Transcriptional Potential Determines the Adaptability of Escherichia coli Strains with Different Fitness Backgrounds.

Adaptation through the fitness landscape may be influenced by the gene pool or expression network. However, genetic factors that determine the contribution of beneficial mutations during adaptive evolution are poorly understood. In this study, we experimentally evolved wild-type Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655 and its isogenic derivative that has two additional replication origins and shows higher background fitness.

Unraveling Capsule Biosynthesis and Signaling Networks in Cryptococcus neoformans.

The polysaccharide capsule of Cryptococcus neoformans-an opportunistic basidiomycete pathogen and the major etiological agent of fungal meningoencephalitis-is a key virulence factor that prevents its phagocytosis by host innate immune cells. However, the complex signaling networks for their synthesis and attachment remain elusive. In this study, we systematically analyzed capsule biosynthesis and signaling networks using C.

Gene-Based Diagnosis of Tuberculosis from Oral Swabs with a New Generation Pathogen Enrichment Technique.

A rapid and sensitive diagnosis is crucial for the management of tuberculosis (TB). A simple and label-free approach via homobifunctional imidoesters with a microfluidic platform (SLIM) assay showed a higher sensitivity than the Xpert MTB/RIF assay in the diagnosis of pulmonary TB (PTB). Here, we evaluated the efficacy of the SLIM assay for oral swab samples from cases of suspected PTB.

Raman-Deuterium Isotope Probing and Metagenomics Reveal the Drought Tolerance of the Soil Microbiome and Its Promotion of Plant Growth.

Drought has become a major agricultural threat leading crop yield loss. Although a few species of rhizobacteria have the ability to promote plant growth under drought, the drought tolerance of the soil microbiome and its relationship with the promotion of plant growth under drought are scarcely studied. This study aimed to develop a novel approach for assessing drought tolerance in agricultural land by quantitatively measuring microbial phenotypes using stable isotopes and Raman spectroscopy.

Population Pharmacokinetics and Dosing Optimization of Piperacillin-Tazobactam in Critically Ill Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and the Influence of Concomitant Renal Replacement Therapy.

Critical illness and extracorporeal circulation, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), may alter the pharmacokinetics of piperacillin-tazobactam. We aimed to develop a population pharmacokinetic model of piperacillin-tazobactam in critically ill patients during ECMO or CRRT and investigate the optimal dosage regimen needed to achieve ≥90% of patients attaining the piperacillin pharmacodynamic target of 100% of dosage time above MIC of 16 mg/L. This prospective observational study included 26 ECMO patients, of which 13 patients received continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF).

Adenylyl Cyclase and Protein Kinase A Play Redundant and Distinct Roles in Growth, Differentiation, Antifungal Drug Resistance, and Pathogenicity of .

Candida auris is a globally emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen. Its pathogenicity-related signaling networks are largely unknown. Here, we characterized the pathobiological functions of the cyclic AMP (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway in C.