C. Mayer

A new pathway in central metabolism mediates nutrient control of development and antibiotic production by Streptomyces

This paper identifies a novel aminosugar metabolic pathway in Streptomyces that regulates development and antibiotic production through GlcNAc sensing.

Direct excitatory synapses between neurons and tumor cells drive brain metastatic seeding of breast cancer and melanoma

The paper shows neurons form direct excitatory synapses with brain-metastatic breast and melanoma cancer cells, supporting metastasis and offering new therapeutic targets.

Phylogenomics recovers multiple origins of portable case-making in caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera), the world's most common underwater architects

This study uses phylogenomic data to reconstruct the evolutionary history of caddisflies, finding that portable case-making evolved independently in three lineages.

Wall teichoic acid substitution with glucose governs phage susceptibility of Staphylococcus epidermidis

This study identifies a WTA glycosyltransferase in S. epidermidis that modifies WTA with glucose, altering phage susceptibility and enabling horizontal gene transfer among CoNS species.

Machine learning can be as good as maximum likelihood when reconstructing phylogenetic trees and determining the best evolutionary model on four taxon alignments

This study shows neural networks can accurately predict evolutionary models and phylogenetic tree topologies for four-taxon alignments, often matching Maximum Likelihood performance while being faster.

A transcriptome-based phylogeny of Scarabaeoidea confirms the sister group relationship of dung beetles and phytophagous pleurostict scarabs (Coleoptera)

This study uses transcriptome data from over 50 Scarabaeidae species to resolve phylogenetic relationships, confirming the monophyly of Scarabaeidae and the sister group status of dung beetles and phytophagous pleurostict scarabs.

Metabolization of alpha-D-carba-glucosamine in vivo generates antimetabolites of cell wall precursors

This study shows that CGlcN is metabolized into carba-metabolites that inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis, revealing a new antimetabolite mechanism of action.

YgfB increases β-lactam resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by counteracting AlpA-mediated ampDh3 expression

This study identifies YgfB as a regulator that enhances β-lactam resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by inhibiting AlpA-mediated ampDh3 expression.

Control of NK cell tolerance in MHC class I-deficiency by regulated SHP-1 localization to the activating immune synapse

The paper shows that SHP-1 localization in NK cell synapses regulates tolerance in MHC class I-deficient cells through transcriptional and spatial mechanisms.

Delimiting Continuity: Comparison of Target Enrichment and ddRAD for Delineating Admixing Parapatric Melitaea Butterflies

This study compares target enrichment and ddRAD sequencing in parapatric Melitaea butterflies, finding congruent phylogenetic results and recommending consistent classification of parapatric taxa.

NamZ1 and NamZ2 from the oral pathogen Tannerella forsythia are peptidoglycan processing exo-β-N-acetylmuramidases with distinct substrate specificity

This study identifies two exo-β-N-acetylmuramidases from Tannerella forsythia with distinct substrate specificities, revealing functional diversity in PGN degradation.

A scalable, clinically severe pig model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

This paper develops a scalable pig model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy by breeding DMD carriers, enabling large cohorts for disease mechanism studies and therapeutic testing.

Exo-beta-N-acetylmuramidase NamZ of Bacillus subtilis is the founding member of a family of exo-lytic peptidoglycan hexosaminidases

The paper identifies NamZ as an exo-{beta}-N-acetylmuramidase in Bacillus subtilis, showing its role in peptidoglycan degradation and proposing it as a founding member of a new family of hexosaminidases.

Are fleas highly modified Mecoptera? Phylogenomic resolution of Antliophora (Insecta: Holometabola)

This study uses transcriptomic data to resolve the phylogenetic relationships within Antliophora, finding fleas are sister to either a monophyletic Mecoptera or arose within mecopteran families, potentially making Mecoptera paraphyletic.

Bioorthogonal red and far-red fluorogenic probes for wash-free live-cell and super-resolution microscopy

The paper develops new fluorogenic probes for live-cell and super-resolution microscopy with minimal label size and efficient quenching.

How old are dragonflies and damselflies? Odonata (Insecta) transcriptomics resolve familial relationships

This study uses transcriptomics to resolve the phylogenetic relationships of Odonata, finding monophyletic damselfly and dragonfly families and estimating their origins in the late Triassic.

Progression of the late-stage divisome is unaffected by the depletion of the cytoplasmic FtsZ pool

This study shows that late-stage FtsZ ring progression in Bacillus subtilis is not affected by cytoplasmic FtsZ depletion caused by ADEP antibiotics.

Inducible expression of (pp)pGpp synthetases in Staphylococcus aureus is associated with activation of stress response genes

This study investigates the effects of (pp)pGpp synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus by inducing synthetases RSH, RelP, and RelQ, revealing gene expression changes and a link between stringent response and oxidative stress.

Phosphoglycerol-type wall- and lipoteichoic acids are enantiomeric polymers differentially cleaved by the stereospecific glycerophosphodiesterase GlpQ

This study demonstrates that WTA and LTA are enantiomeric polymers differentially cleaved by GlpQ, revealing stereochemical differences in their glycerol phosphate moieties.