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epithelial polarity: a key player in <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i>-host interactions.","authors":"Pargev Hovhannisyan, Thomas Rudel","doi":"10.1093/femsml/uqag016","DOIUrl":"10.1093/femsml/uqag016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> is a major human pathogen responsible for the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted infections. Given its high prevalence, potential for serious complications and high economic burden, understanding the pathogenesis of <i>C. trachomatis</i> infections is crucial for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. Mucosal epithelial cells serve as the primary replicative niche and play a central role in infection. Historically, research has relied heavily on cancer-derived cell line models to study the interactions of <i>C. trachomatis</i> with host cells. Although these models have provided important insights, they fail to fully recapitulate key aspects of human physiology, including apical-basal polarity, a fundamental feature that shapes epithelial functions. Limited studies using polarized <i>in vitro</i> epithelial systems have uncovered unique mechanisms by which <i>C. trachomatis</i> interacts with host cells. In this review, we summarize the current, albeit limited, knowledge on the role of epithelial polarity during <i>C. trachomatis</i> infection and highlight this understudied aspect of chlamydial biology.</p>","PeriodicalId":74189,"journal":{"name":"microLife","volume":"7 ","pages":"uqag016"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13159720/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147936030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}