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Quantitative stable isotope probing and gene expression analyses in anoxic Namibian shelf sediments reveal that representatives of the Asgard candidate phylum Candidatus Lokiarchaeota are capable of homoacetogenesis, a metabolic strategy of high energetic efficiency that may explain how these archaea thrive in the energy-limited seafloor subsurface environment.
Reactive oxygen species produced by macrophages following infection with Staphylococcus aureus attack bacterial iron–sulfur cluster-containing proteins, thereby leading to alterations in bacterial metabolism that increase their tolerance to antibiotics.
Metagenomic sequencing of near-surface marine viral communities sampled monthly over 5 years revealed that overall communities were stable over time, although minor population variants were more variable, which is consistent with Red Queen-like dynamics.
This study reports that flavivirus transmission by mosquitoes to mice is increased if mosquitoes feed subsequently on non-infectious blood, possibly because feeding causes microperforations in the gut. Modelling shows this could explain how A. aegypti can sustain an explosive epidemic such as Zika virus despite its perceived poor vector competence.
This paper identifies a Serratia jumbo phage that, on infection, leads to the formation of a nucleus-like structure that protects phage DNA from CRISPR–Cas defence systems. However, the phage is still susceptible to CRISPR–Cas RNA targeting in the cytoplasm.
The addition of a small net barrier above a standard bednet targets malaria vectors and—as these barriers are further distanced from sleepers—paves the way for the use of a wider range of insecticides to curtail malaria transmission.
This work reports an analysis of primary and secondary immune responses in ten women infected with ZIKV for 224 days following an acute symptomatic Zika virus infection. CD4+ T-cell responses broadly targeted the whole Zika genome, whereas CD8+ T cells were strongly biased towards non-structural proteins.
The gut microbiota enhances murine norovirus infection in distal regions of the gut, but inhibits viral infection in the proximal small intestine via altered bile acid metabolism and consequent type III interferon production.
The in vivo structure of a T2SS from Legionella pneumophila elucidates the structure and function of the different components of this macromolecular complex that exports a wide range of virulence factors.
Hergenrother and colleagues develop a web portal to help predict key permeation aspects of query compounds using the eNTRy rules they recently developed. They use this approach to screen antibiotics that are effective against Gram-positive bacteria and engineer a modified version of a FabI inhibitor that is an effective Gram-negative antibiotic.
The cryo-electron microscopy structures of the cell-binding component of the Clostridioides difficile transferase toxin in different oligomeric states reveal the conformational changes undergone by the toxin while inserting into target membranes to form a pore.
Here, the authors use metabolomics and sequencing to assess changes in chemicals and microbial communities, including fungi and microeukaryotes, across an urbanization gradient in South America.
A consortium of four human gut microbiota species, including Eggerthella lenta, can convert plant-derived lignans into bioactive enterolignans via a five-step pathway, providing mechanistic insight into the production of these protective metabolites.
A modified mouse model that mimics human serum levels of biotin shows that inhibition of biotin synthesis can effectively treat infections caused by diverse antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Single-cell imaging analysis shows that translation-inhibiting antibiotics disrupt Vibrio cholerae biofilm structure and enable entry of bacteriophages and intruder cells.
This study answers the long-standing question of why the interaction between cyclophilin A (CypA) and HIV-1 capsid (CA) protein stimulates HIV-1 infectivity in human cells. Disruption of the CA−CypA interaction renders HIV-1 susceptible to potent restriction by human TRIM5α in primary blood cells, which occurs before reverse transcription.
The structure of a transferrin receptor from the parasite Trypanosoma brucei in complex with human transferrin helps to understand how the parasite can use surface exposed receptors to acquire nutrients during infection while avoiding host immune detection.
The host protein Transportin-1 is a co-factor of HIV-1 infection, binding to the viral capsid to regulate the release of the viral genome and promoting its nuclear import.
A type I interferon response mediated by IL-1Ra drives susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, and neutralization of IL-1Ra provides therapeutic benefit.
Host mucin glycans downregulate virulence processes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and can be used therapeutically to attenuate infection in vivo in a burn wound model.