Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment

Susceptibility to Penicillin G and Ceftriaxone in Three Clinical Treponema pallidum Isolates is not Altered by Amino Acid Polymorphisms in the Tp0705 Penicillin Binding Protein

The paper shows three T. pallidum isolates with Tp0705 PBP polymorphisms are equally susceptible to penicillin G and ceftriaxone.

Time-course Transcriptomics Reveals the Impact of Treponema pallidum on Microvascular Endothelial Cell Function and Phenotype

This study uses time-course transcriptomics to show how Treponema pallidum alters endothelial cell pathways, leading to endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and potential disease mechanisms.

Sequence variability of BamA and FadL candidate vaccinogens suggests divergent evolutionary paths of Treponema pallidum outer membrane proteins

The paper analyzes sequence variability of BamA and FadL outer membrane proteins in 186 Treponema pallidum strains to identify evolutionary patterns and vaccine targets.

High-quality transcriptome profile of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum: confirmation of transcriptional landscape

This study uses RNA-sequencing to generate a high-quality transcriptome profile of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, confirming transcription of previously hypothetical genes and revealing new gene organization features.

Immunodominant extracellular loops of Treponema pallidum FadL outer membrane proteins elicit antibodies with opsonic and growth-inhibitory activities

The paper identifies immunodominant extracellular loops (ECLs) from Treponema pallidum FadL proteins that elicit antibodies with opsonic and growth-inhibitory activities against syphilis-causing spirochetes.

Development and utilization of Treponema pallidum expressing green fluorescent protein to study spirochete-host interactions and antibody-mediated clearance: expanding the toolbox for syphilis research.

The paper develops a fluorescent Treponema pallidum strain to study spirochete-host interactions and antibody-mediated clearance, showing greater OM disruption with sera from rabbits infected with the Nichols strain.

Bright New Resources for Syphilis Research: Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Tags for Treponema pallidum and Sf1Ep Cells

The paper introduces genetically encoded fluorescent tags for Treponema pallidum and Sf1Ep cells to enhance visualization and study host-pathogen interactions in syphilis research.

Long-term in vitro exposure of Treponema pallidum to sub-bactericidal doxycycline did not induce resistance: Implications for doxy-PEP and syphilis

This study shows that long-term in vitro exposure of Treponema pallidum to sub-bactericidal doxycycline does not induce resistance, supporting the use of doxy-PEP for syphilis prevention.

Genomic epidemiology of Treponema pallidum and circulation of strains with diminished tprK antigen variation capability in Seattle, 2021-2022

The paper analyzes Treponema pallidum genomic data from Seattle to identify strain circulation and tprK antigen variation patterns in syphilis cases.

Selective whole genome amplification as a tool to enrich specimens with low Treponema pallidum genomic DNA copies for whole genome sequencing

This paper develops a selective whole genome amplification method to enrich low T. pallidum DNA samples for whole genome sequencing, achieving high coverage and identifying azithromycin resistance mutations.

Genome sequencing of 196 Treponema pallidum strains from six continents reveals additional variability in vaccine candidate genes and dominance of Nichols clade strains in Madagascar

Characterization of the novel clinical isolate X-4 containing a new tp0548 sequence-type

The paper characterizes a novel clinical isolate X-4 with a new tp0548 sequence-type, showing it belongs to the SS14-like clade of Treponema pallidum and exhibits genetic heterogeneity in poly G/C and A/T tracts.

Geographically structured genomic diversity of non-human primate-infecting Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue

The paper characterizes the genomic diversity of Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue in non-human primates across sub-Saharan Africa, finding geographic clustering of strains rather than host or symptom-based clades.

Analysis of Treponema pallidum strains from China using improved methods for whole-genome sequencing from primary syphilis chancres

The paper sequences Treponema pallidum from Chinese syphilis chancres using improved whole-genome sequencing methods without rabbit passage, revealing genetic diversity in China.

Genomic epidemiology of syphilis reveals independent emergence of macrolide resistance across multiple circulating lineages

The paper shows that macrolide resistance in syphilis emerged independently in multiple lineages, not just the SS14 lineage, challenging the idea that resistance drove its spread.