David Ojcius – Microbiology Research News and Articles

Quantitative phosphoproteomics reveals phosphorylation changes during the transition from sclerotium to primordium in the medicinal fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis . The study identifies key regulatory proteins and signaling pathways, highlighting the Ste7-Fus3 module in cell wall remodeling and oxidative stress responses. Functional validation in Cordyceps militaris supports a conserved role in fungal primordium formation.

Cellular membranes lie at the center of the conflict between viruses and host defenses. This review explores how interferon-driven responses reshape lipid metabolism, membrane properties, intracellular trafficking, and organelle organization to restrict viral replication. It also examines how positive-strand RNA viruses remodel membranes and lipid networks to maintain replication-permissive environments.

Ivermectin is widely used to treat parasitic infections, but its effects on bacterial pathogens have remained largely unexplored. This study demonstrates that ivermectin inhibits infection and growth of Chlamydia trachomatis in epithelial cells. The findings reveal a previously unrecognized antibacterial activity and suggest that clinically achievable doses may have therapeutic potential for sexually transmitted and ocular chlamydial infections.

Using genome mining, transcriptomics, and untargeted metabolomics, this study investigated how N-acetylglucosamine influences secondary metabolism in Actinokineospora bangkokensis 44EHWT. Supplementation induced hundreds of unique metabolites, increased thailandin B abundance, improved crude extract yield by 25.92%, and enhanced antifungal activity against anthracnose pathogens, revealing selective pathway activation.

Growing evidence suggests that periodontal pathogens may influence health far beyond the oral cavity. Bacteria associated with periodontitis and their metabolic products can trigger immune and inflammatory responses linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer, respiratory infections, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and Alzheimer's disease. While causality remains uncertain, oral microbes may play an important role in systemic health.

Oral health care is undergoing rapid transformation as advances in medicine and digital technologies reshape disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Growing recognition of the relationship between oral and systemic health is driving closer integration of dental and medical care. Emerging innovations in artificial intelligence, robotics, genomics, and novel antimicrobials promise more precise and personalized care.