Eighteen strains of Escherichia coli were compared for maximum specific growth rate (μ MAX) on 85 mM acetate as the sole carbon source. The C strain ATCC8739 had the greatest growth rate (0.41 h(-1)) while SCS-1 had the slowest growth rate (0.15 h(-1)). Transcriptional analysis of three of the strains (ATCC8739, BL21, SMS-3-5) was conducted to elucidate why ATCC8739 had the greatest maximum growth rate. Seventy-one genes were upregulated 2-fold or greater in ATCC8739, while 128 genes were downregulated 2-fold or greater in ATCC8739 compared to BL21 and SMS-3-5. To generate a strain that could grow more quickly on acetate, ATCC8739 was cultured in a chemostat using a progressively increasing dilution rate. When the dilution rate reached 0.50 h(-1), three isolated colonies each grew faster than ATCC8739 on 85 mM acetate, with MEC136 growing the fastest with a growth rate of 0.51 h(-1), about 25 % greater than ATCC8739. Transcriptional analysis of MEC136 showed that eight genes were downregulated 2-fold or greater and one gene was upregulated 2-fold or greater compared to ATCC8739. Genomic sequencing revealed that MEC136 contained a single mutation, causing a serine to proline change in amino acid 266 of RpoA, the α subunit of the RNA polymerase core enzyme. The 260-270 amino acid region of RpoA has been shown to be a key region of the protein that affects the interaction of the α subunit of the RNA polymerase core enzyme with several global transcriptional activators, such as CRP and FNR.

Gene regulation is an important topic in modern genetics, but learning concepts related to this concept can be difficult. To assess learning of gene regulation, a 12-item Lac Operon Concept Inventory (LOCI) was developed. The data gathered were found to be both valid and reliable. In addition, some student misconceptions were identified.

Macrophages serve as a first line of defense against infection with the facultative intracellular pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans ( Cn ). However, the ability of these innate phagocytic cells to destroy ingested Cn is strongly influenced by polarization state with classically (M1) activated macrophages better able to control cryptococcal infections than alternatively (M2) activated cells. While earlier studies have demonstrated that intracellular Cn minimally affects the expression of M1 and M2 markers, the impact on the broader transcriptome associated with these states remains unclear. To investigate this, an in vitro cell culture model of intracellular infection together with RNA sequencing-based transcriptome profiling was used to measure the impact of Cn infection on gene expression in both polarization states. The gene expression profile of both M1 and M2 cells was extensively altered to become more like naive (M0) macrophages. Gene ontology analysis suggested that this involved changes in the activity of the Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT), p53, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathways. Analyses of the principle polarization markers at the protein-level also revealed discrepancies between the RNA- and protein-level responses. In contrast to earlier studies, intracellular Cn was found to increase protein levels of the M1 marker iNos. In addition, common gene expression changes were identified that occurred post- Cn infection, independent of polarization state. This included upregulation of the transcriptional co-regulator Cited1 , which was also apparent at the protein level in M1-polarized macrophages. These changes constitute a transcriptional signature of macrophage Cn infection and provide new insights into how Cn impacts gene expression and the phenotype of host phagocytes.

To gain insight into how pathogens adapt to new hosts, Cryptococcus neoformans (H99W) was serially passaged in Galleria mellonella. The phenotypic characteristics of the passaged strain (P15) and H99W were evaluated. P15 grew faster in hemolymph than H99W, in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that adaptation had occurred. However, P15 was more susceptible to hydrogen peroxide in vitro, killed fewer mouse macrophages, and had less fungal burden in human ex vivo macrophages than H99W. Analysis of gene expression changes during Galleria infection showed only a few different genes involved in the reactive oxygen species response. As P15 sheds more GXM than H99W, P15 may have adapted by downregulating hemocyte hydrogen peroxide production, possibly through increased capsular glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) shedding. Hemocytes infected with P15 produced less hydrogen peroxide, and hydrogen peroxide production in response to GXM-shedding mutants was correlated with shed GXM. Histopathological examination of infected larvae showed increased numbers and sizes of immune nodules for P15 compared to H99W, suggesting an enhanced, but functionally defective, response to P15. These results could explain why this infection model does not always correlate with murine models. Overall, C. neoformans’ serial passage in G. mellonella resulted in a better understanding of how this yeast evolves under selection.

Macrophages serve as a first line of defense against microbial pathogens. Exposure to interferon-γ (IFNγ) increases interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression in these cells, resulting in enhanced antimicrobial and proinflammatory activity. Although this response must be sufficiently vigorous to ensure the successful clearance of pathogens, it must also be carefully regulated to prevent tissue damage. This is controlled in part by CBP/p300-interacting transactivator with glutamic acid/aspartic acid-rich carboxyl-terminal domain 2 (CITED2), a transcriptional coregulator that limits ISG expression by inhibiting STAT1 and IRF1. Here, we show that the closely related Cited1 is an ISG, which is expressed in a STAT1-dependent manner, and that IFNγ stimulates the nuclear accumulation of CITED1 protein. In contrast to CITED2, ectopic CITED1 enhanced the expression of a subset of ISGs, including Ccl2, Ifit3b, Isg15 and Oas2. This effect was reversed in a Cited1-null cell line produced by CRISPR-based genomic editing. Collectively, these data show that CITED1 maintains proinflammatory gene expression during periods of prolonged IFNγ exposure and suggest that there is an antagonistic relationship between CITED proteins in the regulation of macrophage inflammatory function. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.