FabR, a regulator of membrane lipid homeostasis, is involved in biofilm robustness.

Biofilm is a dynamic structure from which individual bacteria and micro-aggregates are released to subsequently colonize new niches by either detachment or dispersal. Screening of a transposon mutant library identified genes associated with the alteration of biofilm including , which encodes a transcriptional regulator involved in membrane lipid homeostasis. An isogenic ∆ mutant formed more biofilm than the wild-type (WT) strain and its trans-complemented strain.

Ubiquitination of Virulence Factor InlC Contributes to the Host Response to Infection.

is a pathogenic bacterium causing potentially fatal foodborne infections in humans and animals. While the mechanisms used by to manipulate its host have been thoroughly characterized, how the host controls bacterial virulence factors remains to be extensively deciphered. Here, we found that the secreted virulence protein InlC is monoubiquitinated by the host cell machinery on K224, restricting infection.

Colonization and immune modulation properties of biofilm-dispersed cells.

Biofilm-dispersal is a key determinant for further dissemination of biofilm-embedded bacteria. Recent evidence indicates that biofilm-dispersed bacteria have transcriptional features different from those of both biofilm and planktonic bacteria. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo phenotypic properties of cells spontaneously dispersed from biofilm were compared with those of planktonic and sessile cells.

Immunomodulatory Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum on Inflammatory Response Induced by Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Some respiratory infections have been associated with dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota. The underlying mechanism is incompletely understood, but cross talk between the intestinal microbiota and local immune cells could influence the immune response at distal mucosal sites. This has led to the concept of enhancing respiratory defenses by modulating the intestinal microbiota with exogenous supplementation of beneficial strains.