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The preponderance of global public health campaigns reflects the ongoing importance of the need to raise awareness of infectious diseases, and their devastating effects.
A newly identifiedLegionella pneumophilamethyltransferase generates a novel histone modification that represses host gene expression and enhances intracellular replication of the bacterium.
A new paper reports on the use ofEscherichia colito produce alkanes and alkenes that are chemically and structurally identical to those found in petroleum.
Vibrio fischerisymbionts control the cyclic expression of a blue-light receptor in their host, providing the first direct evidence that bacterial symbionts regulate circadian rhythms.
Recent studies have revealed a role for host translation inhibition in the innate immune surveillance and detection of bacterial pathogens. Lemaitre and Girardin review these findings and discuss whether translation inhibition is a direct innate immune signal or rather part of a more general metabolic stress response to infection.
The global rise of antibiotic resistance and the paucity of novel antimicrobial compounds in the pipeline have revived interest in the use of metals as antimicrobial agents. Here, Lemire, Harrison and Turner describe the principles of metal toxicity, the uptake of metals by microbial cells and the distinct types of cellular damage that they cause. They also discuss the use of metal-based agents as antimicrobials.
Helicobacter pyloriresides exclusively in the hostile environment of the stomach in approximately 50% of the human population and is a strong risk factor for cancer. Here, Salama, Hartung and Müller describe how this bacterium establishes persistent colonization through the interplay of virulence determinants and the subversion and manipulation of the host's immune response.
Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modifications have emerged as key regulators of many intracellular pathways. Here, Everett and colleagues review the interplay between viruses and the SUMO pathway in infected cells, and the consequences of these interactions for the viral life cycle and for intrinsic and innate immunity.
Organophosphonates contain the chemically stable C–P bond and are the most abundant form of P in the biosphere. McGrath and colleagues review recent advances in our understanding of microbial phosphonate metabolism and the role of these compounds in the global P cycle.
Although great progress has been made in the field of dengue research, there are still many unanswered questions concerning the interactions between dengue virus and the human immune system. In this Opinion article, Gubler and colleagues discuss the gaps in our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of dengue virus and call for a reassessment of the animal models used in the preclinical stages of dengue research.