Volume 7 Issue 6, June 2009

Cleavage of membrane proteins by intramembrane proteases can release effector domains that carry out a range of cellular functions. In higher eukaryotes, the functions of such proteases are well characterized. However, the importance of such proteases in unicellular organisms is only recently being appreciated. In this article, Sin Urban reviews the recent advances in our understanding of how intramembrane proteases play pivotal parts in a range of pathogenic microorganisms.

Galectins are important for recognition of carbohydrate ligands during embryogenesis, development and immune regulation. In addition, recent work has shown that galectins also function as receptors for glycans expressed on the surface of potentially pathogenic microorganisms. In this Review, Gerardo Vasta discusses the roles of galectins in host immunity and how pathogens have evolved to evade or subvert galectin-mediated immune responses.

Coronaviruses gained prominence during the SARS outbreaks of 2002–2003, but there are many different coronaviruses that infect humans and animals. Perlman and Netland describe the biology of the coronaviruses, including their replication, host immune response and interspecies transmission.

In this Analysis, Kirchman and colleagues compare microbial processes in the western Arctic Ocean and other polar waters with low-latitude oceans to attempt to understand the role of heterotrophic bacteria in oceanic biogeochemical cycles. This may further our understanding of the changes that could occur as these waters warm.

Using large-scale, systems biology approaches, we can now systematically map synergistic and antagonistic interactions between drugs. Consequently, drug antagonism is providing us with insight into the functions and relatedness of cellular components, mechanisms of drug action and novel ways to inhibit the evolution of antibiotic resistance.

The pathogenesis of HIV-1 is markedly different to that of most simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs). Frank Kirchhoff proposes a model in which the presence ofvpuin HIV-1 and a small number of SIV strains allowed changes in the Nef proteins that contribute to these differences.

Influenza pandemics occur with some frequency, as indicated by the recent outbreak of swine flu (influenza A (H1N1)). Learn more about influenza, previous 'flu pandemics, preventative measures against 'flu and how the spread of disease can be modelled and possibly predicted with these selected Nature Reviews MicrobiologyandNature Reviews Geneticsarticles.