Overexpressing the ClpC AAA+ unfoldase accelerates developmental cycle progression in .

is an obligate intracellular bacterium that undergoes a complex biphasic developmental cycle, alternating between the smaller, infectious, non-dividing elementary body (EB) and the larger, non-infectious but dividing reticulate body. Due to the differences between these functionally and morphologically distinct forms, we hypothesize protein degradation is essential to chlamydial differentiation. The bacterial Clp system, consisting of an ATPase unfoldase (e.

Distinct impacts of each anti-anti-sigma factor ortholog of the chlamydial Rsb partner switching mechanism on development in .

Partner switching mechanisms (PSMs) are signal transduction systems comprised of a sensor phosphatase (RsbU), an anti-sigma factor (RsbW, kinase), an anti-anti-sigma factor (RsbV, the RsbW substrate), and a target sigma factor. spp. are obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens of animals that undergo a developmental cycle transitioning between the infectious elementary body (EB) and replicative reticulate body (RB) within a host cell-derived vacuole (inclusion).

Reduced MMN-indexed auditory change detection in a non-clinical high schizotypy sample.

Schizotypal traits include abnormalities in cognition, behavior, and interpersonal relationships that are similar, yet less severe than psychotic symptomology. It is estimated that approximately 5% of the general population displays psychotic symptoms and experiences that can be considered schizotypal in nature, but there is little research examining the neurological correlates of these traits. The mismatch negativity (MMN) event-related potential is an objective measure of auditory change detection derived from electroencephalography.

Examining the Complex Mismatch Negativity in Early Phase Psychosis Using the Dual Rule Paradigm.

Using electroencephalography (EEG) to examine the simple mismatch negativity (MMN), a marker of auditory cortex function, has been of great interest in the exploration of biomarkers for psychotic illness. Despite many studies reporting MMN deficits in chronic schizophrenia, there are inconsistent reports of MMN reductions in the early phases of psychotic illness, suggesting the MMN elicited by traditional paradigms may not be a sensitive enough measure of vulnerability to be used as a biomarker. Recently, a more computationally complex measure of auditory cortex function (the complex mismatch negativity; cMMN) has been hypothesized to provide a more sensitive marker of illness vulnerability.

Recent advances in genetic systems in obligate intracellular human-pathogenic bacteria.

The ability to genetically manipulate a pathogen is fundamental to discovering factors governing host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level and is critical for devising treatment and prevention strategies. While the genetic "toolbox" for many important bacterial pathogens is extensive, approaches for modifying obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens were classically limited due in part to the uniqueness of their obligatory lifestyles. Many researchers have confronted these challenges over the past two and a half decades leading to the development of multiple approaches to construct plasmid-bearing recombinant strains and chromosomal gene inactivation and deletion mutants, along with gene-silencing methods enabling the study of essential genes.

Measuring the attention networks and quantitative-electroencephalography correlates of attention in depression.

Given the association between major depressive disorder (MDD) and cortical inefficiency related to executive control, specifically in the sense that individuals with MDD may recruit more cognitive resources to complete tasks at the same capacity as those without MDD, the current study was interested in examining the attention networks and executive functioning of those with MDD. Past research has used the Attention Network Test (ANT) to measure changes of attention in clinical vs. healthy populations; however, theoretical concerns have been raised regarding the task.

Reduced duration mismatch negativity elicited by the multi-feature 'optimal' paradigm in early-phase psychosis.

Background: MMN and P3a are EEG-derived event related potentials that are thought to be prospective biomarkers for schizophrenia and, potentially, early-phase psychosis (EPP).

Methods: EPP (n = 12) and healthy control (HC; n = 35) participants listened to a multi-feature optimal paradigm with five deviant types (gap, duration, location, intensity, and frequency).

Results: There was a significant amplitude difference between the EPP and HC group with duration MMN (p = .

The Periplasmic Tail-Specific Protease, Tsp, Is Essential for Secondary Differentiation in .

The obligate intracellular human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis (Ctr) undergoes a complex developmental cycle in which the bacterium differentiates between two functionally and morphologically distinct forms: the elementary body (EB) and the reticulate body (RB). The EB is the smaller, infectious, nondividing form which initiates infection of a susceptible host cell, whereas the RB is the larger, non-infectious form which replicates within a membrane-bound vesicle called an inclusion. The mechanism(s) which drives differentiation between these developmental forms is poorly understood.

An investigation of auditory processing in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological diseases in North America and it is frequently associated with sensory processing difficulties, cognitive deficits, and psychiatric illness. While many studies have examined cognitive deficits in MS measured by behavioural responses and neuroimaging techniques, only a few studies have examined neurophysiological measures of auditory functioning in MS, such as the mismatch negativity (MMN). The MMN is an event-related potential that indicates automatic auditory change detection.

Molecular Characterization of the ClpC AAA+ ATPase in the Biology of Chlamydia trachomatis.

Bacterial AAA+ unfoldases are crucial for bacterial physiology by recognizing specific substrates and, typically, unfolding them for degradation by a proteolytic component. The aseinoytic rotease (Clp) system is one example where a hexameric unfoldase (e.g.

Corrigendum: Genetic inactivation of inclusion membrane protein CT228 alters MYPT1 recruitment, extrusion production, and longevity of infection.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.

Design, Biological Evaluation, and Computer-Aided Analysis of Dihydrothiazepines as Selective Antichlamydial Agents.

(CT) causes the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial disease in the United States. The lack of drug selectivity is one of the main challenges of the current antichlamydial pharmacotherapy. The metabolic needs of CT are controlled, among others, by cylindrical proteases and their chaperones (, ClpX).

The structure of caseinolytic protease subunit ClpP2 reveals a functional model of the caseinolytic protease system from Chlamydia trachomatis.

Chlamydia trachomatis (ct) is the most reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection worldwide and the leading cause of preventable blindness. Caseinolytic proteases (ClpP) from pathogenic bacteria are attractive antibiotic targets, particularly for bacterial species that form persister colonies with phenotypic resistance against common antibiotics. ClpP functions as a multisubunit proteolytic complex, and bacteria are eradicated when ClpP is disrupted.

Impact of nutrients on the function of the chlamydial Rsb partner switching mechanism.

The obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis is a leading cause of sexually transmitted infections and infectious blindness. Chlamydia undergo a biphasic developmental cycle alternating between the infectious elementary body (EB) and the replicative reticulate body (RB). The molecular mechanisms governing RB growth and RB-EB differentiation are unclear.

Tag-Dependent Substrate Selection of ClpX Underlies Secondary Differentiation of Chlamydia trachomatis.

Despite having a highly reduced genome, Chlamydia trachomatis undergoes a complex developmental cycle in which the bacteria differentiate between the following two functionally and morphologically distinct forms: the infectious, nonreplicative elementary body (EB) and the noninfectious, replicative reticulate body (RB). The transitions between EBs and RBs are not mediated by division events that redistribute intracellular proteins. Rather, both primary (EB to RB) and secondary (RB to EB) differentiation likely require bulk protein turnover.

Effect of caffeine on resting-state alpha activity across the human menstrual cycle.

Rationale: Caffeine is the most consumed stimulant worldwide, and there is great interest in understanding its neurophysiological effects. Resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) studies suggest that caffeine enhances arousal, which suppresses the spectral power of alpha frequencies associated with reduced alertness. However, it is unclear whether caffeine's neurophysiological effects vary across the human menstrual cycle.

EEG Microstates in Early Phase Psychosis: The Effects of Acute Caffeine Consumption.

Individuals with schizophrenia use on average twice as much caffeine than the healthy population, but the underlying cortical effects of caffeine in this population are still not well understood. Using resting electroencephalography (EEG) data, we can determine recurrent configurations of the electric field potential over the cortex. These configurations, referred to as microstates, are reported to be altered in schizophrenia and can give us insight into the functional dynamics of large-scale brain networks.

Interaction of sex and cannabis in adult brain imaging studies: A systematic review.

Cannabis has been shown to cause structural and functional neurocognitive changes in heavy users. Cannabis use initiation aligns with brain development trajectories; therefore, it is imperative that the potential neurological implications of cannabis use are understood. Males and females reach neurodevelopmental milestones at different rates making it necessary to consider biological sex in all cannabis and brain-based research.

Alteration of Resting Electroencephalography by Acute Caffeine Consumption in Early Phase Psychosis.

Individuals with schizophrenia use twice as much caffeine on average when compared to healthy controls. Knowing the high rates of consumption, and the potential negative effects of such, it is important we understand the cortical mechanisms that underlie caffeine use, and the consequences of caffeine use on neural circuits in this population. Using a randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind, repeated measures design, the current study examines caffeine's effects on resting electroencephalography (EEG) power in those who have been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia (SZ) compared to regular-using healthy controls (HC).

Sensory gating in tobacco-naïve cannabis users is unaffected by acute nicotine administration.

Objectives: Long-term cannabis use has been associated with the appearance of psychotic symptoms and schizophrenia-like cognitive impairments; however these studies may be confounded by concomitant use of tobacco by cannabis users. We aimed to determine if previously observed cannabis-associated deficits in sensory gating would be seen in cannabis users with no history of tobacco use, as evidenced by changes in the P50, N100, and P200 event-related potentials. A secondary objective of this study was to examine the effects of acute nicotine administration on cannabis users with no tobacco use history.