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#bacteria

14 posts13 participants2 posts today
Public
preLights

Defence mechanism inception!

Listeria prophages protect their host bacteria with anti-phage systems, leaving them susceptible to their own defence systems - read how this may actually be an evolutionary advantage!

#preLight from Briana Guzman, Noah Franz #ImmunobiologyUA ! ⬇️ 👀

👉 prelights.biologists.com/highl

preLightsA prophage-encoded anti-phage defense system that prevents phage DNA packaging by targeting the terminase complex - preLightsDefense mechanism inception! Listeria prophages protect their host bacteria with anti-phage systems, leaving them susceptible to their own defense systems…read how this may actually be an evolutionary advantage!
#microbiology#immunobiology#bacteria
Public
Frank Aylward

Prevalence and Dynamics of Genome Rearrangements in Bacteria and Archaea

biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/20

bioRxiv · Prevalence and Dynamics of Genome Rearrangements in Bacteria and ArchaeaThe genetic material of bacteria and archaea is organized into various structures and set-ups, attesting that genome architecture is dynamic in these organisms. However, strong selective pressures are also acting to preserve genome organization, and it remains unclear how frequently genomes experience rearrangements and what mechanisms lead to these processes. Here, we assessed the dynamics and the drivers of genomic rearrangements across 121 microbial species. We show that synteny is highly conserved within most species, although several species present exceptionally flexible genomic layouts. Our results show a rather variable pace at which genomic rearrangements occur across bacteria and archaea, pointing to different selective constraints driving the accumulation of genomic changes across species. Importantly, we found that not only inversions but also translocations are highly enriched near the origin of replication ( Ori ), which suggests that many rearrangements may confer an adaptive advantage to the cell through the relocation of genes that benefit from gene dosage effects. Finally, our results support the view that mobile genetic elements—in particular transposable elements—are the main drivers of genomic translocations and inversions. Overall, our study shows that microbial species present largely stable genomic layouts and identifies key patterns and drivers of genome rearrangements in prokaryotes. Significance statement Bacterial and archaeal genomes display stable architectures which ensures the preservation of fundamental cellular processes. However, large genomic rearrangements occasionally occur. Although most of these events are thought to be highly deleterious, they have the potential to lead to adaptive events. Here, we examined the general trends of the dynamic of prokaryotic genomes by exploring the occurrence of genome rearrangements across a broad diversity of bacterial and archaeal species. We find that genomes remain highly syntenic in most species over short evolutionary timescales, although some species appear particularly dynamic. Rearrangements are strongly biased, and most gene blocks are relocated near the origin of replication. We also measured remarkably variables rates at which genome rearrangements occur across species, and transposons and other mobile genetic elements appear to be the main drivers of these variations. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive picture of the dynamic of genome architecture across many microbial species. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.
#genomics#bacteria#archaea
Public
Colin Purrington

When I give presentations on mosquito control I always urge attendees to push Mosquito Dunks on friends and family who might not know about Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis). E.g., as housewarming gifts, party favors, stocking stuffers, raffle prizes. But I never have the perfect image to show. So this morning I spent 30 minutes making a mock-up of the image that I wish existed in real life. I know, it's terrible. Maybe some photogenic family can recreate for me in real life? #MosquitoDunks #mosquitoes #bti #insects #gifts #bacteria #neighbors #biocontrol

Smiling woman hugging another woman and holding a vase of sunflowers she just received as a gift. A man is awkwardly waiting nearby to present his gift, an orange bucket labeled, "Bti honeypot trap," that has a package of donut-shaped mosquito dunks sticking out.
Public
Lukas VFN 🇪🇺

Slow-growing #bacteria respond more sensitively to their environment phys.org/news/2025-05-bacteria

"When cells are growing rapidly, they ignore the environmental noise. When things are going badly, they listen very carefully, exploring the environment and deriving new survival strategies... the growth rate sets the rate at which signaling molecules within the cell are diluted... In slow-growing cells, the molecules persist longer and can accumulate more easily, making the cells more sensitive."

colorized electron microscopy image of a group of rod-shaped bacteria
Public
Benjamin Carr, Ph.D. 👨🏻‍💻🧬

A dangerous #Ecoli strain has emerged; a small #mutation may explain its rise
A sweeping genetic analysis by researchers at #CDC suggests a tiny mutation in one of the #bacteria's molecular weapons may be behind the strain's rise. The mutation the CDC researchers found was in one of these #T3SS effectors, a protein called #EspW. The CDC researchers suggest this could help E. coli when it's on #lettuce and other #produce.
arstechnica.com/health/2025/05

Ars Technica · A dangerous E. coli strain has emerged; a small mutation may explain its riseBy Beth Mole
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