S. van Houte

Heterogeneous efflux pump expression underpins phenotypic resistance to antimicrobial peptides

This study shows that subpopulations of stationary phase bacteria resist antimicrobial peptides through enhanced efflux and other mechanisms, and suggests combining tachyplesin with sertraline to combat resistance.

Antibiotics of the future are prone to resistance in Gram-negative pathogens

This study shows new antibiotics are as likely to face resistance as existing ones in Gram-negative bacteria, highlighting the need for narrow-spectrum therapies.

Bacterial defences interact synergistically by disrupting phage cooperation

This study identifies a novel bacterial defence system, MADS, which synergizes with CRISPR-Cas to protect against phages with anti-CRISPR genes by disrupting phage cooperation.

Antibiotics that affect translation can antagonize phage infectivity by interfering with the deployment of counter-defences.

The paper shows that translation-inhibiting antibiotics reduce phage amplification on CRISPR-Cas bacteria by blocking phage-encoded anti-CRISPR gene expression.

Interspecific competition can drive the loss of conjugative plasmids from a focal species in a microbial community

The paper shows that interspecific competition can reduce plasmid maintenance in microbial communities by increasing plasmid costs and accelerating plasmid loss from focal species.

CRISPR-Cas is associated with fewer antibiotic resistance genes in bacterial pathogens

The paper analyzes bacterial genomes to show that CRISPR-Cas systems are associated with fewer antibiotic resistance genes, suggesting they limit horizontal gene transfer of resistance.

Diversity in CRISPR-based immunity protects susceptible genotypes by restricting phage spread and evolution

The paper shows that CRISPR diversity in bacteria limits phage spread and evolution by diluting susceptible hosts, creating an ecological feedback effect.

Transient CRISPR immunity leads to coexistence with phages

This study shows that CRISPR-based immunity in bacteria is transient, leading to stable coexistence with phages due to fitness costs and loss of spacers.

Spatial heterogeneity of an ecologically relevant environment accelerates diversification and adaptation.

The paper shows that spatial heterogeneity in soil compost promotes phenotypic diversification and accelerates adaptation in Pseudomonas fluorescens.

Short-term evolution under copper stress increases probability of plasmid uptake

The paper shows that copper stress-induced evolution increases plasmid uptake probability in microbial clones.

Exploitation of the cooperative behaviours of anti-CRISPR phages

This study shows Acr-negative phages benefit from Acr-positive phages by exploiting their immunosuppressive effects, with stronger Acr proteins providing greater fitness advantages.

Evolutionary emergence of infectious diseases in heterogeneous host populations

This paper develops a theoretical model to predict pathogen emergence based on host population heterogeneity and validates it with experiments using bacteriophages and CRISPR-resistant bacteria.

Anti-CRISPR phages cooperate to overcome CRISPR-Cas immunity

The paper shows that Acr-phages cooperate to overcome CRISPR-Cas immunity, with phage density and CRISPR resistance levels affecting their epidemiology.