MicrobiologyOpen has published its latest online issue. 13 new articles are fully open access: free to read, download and share.

MicrobiologyOpen is a broad scope, peer reviewed journal delivering rapid decisions and fast publication of microbial science.  The journal gives priority to reports of quality research, pure or applied, that further our understanding of microbial interactions and microbial processes.

Editor-in-Chief, Pierre Cornelis has highlighted the papers below as of particular interest:

Unsuspected pyocyanin effect in yeast under anaerobiosis
Rana Barakat, Isabelle Goubet, Stephen Manon, Thierry Berges and Eric Rosenfeld

Summary: Toxicity of pyocyanin (PYO) was investigated under aerobiosis and anaerobiosis in several wild-type and mutant strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and also in Candida albicans. PYO is toxic for actively respiring cells but its toxicity was found to be important and even higher under anaerobiosis. This indicates that PYO effect can be mediated by other phenomenon than oxidative stress and respiratory disturbance.

Serum influences the expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing genes and QS-controlled virulence genes during early and late stages of growth
Cassandra Kruczek, Uzma Qaisar, Jane A. Colmer-Hamood and Abdul N. Hamood

Summary: In this study, we demonstrated that serum reduces the expression of different QS genes at early stages of growth but increases their expression at late stages of growth of P. aeruginosa. A similar phenomenon was observed regarding the production of autoinducers and the expression of QS-controlled virulence genes. Serum also differentially regulated the expression several positive and negative regulators of the QS systems. While the mechanism by which serum affects QS at early stage of growth is not yet known, our results suggest that serum accomplishes its effect at late stages of growth through the virulence factor regulator vfr. 

Visualization of VirE2 protein translocation by the Agrobacterium type IV secretion system into host cells
Philippe A. Sakalis, G. Paul H. van Heusden and Paul J. J. Hooykaas

Summary: Here we report the direct visualization of VirE2 protein translocation from Agrobacterium into host cells. To this end we cocultivated Agrobacterium strains expressing VirE2 tagged with one part of a fluorescent protein with host cells expressing the complementary part. Fluorescent filaments became visible in recipient cells 20-25 hours after the start of the cocultivation indicative of VirE2 protein translocation.

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MicrobiologyOpen has published its latest online issue. 13 new articles are fully open access: free to read, download and share.

MicrobiologyOpen is a broad scope, peer reviewed journal delivering rapid decisions and fast publication of microbial science.  The journal gives priority to reports of quality research, pure or applied, that further our understanding of microbial interactions and microbial processes.

Editor-in-Chief, Pierre Cornelis has highlighted the papers below as of particular interest:

Unsuspected pyocyanin effect in yeast under anaerobiosis
Rana Barakat, Isabelle Goubet, Stephen Manon, Thierry Berges and Eric Rosenfeld

Summary: Toxicity of pyocyanin (PYO) was investigated under aerobiosis and anaerobiosis in several wild-type and mutant strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and also in Candida albicans. PYO is toxic for actively respiring cells but its toxicity was found to be important and even higher under anaerobiosis. This indicates that PYO effect can be mediated by other phenomenon than oxidative stress and respiratory disturbance.

Serum influences the expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing genes and QS-controlled virulence genes during early and late stages of growth
Cassandra Kruczek, Uzma Qaisar, Jane A. Colmer-Hamood and Abdul N. Hamood

Summary: In this study, we demonstrated that serum reduces the expression of different QS genes at early stages of growth but increases their expression at late stages of growth of P. aeruginosa. A similar phenomenon was observed regarding the production of autoinducers and the expression of QS-controlled virulence genes. Serum also differentially regulated the expression several positive and negative regulators of the QS systems. While the mechanism by which serum affects QS at early stage of growth is not yet known, our results suggest that serum accomplishes its effect at late stages of growth through the virulence factor regulator vfr. 

Visualization of VirE2 protein translocation by the Agrobacterium type IV secretion system into host cells
Philippe A. Sakalis, G. Paul H. van Heusden and Paul J. J. Hooykaas

Summary: Here we report the direct visualization of VirE2 protein translocation from Agrobacterium into host cells. To this end we cocultivated Agrobacterium strains expressing VirE2 tagged with one part of a fluorescent protein with host cells expressing the complementary part. Fluorescent filaments became visible in recipient cells 20-25 hours after the start of the cocultivation indicative of VirE2 protein translocation.

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The December issue of MicrobiologyOpen can be viewed online now!

MicrobiologyOpen is a broad scope, peer reviewed journal delivering rapid decisions and fast publication of microbial science.  The journal gives priority to reports of quality research, pure or applied, that further our understanding of microbial interactions and microbial processes.

Editor-in-Chief, Pierre Cornelis has highlighted the papers below from the latest issue:

Developing an international Pseudomonas aeruginosa reference panel
Anthony De Soyza, Amanda J. Hall, Eshwar Mahenthiralingam, Pavel Drevinek, Wieslaw Kaca, Zuzanna Drulis-Kawa, Stoyanka R. Stoitsova, Veronika Toth, Tom Coenye, James E. A. Zlosnik, Jane L. Burns, Isabel Sá-Correia, Daniel De Vos, Jean-Paul Pirnay, Timothy J. Kidd, David Reid, Jim Manos, Jens Klockgether, Lutz Wiehlmann, Burkhard Tümmler, Siobhán McClean, Craig Winstanley

Summary: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major opportunistic pathogen, especially in relation to cystic fibrosis. In this study a panel of 43 P.aeruginosa strains designed to reflect the diversity of this pathogen were collated.

Canonical and non-canonical EcfG sigma factors control the general stress response in Rhizobium etli
Ann Jans, Maarten Vercruysse, Shanjun Gao, Kristof Engelen, Ivo Lambrichts, Maarten Fauvart, Jan Michiels

Summary: This work explores the hierarchical relation between Rhizobium etli extracytoplasmic function sigma factors ?^EcfG1 and ?^EcfG2, core components of the general stress response. The authors propose a modified model for general stress response regulation in R. etli as they find that, contrary to reports in other species, ?^EcfG1 and ?^EcfG2 act in parallel, as nodes of a complex regulatory network, rather than in series, as elements of a linear regulatory cascade. Based on a phylogenetic analysis and considering the prevalence of ?-proteobacterial genomes with multiple ?^EcfG copies, this model may also be applicable to numerous other species. 

Molecular analysis of the UV-inducible pili operon from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
Marleen van Wolferen, Ma?gorzata Ajon, Arnold J. M. Driessen, Sonja-Verena Albers

Summary: This study is an in depth analysis of the UV inducible pili system of S. acidocaldarius which is used as a community based DNA repair system. Except for UpsX, all other components of the ups pili are essential for pili formation and DNA exchange.

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You can read Issue 2:5 of MicrobiologyOpen online now!

MicrobiologyOpen is a broad scope, peer reviewed journal delivering rapid decisions and fast publication of microbial science.  The journal gives priority to reports of quality research, pure or applied, that further our understanding of microbial interactions and microbial processes.

Editor-in-Chief, Pierre Cornelis has highlighted the papers below from the latest issue as of particular interest:

TusA (YhhP) and IscS are required for molybdenum cofactor-dependent base-analog detoxification
Stanislav G. Kozmin, Elena I. Stepchenkova and Roel M. Schaaper

Summary: We show that Escherichia coli mutants deficient in the sulfurtransferase TusA or the cysteine desulfurase IscS are hypersensitive to the toxic effects of the adenine analog 6-N-hydroxylaminopurine (HAP). This sensitivity is similar to and epistatic with the HAP sensitivity of moa mutants, which defective in biosynthesis of the molybdenum cofactor (Moco). Our results suggest that TusA and IscS are critical for the insertion of the dithiolene sulfurs in Moco that coordinate the molybdenum atom.

A mutation in the promoter region of zipA, a component of the divisome, suppresses the shape defect of RodZ-deficient cells
Daisuke Shiomi and Hironori Niki

Summary: We studied the mechanism by which a mutation in the promoter of zipA, which encodes a component of the cell division machinery, restores rod shape in RodZ-deficient E. coli cells. ZipA was slightly increased in the suppressor cells and led to a delay in cell division. Round-shaped rodZ mutants retained cell bipolarity, suggesting that a delay in the completion of septation may provide extra time to elongate the cell laterally.

Nitrogen regulation of protein–protein interactions and transcript levels of GlnK PII regulator and AmtB ammonium transporter homologs in Archaea
Laia Pedro-Roig, Christian Lange, María José Bonete, Jörg Soppa and Julie Maupin-Furlow

Summary: Here, we report that amtB-glnK operons are highly cotranscribed during conditions of dissimilatory nitrate reduction in Haloferax mediterranei. Furthermore, the GlnK PII regulatory proteins associate with AmtB-type transporters in the membrane of this archaeon after ammonia shock presumably to block ammonia uptake.

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You can read Issue 2:3 of MicrobiologyOpen online now!

MicrobiologyOpen is a broad scope, peer reviewed journal delivering rapid decisions and fast publication of microbial science.  The journal gives priority to reports of quality research, pure or applied, that further our understanding of microbial interactions and microbial processes.

Editor-in-Chief, Pierre Cornelis has highlighted the papers below from the latest issue:

Truncation of type IV pilin induces mucoidy in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO579
T. Ryan Withers, F. Heath Damron, Yeshi Yin and Hongwei D. Yu

Summary: Schematic diagram of summarizing the induction of alginate production and mucoid conversion by PilA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO579. The sigma factor RpoN is required for transcription of pilA108 and algW. PilA108 is transported to the periplasm where it activates the periplasmic protease AlgW which proteolytically degrades the anti-sigma factor MucA releasing the sequestered sigma factor AlgU.

A novel l-isoleucine-4?-dioxygenase and l-isoleucine dihydroxylation cascade in Pantoea ananatis
Sergey V. Smirnov, Pavel M. Sokolov, Veronika A. Kotlyarova, Natalya N. Samsonova, Tomohiro Kodera, Masakazu Sugiyama, Takayoshi Torii, Makoto Hibi, Sakayu Shimizu, Kenzo Yokozeki and Jun Ogawa

Summary: The genes encoding HilA and HilB from Pantoea ananatis AJ13355 were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The culturing of E. coli cells expressing hilA (E. coli-HilA) or both hilA and hilB (E. coli-HilAB) in the presence of l-isoleucine resulted in the conversion of l-isoleucine into two novel biogenic compounds: l-4?-isoleucine and l-4,4?-dihydroxyisoleucine, respectively. In parallel, two novel enzymatic activities were detected in the crude cell lysates of the E. coli-HilA and E. coli-HilAB strains: l-isoleucine-4?-dioxygenase (HilA) and l-4?-hydroxyisoleucine-4-dioxygenase (HilB) activities, respectively.

Ubiquitination dynamics in the early-branching eukaryote Giardia intestinalis
Carlos A. Niño, Jenny Chaparro, Paolo Soffientini, Simona Polo and Moises Wasserman

Summary: Ubiquitation is an active and dynamic process in Giardia. Different types of ubiquitin modifications are present in this ancestral unicellular eukaryote and vary in terms of temporal and spatial distribution from trophozoites to cyst maturation. Using a proteomics approach, we identified around 200 high-confidence ubiquitinated candidates that vary their ubiquitination status during differentiation.

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