Robert P. Hirt
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View article: An Evolutionarily Conserved Laterally Acquired Toolkit Enables Microbiota Targeting by <i>Trichomonas</i>
An Evolutionarily Conserved Laterally Acquired Toolkit Enables Microbiota Targeting by <i>Trichomonas</i> Open
Trichomonas species are a diverse group of microbial eukaryotes (also commonly referred to as protists) that are obligate extracellular symbionts associated with or attributed to various inflammatory diseases. They colonize mucosal surface…
View article: Structure of a distinct β-barrel assembly machinery complex in the Bacteroidota
Structure of a distinct β-barrel assembly machinery complex in the Bacteroidota Open
The Gram-negative β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) complex catalyses the folding and membrane insertion of newly synthesized β-barrel outer membrane proteins. The BAM is structurally conserved, but most studies have focused on Gammaproteo…
View article: Microsporidian obligate intracellular parasites subvert autophagy of infected mammalian cells to promote their own growth
Microsporidian obligate intracellular parasites subvert autophagy of infected mammalian cells to promote their own growth Open
Intracellular pathogens such as Microsporidia can interfere with host proteostasis pathways, including autophagy. While the manipulation of host autophagy has been demonstrated in a nematode-infecting species, and autophagic activity was a…
View article: An evolutionarily conserved laterally acquired toolkit enables microbiota targeting by <i>Trichomonas</i>
An evolutionarily conserved laterally acquired toolkit enables microbiota targeting by <i>Trichomonas</i> Open
Trichomonas species are a diverse group of obligate extracellular symbionts associated with or attributed to various inflammatory diseases. They colonise mucosal surfaces across a wide range of hosts, all of which harbour a resident microb…
View article: A Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron genetic locus encodes activities consistent with mucin O-glycoprotein processing and N-acetylgalactosamine metabolism
A Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron genetic locus encodes activities consistent with mucin O-glycoprotein processing and N-acetylgalactosamine metabolism Open
The gut microbiota is a key modulator of human health and the status of major diseases including cancer, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. Central to microbiota survival is the ability to metabolise complex dietary and host-derived …
View article: Discovery of a distinct BAM complex in the Bacteroidetes
Discovery of a distinct BAM complex in the Bacteroidetes Open
The BAM (β-barrel assembly machinery) complex is an evolutionarily conserved, multiprotein machine that catalyses the folding and membrane insertion of newly synthesised β-barrel outer membrane (OM) proteins in Gram-negative bacteria. Base…
View article: Comparative genomics between Trichomonas tenax and Trichomonas vaginalis: CAZymes and candidate virulence factors
Comparative genomics between Trichomonas tenax and Trichomonas vaginalis: CAZymes and candidate virulence factors Open
Introduction The oral trichomonad Trichomonas tenax is increasingly appreciated as a likely contributor to periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease induced by dysbiotic microbiota, in humans and domestic animals and is strongly associ…
View article: A genetic locus in the gut microbe<i>Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron</i>encodes activities consistent with mucin-O-glycoprotein processing and plays a critical role in<i>N</i>-acetylgalactosamine metabolism
A genetic locus in the gut microbe<i>Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron</i>encodes activities consistent with mucin-O-glycoprotein processing and plays a critical role in<i>N</i>-acetylgalactosamine metabolism Open
It is increasingly appreciated that members of the gut microbiota are key modulators of human health and the status of major diseases including cancer, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. Central to their survival is the ability to me…
View article: A Conserved Ribosomal Protein Has Entirely Dissimilar Structures in Different Organisms
A Conserved Ribosomal Protein Has Entirely Dissimilar Structures in Different Organisms Open
Ribosomes from different species can markedly differ in their composition by including dozens of ribosomal proteins that are unique to specific lineages but absent in others. However, it remains unknown how ribosomes acquire new proteins t…
View article: Evolutionary conservation of Trichomonas-mycoplasma symbiosis across the host species barrier
Evolutionary conservation of Trichomonas-mycoplasma symbiosis across the host species barrier Open
Introduction The protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common cellular sexually transmitted disease in humans, and the closely related species Trichomonas gallinae is an avian parasite of ecological and economic importance. …
View article: NlpC/P60 peptidoglycan hydrolases of Trichomonas vaginalis have complementary activities that empower the protozoan to control host-protective lactobacilli
NlpC/P60 peptidoglycan hydrolases of Trichomonas vaginalis have complementary activities that empower the protozoan to control host-protective lactobacilli Open
Trichomonas vaginalis is a human protozoan parasite that causes trichomoniasis, a prevalent sexually transmitted infection. Trichomoniasis is accompanied by a shift to a dysbiotic vaginal microbiome that is depleted of lactobacilli. Studie…
View article: Identification of d-arabinan-degrading enzymes in mycobacteria
Identification of d-arabinan-degrading enzymes in mycobacteria Open
Bacterial cell growth and division require the coordinated action of enzymes that synthesize and degrade cell wall polymers. Here, we identify enzymes that cleave the d -arabinan core of arabinogalactan, an unusual component of the cell wa…
View article: Inhibition of mitosomal alternative oxidase causes lifecycle arrest of early-stage Trachipleistophora hominis meronts during intracellular infection of mammalian cells
Inhibition of mitosomal alternative oxidase causes lifecycle arrest of early-stage Trachipleistophora hominis meronts during intracellular infection of mammalian cells Open
Mitosomes are highly reduced forms of mitochondria which have lost two of the ‘defining’ features of the canonical organelle, the mitochondrial genome, and the capacity to generate energy in the form of ATP. Mitosomes are found in anaerobi…
View article: Revisiting fecal metatranscriptomics analyses of macaques with idiopathic chronic diarrhoea with a focus on trichomonad parasites
Revisiting fecal metatranscriptomics analyses of macaques with idiopathic chronic diarrhoea with a focus on trichomonad parasites Open
Trichomonads, anaerobic microbial eukaryotes members of the phylum Parabasalia, are common obligate extracellular symbionts that can lead to pathological or asymptomatic colonization of various mucosal surfaces in a wide range of animal ho…
View article: A conserved ribosomal protein has entirely dissimilar structures in different organisms
A conserved ribosomal protein has entirely dissimilar structures in different organisms Open
Ribosomes from different species can markedly differ in their composition by including dozens of ribosomal proteins that are unique to specific lineages but absent in others. However, it remains unknown how ribosomes acquire and specialize…
View article: Microsporidian obligate intracellular parasites subvert autophagy of infected mammalian host cells to promote their own growth
Microsporidian obligate intracellular parasites subvert autophagy of infected mammalian host cells to promote their own growth Open
Intracellular pathogens such as Microsporidia can interact with host proteostasis pathways such as autophagy. Previous work done in Caenorhabditis elegans demonstrated involvement of autophagy in controlling Microsporidian proliferation th…
View article: Mining the human gut microbiome identifies mycobacterial d-arabinan degrading enzymes
Mining the human gut microbiome identifies mycobacterial d-arabinan degrading enzymes Open
Division and degradation of bacterial cell walls requires coordinated action of a myriad of enzymes. This particularly applies to the elaborate cell walls of acid-fast organisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis , which consist of a multi…
View article: Effect of the Symbiosis with Mycoplasma hominis and Candidatus Mycoplasma Girerdii on Trichomonas vaginalis Metronidazole Susceptibility
Effect of the Symbiosis with Mycoplasma hominis and Candidatus Mycoplasma Girerdii on Trichomonas vaginalis Metronidazole Susceptibility Open
Trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection worldwide, is caused by the protozoon Trichomonas vaginalis. The 5- nitroimidazole drugs, of which metronidazole is the most prescribed, are the only effective drugs …
View article: Two Different Species of <i>Mycoplasma</i> Endosymbionts Can Influence Trichomonas vaginalis Pathophysiology
Two Different Species of <i>Mycoplasma</i> Endosymbionts Can Influence Trichomonas vaginalis Pathophysiology Open
T. vaginalis and M. hominis form a unique case of endosymbiosis that modulates the parasite’s pathobiology. Recently, a new nonculturable mycoplasma species (“ Candidatus Mycoplasma girerdii”) has been described as closely associated with …
View article: Adaptation to genome decay in the structure of the smallest eukaryotic ribosome
Adaptation to genome decay in the structure of the smallest eukaryotic ribosome Open
The evolution of microbial parasites involves the counterplay between natural selection forcing parasites to improve and genetic drifts forcing parasites to lose genes and accumulate deleterious mutations. Here, to understand how this coun…
View article: The genomes of nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses: viral evolution writ large
The genomes of nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses: viral evolution writ large Open
The nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) are a diverse group that currently contain the largest known virions and genomes, also called giant viruses. The first giant virus was isolated and described nearly 20 years ago. Their genom…
View article: 'Lose-to-gain' adaptation to genome decay in the structure of the smallest eukaryotic ribosomes
'Lose-to-gain' adaptation to genome decay in the structure of the smallest eukaryotic ribosomes Open
The evolution of microbial parasites involves the interplay of two opposing forces. On the one hand, the pressure to survive drives parasites to improve through Darwinian natural selection. On the other, frequent genetic drifts result in g…
View article: Advances in Understanding Leishmania Pathobiology: What Does RNA-Seq Tell Us?
Advances in Understanding Leishmania Pathobiology: What Does RNA-Seq Tell Us? Open
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by a protozoa parasite from over 20 Leishmania species. The clinical manifestations and the outcome of the disease vary greatly. Global RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analyses emerged as a powerful …
View article: Sporadic isolation of<i>Tetratrichomonas</i>species from the cattle urogenital tract
Sporadic isolation of<i>Tetratrichomonas</i>species from the cattle urogenital tract Open
View article: The genomes of nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses: viral evolution writ large
The genomes of nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses: viral evolution writ large Open
Supplementary Material for ‘The genomes of nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses: viral evolution writ large’, as published in Microbial Genomics.
View article: Expanded genome-wide comparisons give novel insights into population structure and genetic heterogeneity of Leishmania tropica complex
Expanded genome-wide comparisons give novel insights into population structure and genetic heterogeneity of Leishmania tropica complex Open
Leishmania tropica is one of the main causative agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Population structures of L. tropica appear to be genetically highly diverse. However, the relationship between L. tropica strains genomic diversity, pr…
View article: Convergent Evolution of Hydrogenosomes from Mitochondria by Gene Transfer and Loss
Convergent Evolution of Hydrogenosomes from Mitochondria by Gene Transfer and Loss Open
Hydrogenosomes are H2-producing mitochondrial homologs found in some anaerobic microbial eukaryotes that provide a rare intracellular niche for H2-utilizing endosymbiotic archaea. Among ciliates, anaerobic and aerobic lineages are interspe…
View article: Characterization of the BspA and Pmp protein family of trichomonads
Characterization of the BspA and Pmp protein family of trichomonads Open
Our results initiate the functional characterization of these two broadly distributed protein families and help to better understand the origin and evolution of BspA and Pmp domains in trichomonads.
View article: Mucosal microbial parasites/symbionts in health and disease: an integrative overview
Mucosal microbial parasites/symbionts in health and disease: an integrative overview Open
Microbial parasites adapted to thrive at mammalian mucosal surfaces have evolved multiple times from phylogenetically distant lineages into various extracellular and intracellular life styles. Their symbiotic relationships can range from c…