Diverse Colonisation and Disease Associations of the Human Commensal Malassezia: Our Body's Secret Tenant.

A niche in the context of microorganisms defines the specific ecological role or habitat inhabited by microbial species within an ecosystem. For the human commensal Malassezia, the skin surface is considered its primary niche, where it adapts to the skin environment by utilising lipids as its main carbon and energy source. However pathogenic characteristics of Malassezia include the production of allergens, immune modulation and excessive lipid utilisation, which result in several diseases such as pityriasis versicolor, seborrheic dermatitis, Malassezia folliculitis and atopic dermatitis.

Biological activity and characterization of leaf and seed lectins from Insights into their analgesic and antiulcer properties.

Fresen, an African medicinal plant, is known for its analgesic, antiulcer, and antimicrobial properties, with its leaves, bark, and fruits deeply ingrained in indigenous healing practices. Two lectins, TerBLL (from leaves) and TerBSL (from seeds) of Fresen, were purified using salting-out and affinity chromatography on a fetuin-agarose column. The purified lectins were then assessed for protein yield, hemagglutination activity, and physicochemical properties.

luxA Gene From Enhygromyxa salina Encodes a Functional Homodimeric Luciferase.

Several clades of luminescent bacteria are known currently. They all contain similar lux operons, which include the genes luxA and luxB encoding a heterodimeric luciferase. The aldehyde oxygenation reaction is presumed to be catalyzed primarily by the subunit LuxA, whereas LuxB is required for efficiency and stability of the complex.