N. Nagata

Fecal microbial load is a major determinant of gut microbiome variation and a confounder for disease associations

This study shows that fecal microbial load, not disease, is the main driver of gut microbiome changes and identifies it as a major confounder in microbiome studies.

Plastid anionic lipids are required for membrane development and protochlorophyllide synthesis in etioplasts

This study investigates the roles of anionic lipids PG and SQDG in etioplast development and Pchlide biosynthesis in Arabidopsis mutants.

Impact of reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants in previously infected hamsters

This study investigates reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants in previously infected hamsters, finding that immunity prevents pneumonia but allows viral replication in the upper airways with increased mutation diversity.

Extensive gut virome variation and its associations with host and environmental factors in a population-level cohort

The paper analyzes the gut virome in a large cohort, identifying factors influencing virome diversity and its relationship with host and environmental variables.

Intranasal vaccination induced cross-protective secretory IgA antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants with reducing the potential risk of lung eosinophilic immunopathology

This study shows that an intranasal vaccine with CpG ODN2006 induces secretory IgA antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants and reduces lung eosinophilic immunopathology compared to subcutaneous vaccination.

Subacute SARS-CoV-2 replication can be controlled in the absence of CD8+ T cells in cynomolgus macaques

This study shows that subacute SARS-CoV-2 replication can be controlled without CD8+ T cells in cynomolgus macaques, suggesting CD8+ T-cell dysfunction may not solely cause viral control failure.

The peripheral T cell population is associated with pneumonia severity in cynomolgus monkeys experimentally infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2

This study shows that cynomolgus monkeys with lower peripheral T cell counts experience more severe pneumonia after SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to those with higher T cell counts.

A highly attenuated vaccinia virus strain LC16m8-based vaccine for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome

This paper develops and tests recombinant vaccinia virus vaccines against SFTS, showing they induce protective immunity and are safe in mice.