MicrobeTO – Page 3

Killing Two Birds With One Stone: Preventing HIV Infection by Treating Parasitic Worms

Post author:MicrobeTO
Post published:June 11, 2020
Post category:Research Highlight

Schistosomiasis has been associated with increased HIV acquisition. Yegorov et al. explored the impact of S. mansoni treatment on HIV susceptibility and discovered that schistosomiasis therapy reduced ex vivo HIV viral entry into both mucosal and systemic CD4+ T cells. Transcriptomic analysis identified up-regulation of global interferon IFN-I pathways and antiviral genes post-Sm treatment, which help explain reduced HIV infectivity. These findings could help guide HIV prevention programs in regions with high endemic disease burden.

Now You See Me: Discovery of a Light-Induced Secondary Metabolite from Hyphodiscus hymeniophilus Fungus

Post author:MicrobeTO
Post published:May 25, 2020
Post category:Research Highlight

Kramer et al. provide the first genome-level exploration into the secondary metabolite potential of the Hyphodiscus fungal genus and discover a novel, light-induced metabolite, hyphodiscorubrin. The researchers demonstrate that the natural product potential of filamentous fungi can be much greater than the bioactivity captured during analysis of extracts grown in standard laboratory conditions.

PRiME Mini Symposium Highlights: U of T Researchers Jump Into Action to Tackle COVID-19

Post author:MicrobeTO
Post published:May 22, 2020
Post category:News

Highlights from the first iteration of the PRiME COVID-19 mini symposium established to showcase research recently funded by the Toronto COVID-19 Action Fund. Funded projects include the development of core facilities and open access resources, and research on novel antiviral drug targets, identification of host dependency factors, and the advancement of diagnostic and serological tests.

A Systematic Identification of Pan-Genome Effector Families Responsible for Inducing Plant Immunity

Post author:MicrobeTO
Post published:May 18, 2020
Post category:Research Highlight

Plant pathogens represent a major threat to global ecosystems and the agricultural industry. Similar to all microbial niches, plant pathogens must adapt to their environment, including navigating the geographical range and immune defense of their host (Jones & Dangl, 2006). Characterizing the mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions are crucial for the development of engineered, broadly resistant crops.

Read more about the article Exploiting the antagonistic action of intestinal bile acids to develop antitoxin therapeutics against Clostridium difficile

Exploiting the antagonistic action of intestinal bile acids to develop antitoxin therapeutics against Clostridium difficile

Post author:MicrobeTO
Post published:May 10, 2020
Post category:Research Highlight

Tam et al. uncover an unexpected role for intestinal bile acids in directly binding to and inhibiting C. difficile toxin function providing a framework for the development of novel anti-toxin therapeutics.