Co-zorbs: Motile, multispecies biofilms aid transport of diverse bacterial species.

Biofilms are three-dimensional structures containing one or more bacterial species embedded in extracellular polymeric substances. Although most biofilms are stationary, forms a motile spherical biofilm called a zorb, which is propelled by its base cells and contains a polysaccharide core. Here, we report formation of spatially organized, motile, multispecies biofilms, designated "co-zorbs," that are distinguished by a core-shell structure.

PTP1B phosphatase dampens iPSC-derived neutrophil motility and antimicrobial function.

Neutrophils are rapidly recruited to sites of infection and are critical for pathogen clearance. Therapeutic use of primary neutrophils has been limited, as they have a short lifespan and are not amenable to genetic manipulation. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can provide a robust source of neutrophils for infusion and are genetically tractable.

Surface colonization by promotes its survival in a model microbial community.

Unlabelled: is a ubiquitous soil and rhizosphere bacterium, but despite its abundance, the factors contributing to its success in communities are poorly understood. Using a model microbial community, he itchhikers f the hizosphere (THOR), we determined the effects of colonization on the fitness of in the community. Insertion sequencing, a massively parallel transposon mutant screen, on sterile sand identified 25 genes likely to be important for surface colonization.

Confinement by liquid-liquid interface replicates in vivo neutrophil deformations and elicits bleb based migration.

Leukocytes navigate through interstitial spaces resulting in deformation of both the motile leukocytes and surrounding cells. Creating an in vitro system that models the deformable cellular environment encountered in vivo has been challenging. Here, we engineer microchannels with a liquid-liquid interface that exerts confining pressures (200-3000 Pa) similar to cells in tissues, and, thus, is deformable by cell generated forces.

A tessellated lymphoid network provides whole-body T cell surveillance in zebrafish.

Homeostatic trafficking to lymph nodes allows T cells to efficiently survey the host for cognate antigen. Nonmammalian jawed vertebrates lack lymph nodes but maintain diverse T cell pools. Here, we exploit in vivo imaging of transparent zebrafish to investigate how T cells organize and survey for antigen in an animal devoid of lymph nodes.

The cell's dilemma: resolving directional decisions.

How neutrophils make decisions about polarity and migration path in complex tissue environments in situ remains unclear. Hadjitheodorou et al. describe how an internal mechanical regulator might help cells resolve the dilemma of two competing cell fronts.

Under-Oil Autonomously Regulated Oxygen Microenvironments: A Goldilocks Principle-Based Approach for Microscale Cell Culture.

Oxygen levels in vivo are autonomously regulated by a supply-demand balance, which can be altered in disease states. However, the oxygen levels of in vitro cell culture systems, particularly microscale cell culture, are typically dominated by either supply or demand. Further, the oxygen microenvironment in these systems is rarely monitored or reported.

Stromal architecture directs early dissemination in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is an extremely metastatic and lethal disease. Here, in both murine and human PDA, we demonstrate that extracellular matrix architecture regulates cell extrusion and subsequent invasion from intact ductal structures through tumor-associated collagen signatures (TACS). This results in early dissemination from histologically premalignant lesions and continual invasion from well-differentiated disease, and it suggests TACS as a biomarker to aid in the pathologic assessment of early disease.

Use of face coverings in public during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational study.

Public health agencies have recommended that the public wear face coverings, including face masks, to mitigate COVID-19 transmission. However, the extent to which the public has adopted this recommendation is unknown. An observational study of 3,271 members of the public in May and June 2020 examined face covering use at grocery stores across Wisconsin.