Corrigendum to “Comparative genomics and pan-genomics of the Myxococcaceae, including a description of five novel species:Myxococcus eversor sp. nov., Myxococcus llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogochensis sp. nov., Myxococcus vastator sp. nov., Pyxidicoccus caerfyrddinensis sp. nov. and Pyxidicoccus trucidator sp. nov.” [Genome Biol. Evol. 12(12) (2020) 2289-2302]

FIG. 2.—Scanning electron micrographs of typical myxobacterial cells. (A) strain AM401, (B) strain CA060A. Bars are 5 mm long.Published as part of Chambers, James, Sparks, Natalie, Sydney, Natashia, Livingstone, Paul G, Cookson, Alan R & Whitworth, David E, 2020, Comparative Genomics and Pan-Genomics of the Myxococcaceae, including a Description of Five Novel Species: Myxococcus eversor sp. nov., Myxococcus llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogochensis sp. nov., Myxococcus vastator sp. nov., Pyxidicoccus caerfyrddinensis sp. nov., and Pyxidicoccus trucidator sp. nov., pp. 2289-2302 in Genome Biology and Evolution 12 (12) on page 2294, DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa212, http://zenodo.org/record/456162

The Genetics of Prey Susceptibility to Myxobacterial Predation:A Review, including an Investigation into Pseudomonas aeruginosa Mutations Affecting Predation by Myxococcus xanthus

Bacterial predation is a ubiquitous and fundamental biological process, which influences the community composition of microbial ecosystems. Among the best characterised bacterial predators are the myxobacteria, which include the model organism Myxococcus xanthus. Predation by M. xanthus involves the secretion of antibiotic metabolites and hydrolytic enzymes, which results in the lysis of prey organisms and release of prey nutrients into the extracellular milieu. Due to the generalist nature of this predatory mechanism, M. xanthus has a broad prey range, being able to kill and consume Gram-negative/positive bacteria and fungi. Potential prey organisms have evolved a range of behaviours which protect themselves from attack by predators. In recent years, several investigations have studied the molecular responses of a broad variety of prey organisms to M. xanthus predation. It seems that the diverse mechanisms employed by prey belong to a much smaller number of general "predation resistance" strategies. In this mini-review, we present the current state of knowledge regarding M. xanthus predation, and how prey organisms resist predation. As previous molecular studies of prey susceptibility have focussed on individual genes/metabolites, we have also undertaken a genome-wide screen for genes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa which contribute to its ability to resist predation. P. aeruginosa is a World Health Organisation priority 1 antibiotic-resistant pathogen. It is metabolically versatile and has an array of pathogenic mechanisms, leading to its prevalence as an opportunistic pathogen. Using a library of nearly 5,500 defined transposon insertion mutants, we screened for "prey genes", which when mutated allowed increased predation by a fluorescent strain of M. xanthus. A set of candidate "prey proteins" were identified, which shared common functional roles and whose nature suggested that predation resistance by P. aeruginosa requires an effective metal/oxidative stress system, an intact motility system, and mechanisms for de-toxifying antimicrobial peptides

Defining “Violence” Where Prostitution is Decriminalized

In 2003, New Zealand passed the Prostitution Reform Act (PRA) to increase safety and regulate labor laws for the sex industry (Prostitution Law Review Committee (PLRC) Report, 2008). New Zealand Prostitutes Collective (NZPC), who were instrumental in passing this legislation, educates and empowers sex workers, allowing more control over their work. In 2018, Dr. Jill McCracken and NZPC conducted a three-month community-based project that aimed to better understand the impact decriminalization has had on violence, focusing on how sex workers talk about violence through their experiences. Our primary goal was to engage sex workers as peer educators and researchers to determine research questions, interview guides, and data collection methods. Dr. McCracken interviewed 34 current and former sex workers and 33 individuals who work closely with sex workers. Rather than asking questions that assumed how participants defined violence, interview questions were focused on challenges they experienced. If “violence” was not mentioned, the participants were asked how they understand the word, to define it within the sex industry. We found that, in general, definitions of violence were categorized into three forms; physical, verbal, and psychological, through three primary perpetrators; clients, managers, and social discrimination. Through these interviews we discovered different experiences of impact of the PRA on sex worker’s health, safety and well-being. This study not only explores violent experiences that individuals within the sex industry face, but it validates the increased safety and quality of life that manifests as a result of decriminalization on those directly effected by such legislation