Microbiology

Mixed Alkyl/Aryl Phosphonates Identify Metabolic Serine Hydrolases as Antimalarial Targets

1. John M. Bennett
2. Sunil K. Narwal
3. Stephanie Kabeche
4. Daniel Abegg
5. Fiona Hackett
6. Tomas Yeo
7. Veronica L. Li
8. Ryan K. Muir
9. Franco F. Faucher
10. Scott Lovell
11. Michael J. Blackman
12. Alexander Adibekian
13. Ellen Yeh
14. David A. Fidock
15. Matthew Bogyo

Reviewed by preLights

Microgravity and low muon radiation affect viral pathogenesis and physiology in Caenorhabditis elegans

1. Ana Villena-Giménez
2. Victoria G. Castiglioni
3. Esmeralda G. Legarda
4. Juan C. Muñoz-Sánchez
5. Rubén González
6. Santiago F. Elena

Reviewed by Arcadia Science

Host-derived Lactobacillus plantarum alleviates hyperuricemia by improving gut microbial community and hydrolase-mediated degradation of purine nucleosides

1. Yang Fu
2. Xiao-Dan Luo
3. Jin-Ze Li
4. Qian-Yuan Mo
5. Xue Wang
6. Yue Zhao
7. You-Ming Zhang
8. Hao-Tong Luo
9. Dai-Yang Xia
10. Wei-Qing Ma
11. Jian-Ying Chen
12. Li-Hua Wang
13. Qiu-Yi Deng
14. Lukuyu Ben
15. Muhammad Kashif Saleemi
16. Xian-Zhi Jiang
17. Juan Chen
18. Kai Miao
19. Zhen-Ping Lin
20. Peng Zhang
21. Hui Ye
22. Qing-Yun Cao
23. Yong-Wen Zhu
24. Lin Yang
25. Qiang Tu
26. Wen-Ce Wang

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  The landmark significance of this manuscript is based on the mechanistic description of purine metabolism by Lactobacillus plantarum, which helps to alleviate hyperuricemia, which is a phenotype that underlies multiple disease symptoms. The evidence provided for L. plantarum's involvement in reducing hyperuricemia was exceptional, combining microbiomics, whole genomics, in vitro bacterial culture, gene knock-outs, and metabolomics. Collectively, the study shows a clear link between the gut microbiota and hyperuricemia, providing a pathway for modification to help alleviate this condition.

Reviewed by eLife

Intestinal microbiome dysbiosis increases Mycobacteria pulmonary colonization in mice by regulating the Nos2-associated pathways

1. MeiQing Han
2. Xia Wang
3. Lin Su
4. Shiqi Pan
5. Ningning Liu
6. Duan Li
7. Liang Liu
8. JunWei Cui
9. Huajie Zhao
10. Fan Yang

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This important study shows the effect of gut dysbiosis on the colonization of mycobacteria in the lung. The data with comprehensive analysis of gene expression profiles in the lung with dysbiotic mice is compelling and goes beyond the current state of the art. However, the mechanistic insight, where the lung epithelial cell line was used, and the experiments with Mtb infection are currently incomplete.

Reviewed by eLife

A conserved cell-pole determinant organizes proper polar flagellum formation

1. Erick Eligio Arroyo-Pérez
2. John C Hook
3. Alejandra Alvarado
4. Stephan Wimmi
5. Timo Glatter
6. Kai M Thormann
7. Simon Ringgaard

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important study describes the discovery of a mechanism by which multiple species of bacteria synthesize and localize polar flagella via a novel protein, FipA, which interacts with FlhF. The authors use appropriate methodological approaches (biochemistry, molecular microbiology, quantitative microscopy, and bacterial genetics) to obtain and present convincing results and interpretations. This work will particularly interest those studying bacterial motility and bacterial cell biologists.

Reviewed by eLife

ATP burst is the dominant driver of antibiotic lethality in Mycobacteria

1. Tejan Lodhiya
2. Aseem Palande
3. Anjali Veeram
4. Gerald Larrouy-Maumus
5. Dany J V Beste
6. Raju Mukherjee

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  In this valuable work, Lodhiya et al. provide evidence that excessive ATP underlies the killing of the model organism Mycobacterium smegmatis by two mechanistically-distinct antibiotics. Clarification of the role(s) of reactive oxygen species and ADP, as well as discrepancies with existing literature, would strengthen the model proposed. The data are generally solid as the authors deploy multiple, orthogonal readouts and methods for manipulating reactive oxygen species and ATP. The work will be of interest to those studying antibiotic mechanisms of action.

Reviewed by eLife

Electromagnetic waves destabilize the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and reduce SARS-CoV-2 Virus-Like Particle (SC2-VLP) infectivity

1. Skyler Granatir
2. Francisco M. Acosta
3. Christina Pantoja
4. Johann Tailor
5. Angus Fuori
6. Bill Dower
7. Henry Marr
8. Peter W. Ramirez

Reviewed by PREreview

Gene deletion as a possible strategy adopted by New World Leishmania infantum to maximize geographic dispersion

1. Monique Florêncio
2. Marne Coimbra Chagas
3. Anderson Guimarães-Costa
4. Jullyanna Oliveira
5. Ingrid Waclawiak
6. Thamara K. F. Oliveira
7. Elvira Maria Saraiva
8. Anita Leocadio Freitas-Mesquita
9. José Roberto Meyer-Fernandes
10. Laura Aragão-Farias
11. Camilly Enes Trindade
12. Patricia Cuervo Escobar
13. Renata Azevedo do Nascimento
14. Otacilio C. Moreira
15. Flávia Lima Ribeiro-Gomes
16. Yara M. Traub-Csekö
17. Erich Loza Telleria
18. Slavica Vaselek
19. Tereza Leštinová
20. Petr Volf
21. Gerald F. Späth
22. Elisa Cupolillo
23. Mariana C. Boité

Reviewed by Review Commons

Aeromonas hydrophila CobQ is a new type of NAD+- and Zn2+- independent protein lysine deacetylase

1. Yuqian Wang
2. Guibin Wang
3. Lishan Zhang
4. Qilan Cai
5. Meizhen Lin
6. Dongping Huang
7. Yuyue Xie
8. Wenxiong Lin
9. Xiangmin Lin

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  In this valuable study, the authors studied a novel Zn2+- and NAD+-independent KDAC protein, AhCobQ, in Aeromonas hydrophila, which lacks homology with eukaryotic counterparts, thus underscoring its unique evolutionary trajectory within the bacterial domain. They attempt to demonstrate deacetylase activity, however, assays to detect this are still incomplete and require further refinement. The work will be of interest to microbiologists studying metabolism and post-translational modifications.

Reviewed by eLife

Linalool’s Multifaceted Antimicrobial Potential: Unveiling its Antimicrobial Efficacy and Immunomodulatory Role Against Saprolegnia parasitica

1. Tao Tang
2. Weiming Zhong
3. Puyu Tang
4. Rongsi Dai
5. Jiajing Guo
6. Zhipeng Gao

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This study presents useful findings on the efficacy and mechanism of linalool protection against Saprolegnia parasitica oomycetes in the grass carp model. The evidence is incomplete since the claims are partially justified, thus there is a need for more experimental data and more rigorous statistical data analysis . Revisions according to the recommendations will improve the work, making it of interest to scientists within the fields of aquaculture, ichthyology, microbiology, and drug discovery.

Reviewed by eLife