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Cellular microbiology is the scientific study of the functions and properties of microbial cells. This discipline combines techniques and approaches of classic cell biology and microbiology.
Surface layers (S-layers) are proteinaceous, two-dimensional paracrystalline arrays that constitute a major component of the cell envelope in many prokaryotic species. Here, Herdman et al. investigate S-layer biogenesis in the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, providing insights into its coordination with the synthesis of other cell envelope components.
The small cell size of bacteria is a key hurdle in studying condensates. To address this challenge, the authors develop an experimental framework to assess bacterial condensates based on how they form, dissolve, tune shape and size, and transition between material states.
KdpD is known as the sensory histidine kinase of two-component system KdpDE that controls the transcription of the kdpFABC genes. Here, the authors show that KdpD acts as atypical serine kinase, which post-translationally regulates KdpFABC.
The plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells can fold inwards to create reservoirs that store or release excess membrane. Zhu et al. show that Salmonella-secreted effectors modulate these reservoirs to facilitate host cell invasion.
This study describes Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus trimeric fibre proteins with diverse adhesive tips that enable the identification of a broad range of prey.
Computational, molecular and structural analyses reveal the presence of bacterial histones that bind DNA to form dense, DNA-enveloping fibres in Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus.