Contacting domains segregate a lipid transporter from a solute transporter in the malarial host–parasite interface

While membrane contact sites between intracellular organelles are abundant, little is known about the contacts between membranes that delimit extracellular junctions within cells, such as intracellular parasites. Here authors demonstrate the segregation of a lipid transporter from a solute transporter in the malarial host-parasite interface

Experimental selection of long‐term intracellular mycobacteria

Some intracellular bacteria are known to cause long‐term infections that last decades without compromising the viability of the host. Although of critical importance, the adaptations that intracellular bacteria undergo during this long process of residence in a host cell environment remain obscure. Here, we report a novel experimental approach to study the adaptations of mycobacteria imposed by a long‐term intracellular lifestyle. Selected Mycobacterium bovis BCG through continuous culture in macrophages underwent an adaptation process leading to impaired phenolic glycolipids (PGL) synthesis, improved usage of glucose as a carbon source and accumulation of neutral lipids. These changes correlated with increased survival of mycobacteria in macrophages and mice during re‐infection and also with the specific expression of stress‐ and survival‐related genes. Our findings identify bacterial traits implicated in the establishment of long‐term cellular infections and represent a tool for understanding the physiological states and the environment that bacteria face living in fluctuating intracellular environments.Instituto de BiotecnologíaFil: Vazquez, Cristina Lourdes. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research. Research Group Phagosome Biology; AlemaniaFil: Lerner, Thomas R. National Institute for Medical Research. Medical Research Council. Division of Mycobacterial Research; Gran BretañaFil: Kasmapour, Bahram. Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research. Research Group Phagosome Biology; AlemaniaFil: Pei, Gang. Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research. Research Group Phagosome Biology; AlemaniaFil: Gronow, Achim. Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research. Research Group Phagosome Biology; AlemaniaFil: Bianco, María Veronica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Blanco, Federico Carlos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Bleck, Christopher K.E. University of Basel. Centre for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Structural Biology and Biophysics, Biozentrum, Mattenstrasse 26; SuizaFil: Geffers, Robert. Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research. Research Group Genome Analytics; AlemaniaFil: Bigi, Fabiana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Abraham, Wolf-Rainer. Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research. Research Group Chemical Microbiology; AlemaniaFil: Gutierrez, Maximiliano Gabriel. Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research. Research Group Phagosome Biology; Alemania. National Institute for Medical Research. Medical Research Council. Division of Mycobacterial Research; Gran Bretañ

Data supporting the effects of lysozyme on mRNA and protein expression in a colonic epithelial scratch wound model

Colonic epithelial health is implicated in a host of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases and disorders. Lysozyme is suspected to play a role in the ability of the epithelium to recover from injury (Abey et al., in press; Gallo, 2012; Rubio, 2014) [1–3]. Disrupted repair mechanisms may lead to delayed or ineffective recovery and disruptions to epithelial biology resulting in GI symptoms and altered barrier function (Peterson and Artis, 2014) [4]. The effect of lysozyme on the transcriptomic and proteomic profile of healthy colonic epithelial cells was investigated. Epithelial cells in culture were scratch wounded and treated with lysozyme. mRNA and protein profiles were simultaneously quantified in the same sample using a digital counting technology. Gene and protein expressions altered by the presence or absence of lysozyme are described in this article. Extensive statistical and bioinformatic analysis, and interpretation of the results can be found in “Lysozyme association with circulating RNA, extracellular vesicles, and chronic stress” (Abey et al., in press) [1]