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Two recent studies have shown that someNitrospiraspecies can oxidize ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate, demonstrating that the two steps of nitrification can be carried out by single microorganisms.
This study shows that targeting the microbiota enzymes that are involved in the production of trimethylamine (TMA) reduces the levels of TMAN-oxide (TMAO) and is a potential therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular disease.
A genetic suppressor screen inEscherichia coliidentifies the methionine sulfoxide reductase that repairs proteins in the cell envelope, in a mechanism that uses the respiratory chain as a novel source of electrons.
Although the mechanisms of CRISPR–Cas interference have largely been elucidated, how new sequence memories are stored had remained unknown. In this Progress article, Amitai and Sorek discuss recent advances in the study of this adaptation stage of CRISPR immunity.
Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are produced as virulence factors by many pathogenic bacteria. In this Review, Dal Peraro and van der Goot describe new mechanistic insights into the assembly of these toxins and their target specificity, and discuss recent therapeutic developments.
The spatial organization of microbial communities can affect their function, both in the environment and during infections. In this article, Whiteley and colleagues review the factors that govern biogeography during polymicrobial infections and how spatial positioning can influence bacterial virulence. They also discuss how targeting biogeography can be used as a therapeutic strategy.
Recent studies have elucidated multiple virulence mechanisms used byCryptococcus spp. to infect, disseminate within and ultimately kill their human host. In this Review, May et al. describe these recent developments in understanding host–fungal interactions, discuss how they affect disease severity and debate current and future therapeutic interventions against cryptococcosis.
Transposon insertion sequencing (TIS) enables genome-wide definition of loci that are required for growth in diverse conditions. In this article, Waldor and colleagues discuss the benefits and limitations of different experimental approaches to TIS analyses.
