Fungal infection of insects: molecular insights and prospects
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 29:S0966-842X(23)00266-4. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.005. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTEntomopathogenic fungi (EPF) distribute in different fungal phyla with variable host ranges and play essential role in regulating insect populations by infecting hosts via cuticle penetration. The representative ascomycete EPF of Metarhizium and Beauveria species have been widely used in mechanistic investigations of fungus-insect interactions and as ecofriendly mycoinsecticides. Here, we review the function of diverse genes, pathways, and secondary metabolites associated with EPF stepwise infections. In parti...
Source: Trends in Microbiology - October 1, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Song Hong Junmei Shang Yaneli Sun Guirong Tang Chengshu Wang Source Type: research
Toward an integrative framework for microbial community coalescence
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 30:S0966-842X(23)00262-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.001. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTCommunity coalescence is defined as the mixing of intact ecological communities. From river confluences to fecal microbiota transplantation, community coalescence constitutes a common ecological occurrence affecting natural and engineered microbial systems. In this opinion article, we propose an integrative framework for microbial community coalescence to guide advances in our understanding of this important - yet underexplored - ecological phenomenon. We start by aligning community coalescence with the unifie...
Source: Trends in Microbiology - October 1, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Gordon F Custer Luana Bresciani Francisco Dini-Andreote Source Type: research
Effector translocation and rational design of disease resistance
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 29:S0966-842X(23)00269-X. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.007. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe effector repertoire of a pathogen is dynamically evolving. However, the effector translocation mechanism, partly elucidated recently, may be conserved. By targeting the effector translocation machinery, rather than the individual evolving effector, rational design of durable and broad-spectrum disease resistance can be achieved, facilitated by genome-editing and artificial intelligence-enabling technologies.PMID:37778925 | DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.007 (Source: Trends in Microbiology)
Source: Trends in Microbiology - October 1, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Gan Sha Guotian Li Source Type: research
A sweet story from Phytophthora-soybean interaction
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 26:S0966-842X(23)00265-2. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.004. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTPhytopathogenic microbes obtain nutrients from host plants to support their growth and metabolism. A recent study by Zhu et al. revealed that the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora sojae upregulates the activity of soybean trehalose 6-phosphate synthase 6 (GmTPS6) and increases trehalose accumulation (through an effector PsAvh413) to promote nutritional gain.PMID:37770374 | DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.004 (Source: Trends in Microbiology)
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 28, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Yezhou Hu Xiu-Fang Xin Source Type: research
Scripting a new dialogue between diazotrophs and crops
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 20:S0966-842X(23)00239-1. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.08.007. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDiazotrophs are bacteria and archaea that can reduce atmospheric dinitrogen (N2) into ammonium. Plant-diazotroph interactions have been explored for over a century as a nitrogen (N) source for crops to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. This scientific quest has generated much information about the molecular mechanisms underlying the function, assembly, and regulation of nitrogenase, ammonium assimilation, and plant-diazotroph interactions. This review presents various approaches to manipula...
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 28, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Sanhita Chakraborty Maya Venkataraman Valentina Infante Brian F Pfleger Jean-Michel An é Source Type: research
A sweet story from Phytophthora-soybean interaction
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 26:S0966-842X(23)00265-2. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.004. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTPhytopathogenic microbes obtain nutrients from host plants to support their growth and metabolism. A recent study by Zhu et al. revealed that the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora sojae upregulates the activity of soybean trehalose 6-phosphate synthase 6 (GmTPS6) and increases trehalose accumulation (through an effector PsAvh413) to promote nutritional gain.PMID:37770374 | DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.004 (Source: Trends in Microbiology)
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 28, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Yezhou Hu Xiu-Fang Xin Source Type: research
Scripting a new dialogue between diazotrophs and crops
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 20:S0966-842X(23)00239-1. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.08.007. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDiazotrophs are bacteria and archaea that can reduce atmospheric dinitrogen (N2) into ammonium. Plant-diazotroph interactions have been explored for over a century as a nitrogen (N) source for crops to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. This scientific quest has generated much information about the molecular mechanisms underlying the function, assembly, and regulation of nitrogenase, ammonium assimilation, and plant-diazotroph interactions. This review presents various approaches to manipula...
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 28, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Sanhita Chakraborty Maya Venkataraman Valentina Infante Brian F Pfleger Jean-Michel An é Source Type: research
A sweet story from Phytophthora-soybean interaction
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 26:S0966-842X(23)00265-2. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.004. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTPhytopathogenic microbes obtain nutrients from host plants to support their growth and metabolism. A recent study by Zhu et al. revealed that the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora sojae upregulates the activity of soybean trehalose 6-phosphate synthase 6 (GmTPS6) and increases trehalose accumulation (through an effector PsAvh413) to promote nutritional gain.PMID:37770374 | DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.004 (Source: Trends in Microbiology)
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 28, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Yezhou Hu Xiu-Fang Xin Source Type: research
Scripting a new dialogue between diazotrophs and crops
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 20:S0966-842X(23)00239-1. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.08.007. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDiazotrophs are bacteria and archaea that can reduce atmospheric dinitrogen (N2) into ammonium. Plant-diazotroph interactions have been explored for over a century as a nitrogen (N) source for crops to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. This scientific quest has generated much information about the molecular mechanisms underlying the function, assembly, and regulation of nitrogenase, ammonium assimilation, and plant-diazotroph interactions. This review presents various approaches to manipula...
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 28, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Sanhita Chakraborty Maya Venkataraman Valentina Infante Brian F Pfleger Jean-Michel An é Source Type: research
Horizon scanning the application of probiotics for wildlife
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 25:S0966-842X(23)00259-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.08.012. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe provision of probiotics benefits the health of a wide range of organisms, from humans to animals and plants. Probiotics can enhance stress resilience of endangered organisms, many of which are critically threatened by anthropogenic impacts. The use of so-called 'probiotics for wildlife' is a nascent application, and the field needs to reflect on standards for its development, testing, validation, risk assessment, and deployment. Here, we identify the main challenges of this emerging intervention and provid...
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 27, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Neus Garcias-Bonet Anna Roik Braden Tierney Francisca C Garc ía Helena D M Villela Ashley M Dungan Kate M Quigley Michael Sweet Gabriele Berg Lone Gram David G Bourne Blake Ushijima Maggie Sogin Lone Hoj Gustavo Duarte Heribert Hirt Kornelia Smalla Alexa Source Type: research
Horizon scanning the application of probiotics for wildlife
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 25:S0966-842X(23)00259-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.08.012. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe provision of probiotics benefits the health of a wide range of organisms, from humans to animals and plants. Probiotics can enhance stress resilience of endangered organisms, many of which are critically threatened by anthropogenic impacts. The use of so-called 'probiotics for wildlife' is a nascent application, and the field needs to reflect on standards for its development, testing, validation, risk assessment, and deployment. Here, we identify the main challenges of this emerging intervention and provid...
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 27, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Neus Garcias-Bonet Anna Roik Braden Tierney Francisca C Garc ía Helena D M Villela Ashley M Dungan Kate M Quigley Michael Sweet Gabriele Berg Lone Gram David G Bourne Blake Ushijima Maggie Sogin Lone Hoj Gustavo Duarte Heribert Hirt Kornelia Smalla Alexa Source Type: research
The divergent early divisome: is there a functional core?
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 21:S0966-842X(23)00254-8. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.08.010. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe bacterial divisome is a complex nanomachine that drives cell division and separation. The essentiality of these processes leads to the assumption that proteins with core roles will be strictly conserved across all bacterial genomes. However, recent studies in diverse proteobacteria have revealed considerable variation in the early divisome compared with Escherichia coli. While some proteins are highly conserved, their specific functions and interacting partners vary. Meanwhile, different subphyla use clade...
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 23, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Gustavo Santiago-Collazo Pamela J B Brown Amelia M Randich Source Type: research
STING negatively regulates antifungal immunity
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 22:S0966-842X(23)00264-0. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.003. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDuring viral infections, stimulator of interferon genes (STING) exerts a positive protective immune response. Chen et al. now shed light on the distinct role of STING in fungal infections. STING translocates to the phagosome to negatively regulate the immune response against Candida albicans infection through the inhibition of Src-involved Syk phosphorylation.PMID:37741789 | DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.003 (Source: Trends in Microbiology)
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 23, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Yebo Gu Xin-Ming Jia Source Type: research
The divergent early divisome: is there a functional core?
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 21:S0966-842X(23)00254-8. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.08.010. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe bacterial divisome is a complex nanomachine that drives cell division and separation. The essentiality of these processes leads to the assumption that proteins with core roles will be strictly conserved across all bacterial genomes. However, recent studies in diverse proteobacteria have revealed considerable variation in the early divisome compared with Escherichia coli. While some proteins are highly conserved, their specific functions and interacting partners vary. Meanwhile, different subphyla use clade...
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 23, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Gustavo Santiago-Collazo Pamela J B Brown Amelia M Randich Source Type: research
STING negatively regulates antifungal immunity
Trends Microbiol. 2023 Sep 22:S0966-842X(23)00264-0. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.003. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDuring viral infections, stimulator of interferon genes (STING) exerts a positive protective immune response. Chen et al. now shed light on the distinct role of STING in fungal infections. STING translocates to the phagosome to negatively regulate the immune response against Candida albicans infection through the inhibition of Src-involved Syk phosphorylation.PMID:37741789 | DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.003 (Source: Trends in Microbiology)
Source: Trends in Microbiology - September 23, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Yebo Gu Xin-Ming Jia Source Type: research
