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The archive of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (IJSEM) has been made available free online, which should be a boon for scientists, historians and the public.
Hydrothermal vent systems, which can support life in the absence of photosynthesis, are today inhabited by animals that form symbioses with lithoautotrophic microorganisms from which they obtain chemical energy. These hydrothermal systems might resemble the earliest microbial ecosystems on the Earth. Here, Martin, Baross, Kelley and Russell review how understanding these complex systems might inform our understanding of the origins of life itself.
Many viruses that are pathogenic for humans, including HIV-1, herpes simplex virus and measles, can disseminate by moving directly from cell to cell. Quentin Sattentau discusses the mechanisms of viral cell-to-cell spread and the implications for viral dissemination, immune evasion and pathogenesis.
Clonal types of pathogenic bacteria differ in their ability to colonize, spread and cause disease in hosts. The evolution of bacterial clones and factors that contribute to the clonal spread of bacteria are discussed in this article, together with the relevance of bacterial clones to the progression of disease.
The motility that is afforded by flagella and cilia is widespread among unicellular eukaryotes. In this Review, Ginger and colleagues describe the structure of the flagellum, its metabolic activity, different synthesis pathways and flagellar functions that extend beyond motility.
Genetic modification of mycobacteria is a difficult process. In this innovation, van Kessel and colleagues describe a new system of recombineering that facilitates the production of mutants in mycobacteria and mycobacteriophages.
Collaborations of scientists from developed countries and developing countries have had great success, but often have trouble getting established. Here, Iruka Okeke and John Wain describe the benefits of collaborations, the hurdles faced in their initiation, ways to promote them and the programmes that are already in place to develop them.
The functions of dendritic cells during malaria have been the subject of intensive investigations, the results of which have been controversial. Here, Michelle Wykes and Michael Good propose that the species and strain ofPlasmodiumare some of the key factors that affect dendritic cell function.
