Deep learning extracts MoA-specific signatures from high-throughput images of chemically and genetically perturbed Corynebacteria

To address drug-resistant tuberculosis, the leading single-pathogen infectious killer, drugs with novel modes of action (MoAs) are urgently needed. Phenotypic screening of chemical libraries can ident...

science.org

Single-cell visual proteomics of a minimal bacterium reveals structural coordination of gene expression machineries

Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) resolves and quantifies an almost complete view of bacterial translation, revealing how gene expression machineries coordinate across the processes of transcription,...

cell.com

Bacterial growth rate in populations and single cells - Nature Microbiology

In this Perspective, Levin and Wang give a brief history of bacterial growth rate and discuss how it is connected to nutrient availability and macromolecule synthesis, with a focus on (p)ppGpp as a ce...

nature.com

Single-molecule imaging of DNA repair and cytoplasmic rigidification in intracellular bacteria

DNA damage is an important component of the antibacterial response of phagocytes, but which DNA repair mechanisms are active in intracellular bacteria remains unclear. We developed a live-cell single-...

biorxiv.org

Magnesium induces iron starvation and metabolic rewiring to support the viability of cell envelope mutants and antibiotic-stressed cells

Magnesium supplementation permits deletion of otherwise essential genes involved in cell envelope biogenesis in the Gram-positive model bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Yet, the specific underlying mechan...

biorxiv.org

Transposon insertion sequencing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa identifies multiple intersecting pathways essential for extreme colistin resistance

Author summary Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium that causes a wide variety of infections. It is especially problematic given its propensity to become resistant to antibiotics. One antibiotic used...

dx.plos.org

Decoding Bistability and Drivers of Phenotypic Variation in Bacteria

In a process known as phenotypic heterogeneity or phenotypic variation, bacteria can produce distinct phenotypes within an isogenic population in response to shifting environmental conditions. Noise i...

annualreviews.org

Rewiring the ribosome to translate proteins encoded in its own RNA - Nature

Bacterial ribosomes can synthesize proteins encoded within their own RNA.

nature.com

Construction of a novel reporter strain indicating inhibition of cell wall biosynthesis - Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Abstract The WalRK two-component system monitors cell wall biosynthesis, and its activity decreases when biosynthesis is inhibited. As WalRK is essential for many Gram-positive bacteria, including Sta...

link.springer.com

Fast-growing intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis populations evade antibiotic treatment - Nature Communications

The slow growth displayed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been historically associated with pathogen’s persistence and drug tolerance. Unexpectedly, here the authors identify a rare subpopulation of...

nature.com

Bacterial small regulatory RNAs - Nature Reviews Microbiology

In this Review, Papenfort discusses established and emerging aspects of bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs), their molecular mechanisms and regulatory principles, and the global impact of sRNAs on cellular g...

nature.com

Mucin promotes Psl production and surface exploration in Pseudomonas aeruginosa | mBio

Understanding how the host environment impacts pathogen behavior is crucial for developing effective treatments for infections. Here, we provide evidence that the mucosal glycoprotein, mucin, and the ...

journals.asm.org

biorxiv.org

A programmed reset mechanism primes Clostridioides difficile virulence at the onset of infection

Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. This pathogen produces toxins essential for disease and flagella that promote intestinal colonization. Flagella and toxins ...

science.org

MiaA-mediated tRNA modifications couple tryptophan attenuation and changes in tRNA abundance to complex phenotypes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract. Transfer RNA (tRNA)-modifying enzymes are emerging as key regulators of bacterial physiology. MiaA, a tRNA isopentenyltransferase, is well studie

academic.oup.com

Effector loss and gain drives host range at a fitness cost

Author summary Pathogenic microorganisms emerge and adapt to new niches posing problems for host health, such as when disease outbreaks occur. Microorganisms may quickly adapt by modifying their genom...

journals.plos.org

A novel stress response pathway mediates biofilm architecture in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Author summary Biofilm formation by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa represents a major clinical challenge, with biofilms typically associated with chronic infection, increased antibi...

journals.plos.org

Compendium of RNA modifications for bacterial stress adaptation | Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews

SUMMARYRNA modifications in the tRNA, rRNA, and mRNA constitute a widespread layer of post-transcriptional gene regulation, commonly known as the epitranscriptome. In bacteria, tRNA and rRNA modifications are well documented and play essential roles in tRNA folding, rRNA maturation, translation, and peptidyl transfer. Although mRNA modifications have been extensively characterized in eukaryotes, their functional implications for mRNA fate in prokaryotes remain uncertain, and their identities and locations are the subject of an emerging field of research. Importantly, RNA modification is a dynamic process, and variation in the presence and abundance of these modifications has significant consequences for bacterial physiology. Here, we discuss current knowledge of modified RNA nucleotides in bacteria, with a particular focus on their roles in bacterial adaptation to environmental stress.

journals.asm.org

Analog intrinsic recoding measures RNA dynamics without chemical conversion

Steady-state RNA abundance measurements mask the synthesis and decay rates that shape gene expression. Analog intrinsic recoding sequencing (AIR-seq) repurposes the base-pairing properties of N4-hydro...

biorxiv.org