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MOSTLY MICROBES AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Welcome to Mostly Microbes and Infectious Diseases. David Ojcius posts newspaper and journal articles in the broad field of microbiology.

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The complex interplay between hepatitis D virus and the interferon response
Highlights HDV triggers innate immune sensing but largely escapes interferon-mediated control Nuclear replication limits HDV exposure to antiviral interferon-stimulated genes HDV selectively impairs IFN-α signaling through USP18-mediated negative feedback Interferon efficacy against HDV varies across viral genotypes and cell models Understanding HDV-IFN interactions is key to optimizing future combination therapies Abstract Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection represents a major
David Ojcius
2 days ago2 min read


Early-life rotavirus infection susceptibility and later gastrointestinal cancer protection: Reverse antagonistic pleiotropy and potential vaccine benefits
Highlights Whole-exome sequencing in severe rotavirus cases identified seven candidate SNPs, several linked to gastrointestinal cancer pathways. Transcriptomic and epigenomic data supported functional involvement of top candidate genes and suggested roles in cancer progression. Polygenic risk score analyses indicated reduced gastrointestinal cancer risk among individuals with severe early-life RV infection. Evidence of recent positive selection in key SNPs supports a model of
David Ojcius
3 days ago2 min read


Deltaviruses spread through a viral Trojan Horse
Highlights Deltaviruses hitchhike within helper virus virions, using them as viral Trojan Horses The Trojan Horse model is mandatory for productive herpesvirus-deltavirus associations This mode of propagation favors deltavirus infectivity Trojan Horse model warrants screening for extra-hepatic deltavirus infections in humans Summary Hepatitis D-like satellite viruses, known as deltaviruses, have been recently discovered in a wide range of animals. These viruses are thought to
David Ojcius
3 days ago1 min read


Cross-cohort meta-analysis reveals conserved gut microbiome signatures of insomnia
HIGHLIGHTS Cross-cohort meta-analysis reveals reproducible gut microbiome signatures of insomnia Eight conserved gut taxa are consistently associated with insomnia across studies A small number of gut microbes drive most insomnia-associated functional shifts The Burkholderia - Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia (BCP) complex drives key functions Microbial metabolic changes may indirectly shape host immune and neural states ABSTRACT Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder associated
David Ojcius
4 days ago2 min read


Microbial metabolism of food allergens determines the severity of IgE-mediated anaphylaxis
Highlights Human saliva and small intestine harbor peanut (PN) allergen-degrading bacteria Microbes degrade immunodominant PN allergens, reducing IgE binding Microbial PN metabolism alters allergen absorption, mast cell activity, and anaphylaxis PN-degrading Rothia abundance is linked to higher PN threshold in patients Summary Anaphylaxis is an acute, potentially life-threatening reaction, often triggered by foods and largely mediated by immunoglobulin (Ig)E. The human micr
David Ojcius
5 days ago1 min read


Història de l'odontologia
La història dels tractaments dentals es remunta a milers d'anys. L'abast d'aquest article es limita a la història anterior a 1981. El primer exemple conegut de manipulació de la càries dental es troba en un home paleolític , datat entre 14.160 i 13.820 aC . El primer ús conegut d'un farcit després de l'eliminació de la polpa deteriorada o infectada es troba en un paleolític que va viure prop de l'actual Toscana , Itàlia, entre 13.000 i 12.740 aC. Encara que no só
David Ojcius
7 days ago2 min read


A regulatory network promotes apoplastic alkalinization to prime plant immunity in tissues distal to site of infection
Highlights Bacteria trigger extracellular alkalinization to prime defenses in uninfected tissues CPKs phosphorylate and inhibit plasma membrane proton pumps to induce alkalinization Alkaline pH sensitizes perception and production of the phytocytokines Peps and SCOOPs Phytocytokines and alkalinization jointly propagate to promote cell-cell communication Summary Immune activation in plants triggers extracellular alkalinization, presumably by inhibiting plasma membrane H+-ATPas
David Ojcius
Mar 11 min read


From Forest to Farm: The Impact of a Broad Spectrum of Lifestyles on the Porcine Gut Microbiota
Highlights Dietary variables had the largest effect on microbiota composition Rustic and conventional rearing conditions led to differential microbiota profiles Rustic rearing favoured Treponema -enriched, more-diverse microbial profiles Enterotypes were associated with husbandry conditions and faecal water content Underexplored taxa contributed to in vitro fibre fermentation and SCFA production Abstract The gut microbiota is shaped profoundly by the diet, environment, and
David Ojcius
Mar 11 min read


Phage P100 resistance in clinical and foodborne Listeria monocytogenes isolates is associated with adsorption-inhibiting mutations and fitness trade-offs
Highlights Most mutations occurred in genes associated with WTA glycosylation. All mutants exhibited impaired P100 phage binding. Gene mutation patterns appeared serovar-dependent. Serovar 4b-derived mutants showed greater fitness loss than 2a or 2b. Phage-resistance induction led to increased antibiotics sensitivity. Abstract Listeria monocytogenes is a common bacterial pathogen causing listeriosis. Phage-based products are increasingly used in food safety, but their use ra
David Ojcius
Feb 272 min read


Intratumoral bacterium Enterocloster bolteae promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression by directly binding tumor cells
Highlights E. bolteae is enriched in HCC patient feces and correlates with poor prognosis E. bolteae translocates to the liver and promotes the progression of HCC E. bolteae surface protein PbpT subverts DSG1 function, thereby activating MAPK signaling Neutralizing antibodies against PbpT suppress tumor growth in murine models Summary The gut microbiota regulates systemic metabolism, inflammation, and immunity, with evidence linking microbiota translocation through the gut
David Ojcius
Feb 261 min read


Commensal enteric virome regulates intestinal carbohydrate digestion and absorption
Highlights Virome functions as an independent regulator of small intestinal nutrient sensing Virome elicits distinct responses across different intestinal cell types Virome regulation of carbohydrate sensing depends on immune surveillance Summary The enteric microbiome and nutrient sensing within the small intestine play critical roles in maintaining host metabolic homeostasis. Although various bacteria and some fungi have established functions in nutrient metabolism, the rol
David Ojcius
Feb 241 min read


Microbial SCFAs as epigenetic mediators: fine-tuning the gut-brain axis in neurodegenerative disorders
Highlights SCFAs function as gut-derived epigenetic regulators, bridging dietary fiber metabolism to brain-wide chromatin remodeling in neurodegenerative diseases. Butyrate acts as a potent HDAC inhibitor, enhancing histone acetylation to suppress neuroinflammation and promote synaptic plasticity in AD and PD models. SCFAs modulate DNA methylation dynamics via TET-DNMT balance, correcting aberrant gene expression linked to Aβ and α-synuclein pathologies. Emerging evidence pos
David Ojcius
Feb 232 min read


Modelling Fusobacterium lifestyles transitions by integrating transcriptomics and growth data
Highlights Reconstructed and curated of the genome-scale metabolic model (GEM) of Fusobacterium nucleatum Experimental data used to refine and validate the GEM, including biomass formulation with BOFdat (Biomass Objective Function from experimental data) Integrated transcriptomic data to build context-specific metabolic models Metabolic rewiring links F. nucleatum adaptation to colorectal cancer (CRC) context Provides a systems framework to explore host-microbe metabolic i
David Ojcius
Feb 222 min read


A multi-glycoprotein synergized recombinant virus system resolves the research dilemma of Epstein-Barr virus entry and facilitates the development of entry-specific drugs or vaccines
Highlights A novel virus system rEBV-VSV was developed realizing efficient and native EBV entry via multi-synergetic glycoproteins with sensitive bioluminescence detection. rEBV-VSV was especially competent for rapid and high-throughput entry-inhibition evaluation of drugs, antibodies, or sera and accurate study of EBV entry mechanisms via flexible mutations or recombination on rEBV-VSV. Glycoprotein 42 (gp42) was found to mediate diverse functions of an important mutation L6
David Ojcius
Feb 212 min read


Genomic atlas of Bifidobacterium infantis and B. longum informs infant probiotic design
Highlights Genome catalog of 4,098 B. infantis and B. longum shows distinct biogeography and ecology B. infantis is depleted in Westernized populations but highly common in LMIC infants Massively expanded B. infantis diversity and functions are absent from current probiotics Geo-specific strain library informs diet- and population-tailored infant probiotic design Summary Bifidobacterium longum and B. infantis are pioneer colonizers of the neonatal gut and are widely
David Ojcius
Feb 191 min read


Bacteriophage cocktail in drinking water suppresses systemic avian pathogenic Escherichia coli infection and pathology in laying hens
Highlights Administration of the bacteriophage cocktail at a high MOI reduced APEC-induced morbidity and mortality by 20-30% in laying hens, validating its potential as an antimicrobial alternative. The oral route (drinking water) demonstrated superior therapeutic efficacy compared to intramuscular injection, resulting in the complete absence of macroscopic lesions and a noticeable reduction in median histopathological scores, particularly in the spleen. The administered phag
David Ojcius
Feb 162 min read


Sexually transmitted disease
A sexually transmitted infections ( STI ) is a disease which spreads by having sex . STIs can spread through oral sex or anal sex , or when two people's genitals touch. STIs can be caused by viruses , bacteria , or parasites . Examples of the most common STIs are listed on this page. Types of STDs STIs caused by viruses Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Main article: Human immunodeficiency virus HIV causes the immune system - the system in the body that is
David Ojcius
Feb 143 min read


Meta-analysis of the uncultured gut microbiome across 11,115 global metagenomes reveals a candidate signature of health
Highlights Meta-analysis of 11,115 gut metagenomes links uncultured species to human health Healthy individuals show enrichment and greater diversity of uncultured bacteria The genus CAG-170 contains uncultured taxa with the strongest health signatures CAG-170 is ecologically important in healthy populations Summary The human gut microbiome is important for host health, yet over 60% of gut species remain uncultured and inaccessible to experimental manipulation. Here, we analy
David Ojcius
Feb 131 min read


Influenza hijacks myeloid cells to inflict type-I interferon-fueled damage in the heart
Highlights Severe IAV infection imparts a long-lasting decline in cardiac function Atypical GMP-independent CD319+ pro-DC3s transport infectious IAV to cardiomyocytes Direct IFN-I signaling on cardiomyocytes drives cardiac dysfunction mod-mRNA delivery of dominant-negative IFNAR1 on cardiomyocytes ameliorates damage Summary Abundant evidence has correlated influenza infection with cardiovascular disease, yet mechanisms linking infection with the heart remain poorly understood
David Ojcius
Feb 131 min read


Specific role of two NlpC/P60 endopeptidases in cell division and membrane vesicle formation in Deinococcus radiodurans
Highlights Three NlpC/P60 endopeptidases identified in Deinococcus radiodurans CwlA is essential for cell viability and cell wall integrity CwlB is involved in cell septation whereas CwlC is dispensable Regulatory link between CwlA expression and the genotoxic stress response pathway ABSTRACT The bacterial cell wall is composed of peptidogylcane (PG), a sugar polymer cross-linked by short peptide stems. PG determines cell morphology and protects it from environmental stresse
David Ojcius
Feb 132 min read
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