M. Totsika

Determining glycosyltransferase functional order via lethality due to accumulated O-antigen intermediates, exemplified with Shigella flexneri O-antigen biosynthesis

The paper introduces a genetic approach to determine the functional order of glycosyltransferases in O-antigen biosynthesis using Shigella flexneri, identifying RfbG and RfbF as key enzymes in the assembly of the OAg repeating unit.

Extensive diversity in Escherichia coli Group 3 capsules is driven by recombination and plasmid transfer from multiple species

The paper identifies seven new Group 3 capsule gene clusters in E. coli, revealing extensive diversity driven by recombination and plasmid transfer from multiple species.

O antigen biogenesis sensitises Escherichia coli K-12 to bile salts, a likely cause for how it lost its O antigen

This study shows that restoring O antigen in E. coli K-12 sensitizes it to bile salts and vancomycin, suggesting bile salts drove the loss of O antigen in K-12 strains.

Bacterial suppressor-of-copper-sensitivity (Scs) proteins exhibit diverse thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase cellular functions

This study shows that ScsC proteins, despite structural differences, exhibit both dithiol oxidation and disulfide reduction activity, with oxidase activity dependent on environmental oxidation.

Bladder-draining lymph nodes support germinal centre B cell responses during urinary tract infection in mice

This study shows that bladder-draining lymph nodes in mice develop germinal centre B cell responses during urinary tract infection, which may help control infection but are not enhanced by a second infection.

Cysteine dependent conformation heterogeneity of Shigella flexneri autotransporter IcsA and implications in its function

This paper investigates the role of cysteine residues in Shigella IcsA's conformational changes, showing how they influence adhesin activity and immune evasion.

Loss of β-ketoacyl acyl carrier protein synthase III activity restores multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli sensitivity to previously ineffective antibiotics

This study shows that disrupting the FabH gene in E. coli reduces its resistance to antibiotics by compromising the cell envelope, making previously ineffective antibiotics effective again.

Fine tuning the mechanism of Antigen 43 self-association to modulate aggregation levels of Escherichia coli pathogens

The paper investigates the role of Ag43 homologues in bacterial aggregation and biofilm formation, revealing a common trans-association mechanism and how variations in these interactions affect aggregation kinetics.

High-throughput cell-based assays for the preclinical development of DsbA inhibitors as antivirulence therapeutics.

This paper establishes a high-throughput cell-based assay pipeline for evaluating DsbA inhibitors as antivirulence therapeutics using Escherichia coli and UPEC.

Nitroxide functionalized antibiotics are promising eradication agents against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.

This study shows that nitroxide-functionalized antibiotics enhance eradication of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms when combined with ciprofloxacin.