This study shows that substrate complexity influences species interactions and coexistence in a synthetic microbial community of leaf litter degraders.

bioRxiv · Dec 23, 2023Microbiology

C-di-AMP levels modulate Staphylococcus aureus cell wall thickness as well as virulence and contribute to antibiotic resistance and tolerance

V. Dengler Haunreiter, A. Tarnutzer, J. Baer, M. von Matt, S. Hertegonne, F. Andreoni, C. Vulin, L. Künzi, C. Menzi, P. Kiefer, P. Christen, J. A. Vorholt, A. S. Zinkernagel

This study shows that high c-di-AMP levels in Staphylococcus aureus increase cell wall thickness and antibiotic resistance, while reducing cell size and antioxidant production.

bioRxiv · Apr 18, 2023Microbiology

Neutrophil and monocyte dysfunctional effector response towards bacterial challenge in critically-ill COVID-19 patients

S. Mairpady Shambat, A. Gomez-Mejia, T. A. Schweizer, M. Huemer, C.-C. Chang, C. Acevedo, J. Bergada Pijuan, C. Vulin, N. Miroshnikova, D. A. Hofmanner, P. D. Wendel Garcia, M. P. Hilty, P. K. Buehler, R. A. Schuepbach, S. D. Brugger, A. S. Zinkernagel

This study shows that severe hypercytokinemia in COVID-19 patients impairs neutrophil and monocyte function against bacterial challenges, leading to reduced microbicidal capacity and altered receptor signaling.

PLOS Pathogens · Jan 10, 2022Peer-reviewedImmunology

Quantification of within patient Staphylococcus aureus phenotypic heterogeneity as a proxy for presence of persisters across clinical presentations

J. Baer, M. Boumasmoud, S. Mairpady Shambat, C. Vulin, M. Huemer, T. A. Schweizer, A. Gómez Mejia, N. Eberhard, Y. Achermann, P. O. Zingg, C. A. Mestres, S. D. Brugger, R. A. Schüpbach, R. D. Kouyos, B. Hasse, A. S. Zinkernagel

This study quantifies phenotypic heterogeneity in Staphylococcus aureus from patient samples to assess persisters, finding that rifampicin treatment correlates with increased growth delays.

bioRxiv · Jul 27, 2021Microbiology

Ser/Thr phospho-regulation by PknB and Stp mediates bacterial quiescence and antibiotic persistence in Staphylococcus aureus

M. Huemer, S. Mairpady Shambat, S. Pereira, L. Van Gestel, J. Bergada-Pijuan, A. Gomez Mejia, C.-C. Chang, C. Vulin, J. Baer, J. Dworkin, A. S. Zinkernagel

bioRxiv · May 6, 2021Microbiology

Blunted Fas signaling favors RIPK1-driven neutrophil necroptosis in critically ill COVID-19 patients

T. A. Schweizer, S. Mairpady Shambat, C. Vulin, S. Hoeller, C. Acevedo, M. Huemer, A. Gomez-Mejia, C.-C. Chang, J. Baum, S. Hertegonne, E. Hitz, D. A. Hofmaenner, P. K. Buehler, H. Moch, R. A. Schuepbach, , A. S. Zinkernagel

The paper shows that in critically ill COVID-19 patients, dysregulated Fas signaling leads to increased RIPK1-driven necroptosis in neutrophils, contributing to disease severity.

bioRxiv · Mar 19, 2021 · PreprintImmunology

A microfluidic device for inferring metabolic landscapes in yeast monolayer colonies

Z. S. Marinkovic, C. Vulin, M. Acman, X. Song, J. M. Di Meglio, A. Lindner, P. Hersen

The paper describes a microfluidic device to study metabolic landscapes in yeast colonies, showing glucose gradients and their impact on growth and gene expression.

bioRxiv · Apr 25, 2019Biophysics

Prolonged lag time results in small colony variants and reflects a sub-population of persisters in vivo

C. Vulin, N. Leimer, M. Huemer, M. Ackermann, A. S. Zinkernagel

The paper shows that small colony variants in Staphylococcus aureus result from prolonged lag times, not mutations, and are linked to antibiotic tolerance and persisters in vivo.

bioRxiv · Mar 12, 2018Microbiology