Thomas K. Wood
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View article: Single-cell analysis reveals critical toxin/antitoxin ratio triggering persister resuscitation
Single-cell analysis reveals critical toxin/antitoxin ratio triggering persister resuscitation Open
Persisters represent a transient, antibiotic-tolerant subpopulation within isogenic bacterial populations, contributing to infection relapses. However, the mechanisms driving persister formation and resuscitation remain elusive. Here, we d…
View article: Phages and quorum sensing: findings to consider in phage therapy
Phages and quorum sensing: findings to consider in phage therapy Open
Purpose This review aims to provide an overview of current knowledge on the involvement of QS in phage infection. The role of QS in bacterial defence against phages is emphasized, without overlooking the fact that QS can sometimes also pro…
View article: Adsorption of phage T2 is inhibited due to inversion of cryptic prophage DNA by the serine recombinase PinQ
Adsorption of phage T2 is inhibited due to inversion of cryptic prophage DNA by the serine recombinase PinQ Open
Recombinases catalyze site-specific integration, excision, and inversion of DNA and are often found adjacent to anti-phage system genes clustered in defense islands; however, their function in phage defense is unknown, as they are frequent…
View article: Challenging the paradigm: non-canonical exoprotease cheating in clinical <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> isolates
Challenging the paradigm: non-canonical exoprotease cheating in clinical <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> isolates Open
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a model organism for studying social behaviors in bacteria, such as the exploitation of exoprotease by social cheaters. The current paradigm holds that continuous culture of exoprotease-producing individuals with …
View article: The host environment activates multiple stress responses which correlate with antibiotic tolerance in <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>
The host environment activates multiple stress responses which correlate with antibiotic tolerance in <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Open
Antibiotic tolerance enables bacteria to survive antibiotic therapy, leading to treatment failure and recurrent infections. While cellular stress responses promote tolerance in model organisms, their role in Staphylococcus aureus infection…
View article: Matrix Stiffness Regulates <scp>TGFβ1</scp> ‐Induced <scp>αSMA</scp> Expression via a G9a‐ <scp>LATS</scp> ‐ <scp>YAP</scp> Signaling Cascade
Matrix Stiffness Regulates <span>TGFβ1</span> ‐Induced <span>αSMA</span> Expression via a G9a‐ <span>LATS</span> ‐ <span>YAP</span> Signaling Cascade Open
Extracellular matrix stiffness is enhanced in cancer and fibrosis; however, there is limited knowledge on how matrix mechanics modulate expression and signaling of the methyltransferase G9a. Here, we show that matrix stiffness and transfor…
View article: Serine Recombinase PinR Inverts Cryptic Prophage DNA to Block Adsorption of Phages
Serine Recombinase PinR Inverts Cryptic Prophage DNA to Block Adsorption of Phages Open
Recombinases catalyze site-specific integration, excision, and inversion of DNA and are found in myriad defense islands; however, their function in phage-defense is unknown as they are frequently dismissed as markers of prophages. Here, we…
View article: A noncanonical intrinsic terminator in the HicAB toxin–antitoxin operon promotes the transmission of conjugative antibiotic resistance plasmids
A noncanonical intrinsic terminator in the HicAB toxin–antitoxin operon promotes the transmission of conjugative antibiotic resistance plasmids Open
Conjugative plasmids, major vehicles for the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, often contain multiple toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems. However, the physiological functions of TA systems remain obscure. By studying two TA families commonl…
View article: The world of phage tail-like bacteriocins: State of the art and biotechnological perspectives
The world of phage tail-like bacteriocins: State of the art and biotechnological perspectives Open
In the struggle for resources, bacteria have developed different systems of competition, including the type VI secretion system (T6SS) and phage tail-like bacteriocins (PTLBs), that act by killing other bacterial species or strains from th…
View article: Conformational change as a mechanism for toxin activation in bacterial toxin-antitoxin systems
Conformational change as a mechanism for toxin activation in bacterial toxin-antitoxin systems Open
Toxin/antitoxin (TA) systems are present in nearly every prokaryotic genome and play the important physiological roles of phage inhibition by reducing metabolism (this includes persistence for the extreme case of complete cessation of meta…
View article: Capturing methane with recombinant soluble methane monooxygenase and recombinant methyl‐coenzyme M reductase
Capturing methane with recombinant soluble methane monooxygenase and recombinant methyl‐coenzyme M reductase Open
Methane capture via oxidation is considered one of the ‘Holy Grails’ of catalysis (Tucci and Rosenzweig, 2024). Methane is also a primary greenhouse gas that has to be reduced by 1.2 billion metric tonnes in 10 years to decrease global war…
View article: Phages produce persisters
Phages produce persisters Open
Arguably, the greatest threat to bacteria is phages. It is often assumed that those bacteria that escape phage infection have mutated or utilized phage‐defence systems; however, another possibility is that a subpopulation forms the dormant…
View article: A high-throughput assay identifies molecules with antimicrobial activity against persister cells
A high-throughput assay identifies molecules with antimicrobial activity against persister cells Open
Introduction. Persister cells are transiently non-growing antibiotic-tolerant bacteria that cause infection relapse, and there is no effective antibiotic therapy to tackle these infections. Gap statement. High-throughput assays in drug dis…
View article: Implications of lytic phage infections inducing persistence
Implications of lytic phage infections inducing persistence Open
Phage therapy holds much promise as an alternative to antibiotics for fighting infection. However, this approach is no panacea as recent results show that a small fraction of cells survives lytic phage infection due to both dormancy (i.e. …
View article: A concept for international societally relevant microbiology education and microbiology knowledge promulgation in society
A concept for international societally relevant microbiology education and microbiology knowledge promulgation in society Open
Executive summary Microbes are all pervasive in their distribution and influence on the functioning and well‐being of humans, life in general and the planet. Microbially‐based technologies contribute hugely to the supply of important goods…
View article: High-Throughput Screening Method Using Escherichia coli Keio Mutants for Assessing Primary Damage Mechanism of Antimicrobials
High-Throughput Screening Method Using Escherichia coli Keio Mutants for Assessing Primary Damage Mechanism of Antimicrobials Open
The Escherichia coli Keio mutant collection has been a tool for assessing the role of specific genes and determining their role in E. coli physiology and uncovering novel functions. In this work, specific mutants in the DNA repair pathways…
View article: Molecular dynamics simulation of W Silicon Emitting Centers formation by Ga ion irradiation
Molecular dynamics simulation of W Silicon Emitting Centers formation by Ga ion irradiation Open
International audience
View article: Resistance against two lytic phage variants attenuates virulence and antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Resistance against two lytic phage variants attenuates virulence and antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Open
Background Bacteriophage therapy is becoming part of mainstream Western medicine since antibiotics of clinical use tend to fail. It involves applying lytic bacteriophages that self-replicate and induce cell lysis, thus killing their hosts.…
View article: Single-cell analysis reveals that cryptic prophage protease LfgB protects <i>Escherichia coli</i> during oxidative stress by cleaving antitoxin MqsA
Single-cell analysis reveals that cryptic prophage protease LfgB protects <i>Escherichia coli</i> during oxidative stress by cleaving antitoxin MqsA Open
Although toxin/antitoxin (TA) systems are ubiquitous, beyond phage inhibition and mobile element stabilization, their role in host metabolism is obscure. One of the best-characterized TA systems is MqsR/MqsA of Escherichia coli , which has…
View article: Diverse physiological roles of the MqsR/MqsA toxin/antitoxin system
Diverse physiological roles of the MqsR/MqsA toxin/antitoxin system Open
There is tremendous interest in the use of bacteriophages (phages) to combat multi-drug resistant bacteria. However, to implement successfully phage therapy, host defense systems must be understood. Toxin/antitoxins (TAs) are the most prev…
View article: Improving phage therapy by evasion of phage resistance mechanisms
Improving phage therapy by evasion of phage resistance mechanisms Open
Antibiotic failure is one of the most worrisome threats to global health. Among the new therapeutic efforts that are being explored, the use of bacteriophages (viruses that kill bacteria), also known as ‘phages’, is being extensively studi…
View article: Toxin/antitoxin systems induce persistence and work in concert with restriction/modification systems to inhibit phage
Toxin/antitoxin systems induce persistence and work in concert with restriction/modification systems to inhibit phage Open
Myriad bacterial anti-phage systems have been described and often the mechanism of programmed cell death is invoked for phage inhibition. However, there is little evidence of “suicide” under physiological conditions for these systems. Inst…
View article: Molecular dynamics simulation of W Silicon Emitting Centers formation by Ga ion implantation
Molecular dynamics simulation of W Silicon Emitting Centers formation by Ga ion implantation Open
Silicon Emitting Centers (SEC) constitute promising candidates for quantum telecommunication technologies. Their operation depends on the fabrication of light emitting defect centers such as the triinterstitial Si complex, the W-Center. In…
View article: Phages Produce Persisters
Phages Produce Persisters Open
SUMMARY Bacteria primarily encounter stress, and, arguably, their greatest threats are phages. It is often assumed that those bacteria that escape phage attack have mutated; however, another possibility is that a subpopulation forms the do…
View article: Converting methane into electricity and higher-value chemicals at scale via anaerobic microbial fuel cells
Converting methane into electricity and higher-value chemicals at scale via anaerobic microbial fuel cells Open
Methane (CH4) is the second most damaging greenhouse gas by absolute amounts released. Many globally distributed methane sources are of human origin, representing a significant untapped potential for capture and on-site conversion into ele…
View article: Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Cryptic Prophage Protease LfgB Protects<i>Escherichia coli</i>During Oxidative Stress by Cleaving Antitoxin MqsA
Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Cryptic Prophage Protease LfgB Protects<i>Escherichia coli</i>During Oxidative Stress by Cleaving Antitoxin MqsA Open
Although toxin/antitoxin (TA) systems are ubiquitous, beyond phage inhibition and mobile element stabilization, their role in host metabolism is obscure. One of the best-characterized TA systems is MqsR/MqsA of Escherichia coli , which has…
View article: Devices and methods for generating electrical current from methane
Devices and methods for generating electrical current from methane Open
Methods, microbial fuel cells and microbial consortia for generating electrical current are provided according to the present invention which include providing a microbial consortium to an anode chamber of a microbial fuel cell, wherein th…
View article: Phage-Defense Systems Are Unlikely to Cause Cell Suicide
Phage-Defense Systems Are Unlikely to Cause Cell Suicide Open
As new phage-defense systems (PDs) are discovered, the overlap between their mechanisms and those of toxin/antitoxin systems (TAs) is becoming clear in that both use similar means to reduce cellular metabolism; for example, both systems ha…
View article: Ribosome inactivation by Escherichia coli GTPase RsgA inhibits T4 phage
Ribosome inactivation by Escherichia coli GTPase RsgA inhibits T4 phage Open
Introduction Bacteria must combat phages, and myriad bacterial anti-phage systems have been discovered that reduce host metabolism, for example, by depleting energetic compounds like ATP and NAD + . Hence, these systems indirectly inhibit …
View article: Exoprotease exploitation and social cheating in a <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> environmental lysogenic strain with a noncanonical quorum sensing system
Exoprotease exploitation and social cheating in a <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> environmental lysogenic strain with a noncanonical quorum sensing system Open
Social cheating is the exploitation of public goods that are costly metabolites, like exoproteases. Exoprotease exploitation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been studied in reference strains. Experimental evolution with reference strains dur…