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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Insight into Bacterial Pathogens: Pathogenesis and Host Response
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Insight into Bacterial Pathogens: Pathogenesis and Host Response

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology and Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2025 | Viewed by 7390

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Karen Angeliki Krogfelt

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
Interests: bacterial pathogenesis and host response to the infections; testing drugs and assessing the pathogenicity; bacterial community interactions , microbiota analyses and co-infections; serology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Luis Cláudio Nascimento Da Silva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Microbial Pathogenicity Laboratory, Universidade Ceuma, São Luís 65075-120, Brazil
Interests: antimicrobial agents; antivirulence agents; immunomodulators; polymers; lectins; polysaccharides; infection models; wound healing; action mechanisms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Afonso Gomes-Abreu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Microbiana, Universidade Ceuma, São Luís 65075-120, Brazil
Interests: virulence factors of E. coli.; interaction of bacterial proteases with the host; bacterial resistance to the antimicrobials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bacterial pathogens remain a significant threat to human and animal health. Understanding the intricate mechanisms underlying their pathogenesis and the host's response is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies. This Special Issue of Microorganisms aims to present cutting-edge research exploring the multifaceted interplay between bacterial pathogens and their hosts.

We welcome submissions addressing all aspects of bacterial pathogenesis, including the following:

  • Novel virulence factors and their modes of action;
  • Adhesion and invasion mechanisms;
  • Bacterial immune evasion strategies;
  • Host inflammatory responses and immune signaling pathways;
  • Antibiotic resistance and its impact on virulence;
  • New approaches to target bacterial virulence factors.

This Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers to showcase their latest findings and foster discussions on critical areas in bacterial pathogenesis research. We encourage submissions employing diverse methodologies from in vitro and in vivo models to genomics and systems biology approaches.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions!

Prof. Dr. Karen Angeliki Krogfelt
Prof. Dr. Luis Cláudio Nascimento Da Silva
Dr. Afonso Gomes-Abreu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bacterial pathogenesis
  • virulence factors
  • host–pathogen interaction
  • immune response
  • antibiotic resistance
  • virulence regulation

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 5975 KiB  
Article
Novel Populations of Mycobacterium smegmatis Under Hypoxia and Starvation: Some Insights on Cell Viability and Morphological Changes
by Ruben Zaragoza-Contreras, Diana A. Aguilar-Ayala, Lázaro García-Morales, Miguel A. Ares, Addy Cecilia Helguera-Repetto, Jorge Francisco Cerna-Cortés, Lizbel León-Solis, Fernando Suárez-Sánchez, Jorge A. González-Y-Merchand and Sandra Rivera-Gutiérrez
Microorganisms 2024, 12(11), 2280; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12112280 - 10 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1263
Abstract
The general features of the shift to a dormant state in mycobacterial species include several phenotypic changes, reduced metabolic activities, and increased resistance to host and environmental stress conditions. In this study, we aimed to provide novel insights into the viability state and [...] Read more.
The general features of the shift to a dormant state in mycobacterial species include several phenotypic changes, reduced metabolic activities, and increased resistance to host and environmental stress conditions. In this study, we aimed to provide novel insights into the viability state and morphological changes in dormant M. smegmatis that contribute to its long-term survival under starvation or hypoxia. To this end, we conducted assays to evaluate cell viability, morphological changes and gene expression. During starvation, M. smegmatis exhibited a reduction in cell length, the presence of viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells and the formation of anucleated small cells, potentially due to a phenomenon known as reductive cell division. Under hypoxia, a novel population of pleomorphic mycobacteria with a rough surface before the cells reached nonreplicating persistence 1 (NRP1) was identified. This population exhibited VBNC-like behaviour, with a loss of cell wall rigidity and the presence of lipid-body-like structures. Based on dosR and hspX expression, we suggest that M. smegmatis encounters reductive stress conditions during starvation, while lipid storage may induce oxidative stress during hypoxia. These insights into the heterogeneous populations presented here could offer valuable opportunities for developing new therapeutic strategies to control dormant mycobacterial populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insight into Bacterial Pathogens: Pathogenesis and Host Response)
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22 pages, 1645 KiB  
Article
Differential Host Gene Expression in Response to Infection by Different Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strains—A Pilot Study
by Dewi Megawati, Lisa Y. Armitige and Loubna Tazi
Microorganisms 2024, 12(11), 2146; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12112146 - 25 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1667
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) represents a global public health threat and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Effective control of TB is complicated with the emergence of multidrug resistance. Yet, there is a fundamental gap in understanding the complex and dynamic interactions [...] Read more.
Tuberculosis (TB) represents a global public health threat and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Effective control of TB is complicated with the emergence of multidrug resistance. Yet, there is a fundamental gap in understanding the complex and dynamic interactions between different Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains and the host. In this pilot study, we investigated the host immune response to different M. tuberculosis strains, including drug-sensitive avirulent or virulent, and rifampin-resistant or isoniazid-resistant virulent strains in human THP-1 cells. We identified major differences in the gene expression profiles in response to infection with these strains. The expression of IDO1 and IL-1β in the infected cells was stronger in all virulent M. tuberculosis strains. The most striking result was the overexpression of many interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in cells infected with the isoniazid-resistant strain, compared to the rifampin-resistant and the drug-sensitive strains. Our data indicate that infection with the isoniazid-resistant M. tuberculosis strain preferentially resulted in cGAS-STING/STAT1 activation, which induced a characteristic host immune response. These findings reveal complex gene signatures and a dynamic variation in the immune response to infection by different M. tuberculosis strains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insight into Bacterial Pathogens: Pathogenesis and Host Response)
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Review

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17 pages, 293 KiB  
Review
Acinetobacter baumannii Complex Infections: New Treatment Options in the Antibiotic Pipeline
by Noayna Arshad, Wael Azzam, Marya D. Zilberberg and Andrew F. Shorr
Microorganisms 2025, 13(2), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13020356 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 2377
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii complex (ABC) can result in a panoply of severe syndromes, including pneumonia and septic shock. Options available for treating infections caused by ABC and, more importantly, by carbapenem-resistant ABC (CRAB) are limited because of the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, [...] Read more.
Acinetobacter baumannii complex (ABC) can result in a panoply of severe syndromes, including pneumonia and septic shock. Options available for treating infections caused by ABC and, more importantly, by carbapenem-resistant ABC (CRAB) are limited because of the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, many older agents, such as polymyxin and colistin, have limited lung penetration and are associated with significant toxicities. These factors underscore the urgent need for new paradigms to address ABC and CRAB. Two agents, cefiderocol and sulbactam-durlobactam, are now available to treat CRAB infections. In addition, several anti-infectives that target CRAB are in later-stage clinical trials. In order to place these newer molecules in context and to help clinicians appreciate the emerging potential drug development pipeline, we describe the in vitro activity, mechanisms of action, and clinical trial data not only for the commercially now available alternatives, such as cefiderocol and sulbactam-durlobactam, but also review these topics for molecules undergoing phase II and III clinical trials. Specifically, we discuss and analyze data related to four novel drugs from ABC: BV-100, cefepime-zidebactam, zosurabalpin, and OMN6. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insight into Bacterial Pathogens: Pathogenesis and Host Response)
18 pages, 1981 KiB  
Review
Unravelling the Roles of Bacterial Nanomachines Bistability in Pathogens’ Life Cycle
by Romain Gory, Nicolas Personnic and Didier Blaha
Microorganisms 2024, 12(9), 1930; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12091930 - 23 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1509
Abstract
Bacterial nanomachines represent remarkable feats of evolutionary engineering, showcasing intricate molecular mechanisms that enable bacteria to perform a diverse array of functions essential to persist, thrive, and evolve within ecological and pathological niches. Injectosomes and bacterial flagella represent two categories of bacterial nanomachines [...] Read more.
Bacterial nanomachines represent remarkable feats of evolutionary engineering, showcasing intricate molecular mechanisms that enable bacteria to perform a diverse array of functions essential to persist, thrive, and evolve within ecological and pathological niches. Injectosomes and bacterial flagella represent two categories of bacterial nanomachines that have been particularly well studied both at the molecular and functional levels. Among the diverse functionalities of these nanomachines, bistability emerges as a fascinating phenomenon, underscoring their dynamic and complex regulation as well as their contribution to shaping the bacterial community behavior during the infection process. In this review, we examine two closely related bacterial nanomachines, the type 3 secretion system, and the flagellum, to explore how the bistability of molecular-scale devices shapes the bacterial eco-pathological life cycle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insight into Bacterial Pathogens: Pathogenesis and Host Response)
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