Divine Aleru, Microbiome Signatures Research Coordinator

This addendum explains how colibactin-producing E. coli can speed colon tumor growth by inducing senescence and a growth-factor secretory program. The pathway runs through c-Myc, miR-20a-5p, SENP1, and altered p53 SUMOylation, with HGF signaling driving proliferation of nearby uninfected tumor cells.

What was studied? This study performed a meta-analysis to clarify whether carrying colibactin-producing pks+ Escherichia coli associates with a higher risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), because prior individual studies reported conflicting results. The authors systematically searched major databases up to October 18, 2021, extracted case–control and cohort data where CRC status was confirmed and pks […]

his study shows colibactin-producing bacteria directly create DNA interstrand cross-links in human cells, triggering ATR replication stress and Fanconi repair responses. Blocking colibactin maturation or adding ClbS prevents cross-links, and inhibiting ATR or FANCD2 lowers cell survival, defining ICLs as the key lesion.

This study shows colibactin harms bacteria, triggers DNA damage defenses, and leaves a bacteria-specific mutation signature. Colibactin kills neighboring E. coli under contact-rich conditions, induces A/T-motif mutations (often T→A), and even causes self-damage in pks+ producers despite resistance.

What was studied? This study used structural biology to define how ClbK, a PKS–NRPS hybrid “megaenzyme” encoded by the pks biosynthetic gene cluster in colibactin-producing Enterobacteriaceae, is built and how its architecture could support a key elongation step in colibactin assembly. The authors focused on the complete trans-AT PKS module of ClbK and the full-length […]

This review explains how colibactin damages host DNA and also triggers bacterial SOS responses and prophage induction, reshaping gut communities and virulence. It connects barrier loss and inflammation to higher genotoxic risk and frames colibactin genes as functional microbiome biomarkers.

This mini-review explains how pks-positive E. coli make colibactin and how it drives colorectal cancer through DNA crosslinks, double-strand breaks, and mutational signatures such as SBS and ID-pks. It also summarizes key toxin-maturation steps that may enable targeted prevention.

This review explains how pks+ E. coli control colibactin production and why iron, oxygen, inflammation, diet, and drugs change DNA damage risk. It highlights ClbR regulation, inflammation-linked clb upregulation, and interventions such as mesalamine, d-serine, and SCFAs that can reduce genotoxicity.

This study found that many SPF laboratory rats carry phylogroup B2 E. coli with genotoxins, especially the pks colibactin island, and that vendor source strongly affects prevalence. These strains cause toxin-typical cytopathic effects and may confound rat models of infection, inflammation, and cancer.

This review explains how pks-positive bacteria produce colibactin, how it damages host DNA, and why it links to colorectal cancer and invasive infection severity. It also summarizes toxin-pathway inhibition as a prevention strategy while noting pks-derived anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

The human microbiome plays a critical role in metal metabolism, influencing both metal absorption and the potential for mismetallation in the body. Studies show that heavy metals can disrupt microbial diversity, leading to dysbiosis and altered metabolic functions in the gut. Moreover, some microbes possess the ability to sequester toxic metals, preventing their absorption and thus minimizing the risks of mismetallation in host tissues. As research in this area progresses, understanding these microbiota-metal interactions will be crucial for exploring new avenues in the prevention and treatment of metal-associated diseases.

What was reviewed? This review focuses on the role of probiotics, specifically lactobacilli, in bioremediation and the detoxification of heavy metals. The paper reviews how microbial processes, especially those of gastrointestinal bacteria, interact with heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead. It emphasizes the potential of probiotics in removing or sequestering these metals from […]

This review examines how metal(loid) exposure affects gut microbiota composition and function. It also evaluates microbiota-related strategies for metal(loid) detoxification.

This study explores the essential role of metal ions in human health, detailing their involvement in enzyme catalysis and the impacts of imbalances on diseases. It also highlights potential clinical applications for metal-based therapies.

This review examines bacterial metallostasis, focusing on metal sensing, metalloproteome remodeling, and metal trafficking. It highlights key regulatory mechanisms and implications for therapeutic interventions and synthetic biology.

This review examines the role of metallochaperones in copper and nickel ion transport, highlighting their significance in metal ion homeostasis and implications for treating diseases like Wilson’s and Menkes diseases.

This review explores the biological roles of essential metals in human health, focusing on their contributions to enzymatic functions and redox reactions. It also highlights how dysregulation of metal homeostasis can lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cancer.

This study explores how trace metals impact gut microbiota composition and pathogen competition, emphasizing nutritional immunity and the potential for probiotic interventions to enhance pathogen resistance.

This review examines the role of altered wild-type SOD1 in Parkinson’s disease, highlighting its involvement in dopamine neuron degeneration and presenting a novel mouse model for studying SOD1-related pathologies.

This review examines the role of lysosome-related organelles in regulating metal homeostasis, focusing on how these organelles store and transport metals like copper, zinc, and iron to maintain cellular balance and protect against toxicity.

The review examines how exposure to arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and thallium impacts the cardiovascular system and oxidative mechanisms in children, highlighting long-term health risks and suggesting preventive strategies.

This review addresses the health effects, toxicity mechanisms, and therapeutic interventions related to heavy metals, highlighting the importance of further research and improved treatment strategies.

This study examines how cadmium exposure suppresses iron transport in the duodenum, leading to iron deficiency anemia. The research reveals the molecular mechanisms behind this disruption and its broader health implications.

This study investigates metallochaperones in plants, focusing on their role in metal homeostasis, detoxification, and stress responses. These proteins are essential for managing toxic metals like cadmium and enhancing plant resistance to environmental stressors and pathogens.