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This month's Genome Watch highlights how deep sequencing was used to generate the first full genomes of herpesviruses associated with a fatal disease in elephants.
Cyclic di-AMP is one of the latest cyclic nucleotide second messengers to be discovered in bacteria. Here, Corrigan and Gründling provide an overview of the enzymes involved in its synthesis and degradation, the currently known receptor proteins and the cellular pathways that are known to be directly or indirectly controlled by this newly identified second messenger.
Many mobile genetic elements, such as transposons, plasmids and viruses, must cleave their own DNA to effect transposition, replication or conjugation. Here, Chandler and colleagues describe the HUH endonucleases, which use a unique mechanism to cleave and rejoin single-stranded DNA in order to mobilize and disseminate such elements.
Vaheri and colleagues discuss the molecular and cell biology of hantavirus infection and provide an overview of the virus-induced and immune-mediated pathology caused by this virus family in humans.
Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is exploited by bacterial and viral pathogens during internalization. Humphries and Way review recent studies which highlight the fact that, in addition to a structural role, clathrin can function as a signalling platform during pathogen entry, and other studies revealing that, in conjunction with actin, clathrin is involved in pathogen cell–cell spread and release.
The obligate intracellular bacteriumCoxiella burnetii causes both acute and chronic zoonotic infections. Here, Samuel and colleagues discuss the recent technological advances that have facilitated a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of C. burnetiipathogenesis, including host cell invasion and modulation by virulence factors exported through the type IV Dot/Icm secretion system.
Raoult and colleagues review recent developments in clinical microbiology, including the development of mass spectrometry-based diagnostics and point-of-care tests, which might change clinical practice.
Bacterial persistence poses a major obstacle for current efforts to tackle the global rise of antibiotic resistance. Here, Balaban, Gerdes, Lewis and McKinney discuss the physiological features of persister cells and the factors leading to their emergence, as well as the implications of persistence for antibiotic treatment regimens and bacterial heterogeneity.
