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Mol Microbiol 2022 Dec 4;118(6):623-636. Epub 2022 Dec 4.

Department of Biology, Division of Microbiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.

Pathogenic bacteria possess a great potential of causing infectious diseases and represent a serious threat to human and animal health. Understanding the molecular basis of infection development can provide new valuable strategies for disease prevention and better control. In host-pathogen interactions, actin-cytoskeletal dynamics play a crucial role in the successful adherence, invasion, and intracellular motility of many intruding microbial pathogens. Read More

J Cell Sci 2022 Aug 16;135(15). Epub 2022 Aug 16.

Division of Molecular Cell Biology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstrasse 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.

Cell migration frequently involves the formation of lamellipodia induced by Rac GTPases activating WAVE regulatory complex (WRC) to drive Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin assembly. Previous genome editing studies in B16-F1 melanoma cells solidified the view of an essential, linear pathway employing the aforementioned components. Here, disruption of the WRC subunit Nap1 (encoded by Nckap1) and its paralog Hem1 (encoded by Nckap1l) followed by serum and growth factor stimulation, or active GTPase expression, revealed a pathway to formation of Arp2/3 complex-dependent lamellipodia-like structures (LLS) that requires both Rac and Cdc42 GTPases, but not WRC. Read More

J Vis Exp 2022 Jul 21(185). Epub 2022 Jul 21.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago;

Caspases, a family of cysteine proteases, orchestrate programmed cell death in response to various stimuli, including microbial infections. Initially described to occur by apoptosis, programmed cell death is now known to encompass three interconnected pathways: pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis, together coined as one process, PANoptosis. Influence A virus (IAV) infection induces PANoptosis in mammalian cells by inducing the activation of different caspases, which, in turn, cleave various host as well as viral proteins, leading to processes like the activation of the host innate antiviral response or the degradation of antagonistic host proteins. Read More

Eur J Cell Biol 2022 Apr 9;101(2):151214. Epub 2022 Mar 9.

Department of Molecular Biomedicine, CINVESTAV-IPN, Avenida IPN 2508, 07360 Mexico City, Mexico. Electronic address:

Sepsis remains an important health problem worldwide due to inefficient treatments often resulting in multi-organ failure. Neutrophil recruitment is critical during sepsis. While neutrophils are required to combat invading bacteria, excessive neutrophil recruitment contributes to tissue damage due to their arsenal of molecular weapons that do not distinguish between host and pathogen. Read More

Cell Rep 2022 Jan;38(4):110306

Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Binding of influenza virus to its receptor triggers signaling cascades that reprogram the cell for infection. To elucidate global virus-induced changes to the cellular signaling landscape, we conducted a quantitative phosphoproteomic screen with human and avian influenza viruses. Proteins with functions in cell adhesion and cytoskeletal remodeling are overrepresented among the hits, and the majority of factors undergoing phosphorylation changes have a significant impact on infection efficiency. Read More