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This Review article highlights bacterial toxin-antitoxin system components, their function and the mechanisms they use to affect diverse physiological functions and conditions, including dormancy and entry and exit from the persistent state defined by a high tolerance to antibiotics.
Carbohydrate antigens on HIV are important for viral biology as well as for recognition by glycan-reactive broadly neutralizing antibodies such as 2G12. A review of recent strategies targeting HIV glycans discusses the characterization and manipulation of glycopeptide epitopes for use as potential vaccines.
Exposure to blue light promotes changes in the protein conformation of flavin photosensors. A review of recent advances in these light sensors discusses key questions in the field and their application to engineer light-mediated molecular switches.
There has been a strong effort to devise strategies to interfere with oncogenic Ras for cancer treatment. A review of recent advances in the development of small-molecule inhibitors that impair either Ras localization or protein interactions provides new optimism in this field.
Understanding the mechanisms by which gut metabolites impact host physiology should help understand a variety of disease associated with gut-microbiota dysbiosis. A review of this microbial impact in both invertebrate and vertebrate highlights roles in energy harvest, pathogen resistance and the development of allergic and neurological disorders.
Iron is essential for biological systems but can also damage or kill cells, leading to a variety of disease states. A review of mechanisms leading to Fe- and ROS-dependent cell death highlights the vast array of open questions in this complex field.
Bioorthogonal chemistry, facilitated by enzymatic incorporation of chemical reporters in vitro or in cells, permits selective labeling and visualization of proteins, nucleic acids and other biomolecules such as glycans and lipids and facilitates the interrogation of their cellular functions.