Legionella and Acanthamoeba research

Development of a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for Balamuthia mandrillaris

This paper develops and validates a LAMP assay for Balamuthia mandrillaris with high sensitivity and specificity, suitable for clinical use in resource-limited settings.

Genetic diversity of Legionella species in culture-negative clinical and environmental specimens by sequencing the 23S-5S ribosomal intergenic spacer region

The paper develops a bioinformatic pipeline using 23S-5S rRNA sequencing to identify Legionella species in culture-negative PCR-positive samples, successfully assigning species in 60% of cases and revealing high diversity.

Actin and AnkJ reciprocally regulate the catalytic state of the Legionella effector Ceg14

This study shows that actin and AnkJ reciprocally regulate the catalytic activity of Ceg14 by remodeling its catalytic center.

Naegleria amoebae seek confinement and crawl persistently through narrow spaces

This study investigates how Naegleria amoebae navigate narrow spaces and environments, finding they use bleb-based motility and exhibit memory-guided movement that may aid in pathogenesis.

Uncharted Waters: Projecting the European Emergence of Naegleria fowleri, Colloquially Known as the 'Brain-Eating Amoeba', Under Climate Warming

This study models the current and future habitat suitability of Naegleria fowleri in the US and projects its potential expansion into Europe under climate change scenarios.

Single-cell metabolomics reveals infection-specific metabolic reprogramming of human macrophages

This study uses single-cell metabolomics to show that Legionella pneumophila infection induces metabolic reprogramming in human macrophages, with bacterial effectors promoting glycolytic shifts.

Gelsolin protects mitochondria and regulates inflammation during Legionella pneumophila infection

This study shows that gelsolin protects against Legionella pneumophila infection by maintaining mitochondrial health, reducing inflammation, and supporting neutrophil function.

Accounting for DNA Recovery and Cell Culturability Enhances Quantitative Compatibility of Molecular and Legiolert Assays for Legionella pneumophila

Systematic Discovery of Novel Phosphoinositide-Binding Effectors in Legionella Reveals Conserved α-Helical Folds

The paper identifies 33 novel phosphoinositide-binding effectors from three intracellular pathogens, revealing conserved α-helical structural motifs distinct from eukaryotic lipid-binding domains.

The Legionella pneumophila type IVb secretion system effector BinA subverts amino acid transport to sensitize TORC1 signaling in macrophages

This paper identifies BinA, a Legionella effector that rewires amino acid transport to sensitize mTORC1 signaling in macrophages, enhancing bacterial replication.

The Legionella effector RidL promotes mitochondrial fragmentation through phosphorylation activation of the large GTPase Drp1

This study identifies RidL as a bifunctional effector that inhibits retrograde trafficking and promotes mitochondrial fragmentation by phosphorylating Drp1, aiding Legionella pneumophila's intracellular survival.

Rodent-driven NO3--N enrichment reshapes amoeba--bacteria co-occurrence and bacterial functional potential in burrow soils

This study shows rodent activity creates nitrate-rich soil microhabitats that alter amoeba-bacteria interactions and bacterial functional potential, potentially promoting pathogenic bacteria.

An anaerobic Legionellales symbiont in Anaeramoeba pumila

The paper describes a new anaerobic Legionellales symbiont in Anaeramoeba pumila, highlighting its unique metabolic strategies and genomic features.

The small GTPase Rab5 inhibits actin polymerization mediated by the Legionella pneumophila effector VipA

This study identifies Rab5 as an interacting partner of the L. pneumophila effector VipA, showing that Rab5 binding inhibits VipA's ability to promote actin polymerization.

Epidemiology of Legionella: Genome-bAsed Typing (el_gato) - a new bioinformatic tool for identifying sequence-based types of Legionella pneumophila from whole genome sequencing data

el_gato is a new bioinformatic tool that improves sequence-based typing of Legionella pneumophila from whole genome sequencing data, achieving high accuracy comparable to traditional Sanger sequencing.

Crystal structure of the Legionella pneumophila effector SidL (Lpg0437) in complex with its metaeffector LegA11 (Lpg0436)

This study determines the crystal structure of Legionella pneumophila effector SidL complexed with its metaeffector LegA11, showing how LegA11 suppresses SidL's mRNA translation inhibition activity.

Free-Living Amoeba act as transient permissive hosts for Leptospira spp.

This study shows free-living amoebae internalize and transiently host both pathogenic and saprophytic Leptospira without replication, contributing to their environmental persistence.

Global climate gradients structure soil Legionella diversity, relative abundance and pathogen distributions

This study analyzes global soil Legionella diversity and abundance across climate gradients, finding increased abundance with precipitation and temperature, and highlighting non-pneumophila pathogens as more common in soils.

Functional alterations of immune gene expression in ICU and non-ICU patients with Legionnaires' disease, a prospective observational study

This study compares immune gene expression in ICU and non-ICU Legionnaires' disease patients after LPS stimulation, finding more pronounced functional impairments in ICU patients.

The Legionella phosphocholinase AnkX modulates IMPDH2 regulation and cytoophidia dynamics

This paper identifies AnkX as a Legionella effector that posttranslationally modifies IMPDH2, disrupting its filament assembly and altering GTP metabolism in host cells.

A two-scale model of Legionnaires disease to predict incubation periods and risk of symptomatic disease

This paper develops a non-Markovian two-scale model of Legionnaires disease to improve incubation period and dose-response predictions by incorporating realistic rupture-time distributions.

Siderophore-mediated inhibition of Legionella pneumophila by environmental Pseudomonas isolates

This study shows that siderophore-producing Pseudomonas strains inhibit Legionella pneumophila growth by limiting iron availability through siderophore-mediated competition.

Legionella and Mycobacterium populations exhibit geographic structuring across and within drinking water systems

The paper examines geographic structuring of Legionella and Mycobacterium populations across and within drinking water systems using 16S rRNA sequencing and flow cytometry.

IcmX Plug Ejection in L. pneumophila's Type IV Secretion System: Is It Possible?

The paper uses MD simulations to test if force on IcmX can induce structural changes in DotG, enabling effector protein release in L. pneumophila's T4SS.

Re-evaluating of Chemotaxis in Acanthamoeba castellanii and Acanthamoeba polyphaga: A Modern Perspective Using Advanced Imaging and Tracking Technologies

This study re-evaluates chemotaxis in Acanthamoeba species using advanced imaging and tracking, revealing species-specific responses to chemoattractants and suggesting receptor threshold tuning for niche adaptation.

Backtracking Metabolic Dynamics in Single Cells Predicts Bacterial Replication in Human Macrophages

The paper tracks metabolic dynamics in single human macrophages infected with Legionella pneumophila to predict bacterial replication with 83% accuracy using machine learning.

Enteric Viruses and Free-Living Amoebae: Protozoa as Potential Reservoirs and Transport Vessels for human Norovirus and Adenovirus

This study shows human norovirus and adenovirus can persist inside free-living amoebae, challenging assumptions about virus removal in water treatment and public health protocols.

Variable inhibition of different Legionella species by antagonistic bacteria

This study identifies bacteria that inhibit different Legionella species, showing variable inhibition patterns and highlighting the role of biosurfactants like viscosin produced by Pseudomonas lurida.

A hybrid model of the within-host dynamics post-infection with Legionnaires disease;

This paper develops a hybrid model to simulate within-host dynamics of Legionnaires disease, reducing computational cost while maintaining accuracy by integrating ODE, discrete-event, and SDE models.

Canonical and phosphoribosyl ubiquitination coordinate to stabilize a proteinaceous structure surrounding the Legionella-containing vacuole

This study shows that Legionella pneumophila uses two ubiquitin ligase families to create a stable, ubiquitin-rich structure around its vacuole, which protects it from host defenses.