Latest Articles
- ReviewMarR Family Transcription Factors from Burkholderia Species: Hidden Clues to Control of Virulence-Associated Genes
Species within the genus Burkholderia exhibit remarkable phenotypic diversity. Genomic plasticity, including genome reduction and horizontal gene transfer, has been correlated with virulence traits in several species.
- ReviewCurli-Containing Enteric Biofilms Inside and Out: Matrix Composition, Immune Recognition, and Disease Implications
Biofilms of enteric bacteria are highly complex, with multiple components that interact to fortify the biofilm matrix. Within biofilms of enteric bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella species, the main component of the biofilm is amyloid curli. Other constituents include cellulose,...
- ReviewOxidoreductases and Reactive Oxygen Species in Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass
Biomass constitutes an appealing alternative to fossil resources for the production of materials and energy. The abundance and attractiveness of vegetal biomass come along with challenges pertaining to the intricacy of its structure, evolved during billions of years to face and resist abiotic and biotic attacks.
- ReviewInterplay between Peptidoglycan Biology and Virulence in Gram-Negative Pathogens
The clinical and epidemiological threat of the growing antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative pathogens, particularly for β-lactams, the most frequently used and relevant antibiotics, urges research to find new therapeutic weapons to combat the infections caused by these microorganisms. An essential previous step in the development of these therapeutic solutions is to identify their potential targets in the biology of the pathogen....
- ReviewCytosolic Recognition of Microbes and Pathogens: Inflammasomes in Action
Infection is a dynamic biological process underpinned by a complex interplay between the pathogen and the host. Microbes from all domains of life, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoan parasites, have the capacity to cause infection.
- ReviewMicrobial Production of Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Conjugated Linolenic Acid Relies on a Multienzymatic System
Conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) and conjugated linolenic acids (CLNAs) have gained significant attention due to their anticarcinogenic and lipid/energy metabolism-modulatory effects. However, their concentration in foodstuffs is insufficient for any therapeutic application to be implemented. From a biotechnological standpoint, microbial production of these conjugated fatty acids (CFAs) has been explored as an alternative, and strains...
- ReviewExperimental Design, Population Dynamics, and Diversity in Microbial Experimental Evolution...
In experimental evolution, laboratory-controlled conditions select for the adaptation of species, which can be monitored in real time. Despite the current popularity of such experiments, nature's most pervasive biological force was long believed to be observable only on time scales that transcend a researcher's life-span, and studying evolution by natural selection was therefore carried out solely by comparative means.