Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology

Evolutionary Coupling of Flagellar Motility and Type VI Secretion Systems Across Bacteria

The paper investigates the evolutionary relationship between flagellar motility and bacterial secretion systems, finding strong coupling with T6SS but not bacteriocins.

The chemoreceptor McpA mediates aerotaxis and redox taxis in Salmonella Typhimurium

This study identifies McpA as a chemoreceptor in Salmonella Typhimurium that mediates taxis to oxygen and reactive oxygen species, revealing the CZB domain's role in redox sensing.

Equipositioning of Chromosomes in the Polyploid Archaeon Haloferax volcanii by HpaAB

This study identifies HpaAB as an active chromosome segregation system in Haloferax volcanii, essential for equipositioning replicons and maintaining genomic stability.

CpxR-CpxS two-component system exacerbates development of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

This study shows that deletion of cpxR reduces multidrug resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, indicating CpxR plays a key role in antibiotic resistance development.

Pressure-induced membrane tension mechanically opens the germinant receptor GerA ion channel to trigger bacterial spore germination

This study shows that pressure-induced membrane tension opens the GerA ion channel in Bacillus subtilis spores, triggering germination through a stretch-to-open mechanism.

Phylogenetic correlation between the Type IV Secretion System and HIP1 suggest an adaptation for horizontal gene transfer conserved at the phylum level

The paper investigates the phylogenetic correlation between HIP1 and Type IV Secretion System proteins in cyanobacteria, suggesting HIP1 facilitates horizontal gene transfer.

Lysinoalanine crosslinking in the extracellular flagellar hook of Synergistota

The paper identifies lysinoalanine crosslinking in the extracellular flagellar hook of Synergistota, expanding the known range of bacteria with this modification beyond spirochetes.

Structural Basis of H-NS-Mediated Temperature-Dependent Stimulation of Initial Growth in Escherichia coli.

This study shows H-NS in E. coli undergoes a conformational switch at 37°C, enabling nucleoid reorganization that enhances growth, resolving the silencing paradox.

Genetic analysis defines sites of charge-based interaction between LolA and LolB proteins in lipoprotein trafficking

The paper identifies critical charge-based interactions between LolA and LolB proteins in lipoprotein trafficking by screening mutations in LolB and showing that charge reversals in LolA can suppress lethality.

Out-of-balance Growth Enables Cost-free Synthesis of the Flagellum and Other Proteins in a Single Bacterium

The paper shows that single-cell growth rates increase with flagellar gene activity, contradicting bulk measurements, and attributes this to inherited growth factors.

Genetic basis of glycine and L-serine toxicity in Staphylococcus aureus and the case for glycine as an antibiotic adjuvant

This paper identifies mechanisms of amino acid toxicity in S. aureus and shows glycine can enhance antibiotic efficacy when combined with D-cycloserine.

DegQ and SwrA differentially modulate protease production and flagellar motility in Bacillus subtilis

This study shows that DegQ and SwrA have opposing effects on DegU-dependent phenotypes in Bacillus subtilis through distinct mechanisms.

Stress-response regulators tune enterobacterial common antigen synthesis to support acid and reactive nitrogen species stress resistance

This study identifies regulators that control ECA biosynthesis in E. coli, showing ECA's role in acid and reactive nitrogen species stress resistance.

EzrA coordinates septal organization and nucleoid occlusion in Staphylococcus aureus

This study shows EzrA coordinates septal organization and nucleoid occlusion in S. aureus by spatially coupling peptidoglycan synthesis with surface protein display and preventing chromosome guillotining.

Global RNA-RNA interactome mapping in B. burgdorferi reveals base-pairing sRNAs that rewire gene expression across growth

The paper identifies sRNA candidates in B. burgdorferi and maps their regulatory interactions across growth phases, revealing a dynamic RNA-RNA interactome.

A Specific Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction of Flagellin Can Drive Motility in Salmonella enterica but not Escherichia coli

This study uses ancestral sequence reconstruction to generate flagellin sequences and tests their ability to restore motility in E. coli and S. Typhimurium, finding limited sequence tolerance and species-specific differences.

AltORF-encoded microprotein recruits primary-ORF-encoded dehydrogenase to cell poles upon heat shock

The paper identifies an altORF-encoded microprotein, GndA, that facilitates stress-dependent relocalization of its primary ORF partner, Gnd, in E. coli during heat shock.

When do bacterial mechanosensitive channels get activated?

This study investigates when bacterial mechanosensitive channels activate by modeling stress distribution in the cell envelope during osmotic downshocks.

Multiple non-redundant functions underlie the essentiality of lipopolysaccharide in Gram-negative bacteria

This study identifies multiple non-redundant functions of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in Gram-negative bacteria, showing it is essential for envelope mechanics, membrane biogenesis, and efflux pump activity.

From Magnetosomes to Vesicles: LemA Proteins as Drivers of Bacterial Membrane Reorganization

This paper identifies LemA proteins as conserved drivers of bacterial membrane reorganization, involved in organelle and vesicle formation through interactions with divisome components and other membrane remodeling factors.

Cross-feeding reshapes interactions between antibiotic stressors through metabolic feedbacks

The paper shows that cross-feeding between bacteria changes how antibiotic combinations affect growth, shifting interactions toward antagonism due to metabolic feedbacks.

Control of cell division by an Acinetobacter baumannii protein with a nucleotidyl cyclase-like domain

This paper identifies and characterizes AdvA, a unique protein in Acinetobacter baumannii essential for cell division, revealing its structural and functional divergence from typical nucleotidyl cyclases.

Widespread Recruitment of ParA-like NTPases into Prokaryotic Immunity reveals a diversity of anti-selfish element strategies

The paper identifies ParA-like NTPases as key components in prokaryotic immunity, revealing diverse strategies to combat selfish genetic elements.

Molecular mechanism of albicidin-dependent transcription activation by the antibiotic resistance factor AlbA

This study elucidates how AlbA, an antibiotic resistance factor, activates transcription in response to albicidin by remodeling promoter architecture and facilitating a kinetic transition to promoter opening.

Complete loss of lipoprotein biosynthesis machinery in an obligate intracellular bacterium

This study identifies the absence of lipoprotein biosynthesis machinery in Orientia tsutsugamushi and describes alternative mechanisms for its proteins.

Restoring post-electroporation envelope integrity enables efficient spheroplast transformation of non-model Gram-negative bacteria

This paper develops a method to improve transformation efficiency in non-model Gram-negative bacteria by enhancing post-electroporation recovery.

Development of a high throughput continuous fluorescence anisotropy-based assay to analyse peptidoglycan-digesting enzymes

This paper develops a high-throughput fluorescence anisotropy assay to measure peptidoglycan-digesting enzyme activity, enabling rapid and specific analysis of enzyme-substrate interactions.

Copper-Mediated Antimicrobial Activity : Targeting Cytochrome c Complexes Across Bacterial Species

This study identifies c-type cytochrome biogenesis as a conserved target of copper toxicity in bacteria, showing Cu disrupts assembly of these complexes across diverse species.

Alternative respiratory electron transport pathways drive differential aminoglycoside susceptibility

The paper investigates how alternative respiratory electron transport pathways affect aminoglycoside susceptibility in bacteria.

Diverse stresses converge on bacterial periplasmic expansion through distinct physiological mechanisms

This study shows that diverse stresses cause periplasmic expansion in E. coli through distinct mechanisms, but UDP-glucose synthesis is required for expansion under some conditions.