Volume 13 Issue 1, January 2015

Pseudomonas aeruginosaforms biofilm-like cell aggregates on epithelial cells in a process that requires the pore-forming translocon of the type III secretion system (T3SS) but not the T3SS effectors.

Two studies report that two distinct families of antibacterial genes have been transferred to, and are functional in, eukaryotic and archaeal hosts.

Ley and colleagues show that human genetic variation influences the composition of the gut microbiota, which affects health.

An enteric RNA virus can substitute for commensal bacteria and support immune maturation and intestinal homeostasis.

This month's Genome Watch compares and contrasts two studies that used a common genomic approach to understand different pathogenic forms ofEscherichia coli.

In addition to their role in inhibiting apoptosis, viral anti-apoptotic proteins function in multiple immune and metabolic pathways to promote fitness and pathogenesis. In this Progress article, Jung and colleagues review novel functions of these viral proteins in the regulation of autophagy, as well as in the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway and in interferon signalling.

The marine cyanobacteriumProchlorococcusis the most abundant photosynthetic organism on earth. In this Review, Chisholm and colleagues highlight the enormous genomic diversity of this phototroph, discuss the factors that contribute to this diversity and consider its ecological consequences.

Influenza A virus has only eight genes, so it is dependent on host proteins and pathways to mediate viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) trafficking and to promote vRNP functions at all stages of the virus life cycle. Here, Kawaoka and colleagues describe the trafficking and functions of influenza A vRNPs in host cells, emphasizing how vRNPs interact with and depend on host factors and pathways, how vRNP structure contributes to its function and the key open questions that still need to be answered.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are causing a global health crisis. Here, the authors review recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms by which bacteria are either intrinsically resistant or acquire resistance to antibiotics. This information should aid the discovery and development of new compounds that can circumvent or neutralize existing resistance mechanisms.

In this Microbiology Pioneers Essay, Salomon Bartnicki-Garcia pays tribute to two pioneers of fungal cell ultrastructure, Manfred Girbardt and Charles Bracker.

The debate on whether to allow experiments that increase the transmission and/or pathogenicity of potential pandemic pathogens has recently gained renewed attention, particularly as a result of studies on influenza viruses. Here, five experts discuss the benefits and risks associated with these gain-of-function experiments, and how the ongoing debate affects the scientific community and the general public.