Volume 13 Issue 8, August 2015

A new study shows that the GTPase Obg controls bacterial persistence by causing membrane depolarization via a mechanism that involves transcriptional activation of the toxin genehokB.

This study describes a novel antimalarial drug that targetsPlasmodium falciparumtranslation elongation factor 2 and therefore acts against all stages of the parasite life cycle.

This month's Genome Watch highlights a new large-scale serological platform for the simultaneous detection of multiple human viruses in a single drop of blood.

Viral apoptotic mimicry, defined by the exposure of phosphatidylserine on the pathogen surface, is emerging as a common theme used by enveloped viruses to promote infection. In this Progress article, Amara and Mercer discuss how viruses acquire phosphatidylserine and how this mimicry might facilitate cell entry and evasion of the immune response.

In this Review, Campbell and Hope describe the interactions between the HIV-1 capsid core and several cellular factors that enable efficient HIV-1 genome replication, timely core disassembly, nuclear import and viral integration into the genome of the target cell.

In this article, Eric Freed reviews recent progress in elucidating the steps involved in HIV-1 assembly, release and maturation, highlighting how these events are orchestrated by the viral Gag precursor protein and how this information is being used to develop novel anti-HIV-1 therapeutics.

Phenotypic heterogeneity is a ubiquitous feature of microbial communities, even within groups of genetically identical cells. In this Review, Martin Ackermann describes the molecular mechanisms that lead to phenotypic heterogeneity and discusses how heterogeneity can increase survival and productivity of microbial populations.

Microorganisms produce a wealth of structurally diverse specialized metabolites with great potential for use in medicine and agriculture. In this Review, Rutledge and Challis provide an overview of the approaches that are available to identify and activate cryptic microbial biosynthetic gene clusters, which represent an untapped reservoir of useful metabolites.