Amer E. Villaruz

TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the Staphylococcus aureus agr quorum-sensing regulon is divided into control of metabolism and PSM cytolysin genes, which occurs independently of the small regulatory RNA RNAIII, and RNAIII-dependent control of additional virulence genes.

TL;DR: The results indicate that increased virulence in the USA300/USA500 sublineage is attributable to differential expression of core genome-encoded virulence determinants, such as phenol-soluble modulins and α-toxin, and highlights the importance of differential gene expression in the evolution of USA300 virulence.

TL;DR: In this article, the role of staphylococcal exotoxins in disease pathogenesis remains unclear, however, the authors identify δ-toxin as a potent inducer of mast cell degranulation and suggest a mechanistic link between S. aureus colonization and allergic skin disease.

TL;DR: This is the first report investigating the global metabolic effects of silver in the context of a therapeutic application, and it is demonstrated that silver ions inactivate enzymes by binding sulfhydryl (thiol) groups in amino acids and promote the release of iron with subsequent hydroxyl radical formation by an indirect mechanism likely mediated by reactive oxygen species.

TL;DR: This study reports that the consumption of probiotic Bacillus bacteria comprehensively abolished colonization by the dangerous pathogen Staphylococcus aureus in a rural Thai population, and presents a detailed molecular mechanism that underlines the importance of probiotics nutrition in reducing infectious disease.