colonization
Molecular Pathogenesis | SpotlightGenome-Wide Mutagenesis Identifies Factors Involved in Enterococcus faecalis Vaginal Adherence and PersistenceEnterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive commensal bacterium native to the gastrointestinal tract and an opportunistic pathogen of increasing clinical concern. E. faecalis also colonizes the female reproductive tract, and reports suggest vaginal colonization increases following antibiotic treatment...
MinireviewFitness Trade-Offs Resulting from Bacteriophage Resistance Potentiate Synergistic Antibacterial StrategiesBacteria that cause life-threatening infections in humans are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. In some instances, this is due to intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance, indicating that new therapeutic approaches are needed to combat bacterial pathogens. There is renewed interest in utilizing viruses of bacteria known as bacteriophages (phages) as potential antibacterial therapeutics. However, critics suggest that similar...
Molecular PathogenesisThe Paralogous Transcription Factors Stp1 and Stp2 of Candida albicans Have Distinct Functions in Nutrient Acquisition and Host InteractionNutrient acquisition is a central challenge for all organisms. For the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, utilization of amino acids has been shown to be critical for survival, immune evasion, and escape, while the importance of catabolism of host-derived proteins and peptides in vivo is less well understood. Stp1 and Stp2 are paralogous transcription factors...
Microbial Immunity and Vaccines | SpotlightScreening for Th17-Dependent Pneumococcal Vaccine Antigens: Comparison of Murine and Human Cellular Immune ResponsesConjugate vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae have significantly reduced the incidence of diseases caused by the serotypes included in those vaccines; however, there is still a need for vaccines that confer serotype-independent protection. In the current study, we have constructed a library of conserved surface proteins from...
- Cellular Microbiology: Pathogen-Host Cell Molecular Interactions | SpotlightEnzymatic Hydrolysis of Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharide Renders the Bacterium Vulnerable to Host Defense
Despite a century of investigation, Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a major human pathogen, causing a number of diseases, such as pneumonia, meningitis, and otitis media. Like many encapsulated pathogens, the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of S. pneumoniae is a critical component for colonization...