R. P. Hirt

A genetic locus in the gut microbe Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron encodes activities consistent with mucin-O-glycoprotein processing and plays a critical role in N-acetylgalactosamine metabolism

This study identifies a mucin-induced PUL in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron that processes mucin-O-glycoproteins and metabolizes N-acetylgalactosamine, highlighting its role in microbiota-gut homeostasis.

Microsporidian obligate intracellular parasites subvert autophagy of infected mammalian host cells to promote their own growth

This study shows that Microsporidia manipulate host autophagy in mammalian cells to enhance their growth instead of being degraded.

Mining the human gut microbiome identifies mycobacterial D-arabinan degrading enzymes

The paper identifies D-arabinan degrading enzymes in the human gut microbiome, including new families of glycoside hydrolases and mycobacterial enzymes involved in cell wall degradation.

'Lose-to-gain' adaptation to genome decayin the structure of the smallest eukaryotic ribosomes

This study uses cryo-EM and evolutionary analysis to show how E. cuniculi ribosomes adapt to genome decay through structural innovations that enable extreme rRNA reduction without losing ribosome function.

The protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis targets bacteria with laterally-acquired NlpC/P60 peptidoglycan hydrolases

This study identifies laterally-acquired NlpC/P60 peptidoglycan hydrolases in Trichomonas vaginalis that degrade bacterial peptoglycan, enabling the parasite to compete with bacteria in mixed cultures.