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Whether phage genetic mosaicism generates a spectrum of diversity or discrete populations is unclear. Two phage evolutionary modes are described here that differ in the extent of horizontal gene transfer depending on host, lifestyle and genetic constitution
This study reports the structure of hRSV NS1, identifying unique regions that modulate host gene expression and contribute to inhibition of the IFN-I pathway and of dendritic cell maturation, pointing to new avenues of hRSV attenuation.
Nitric oxide synthase has long been associated with control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. However, new work reveals that instead of directing an antibacterial killing response, nitric oxide is critical for restraining granulocytic inflammation, which can provide a nutrient-rich niche for increased bacterial growth.
In many countries, the success of misinformation, alternative facts or fake news is promoting a climate of science denial, where false claims such as vaccination causing autism can spread. Learning lessons from behavioural studies can help advocate for vaccination in the face of vaccine refusers and deniers.
Coenzymes serve as the catalytic core in many metabolic reactions, but despite their extensive use and intrinsic chemical reactivity, they are remarkably stable.
Plants respond to microbial attack with a lethal burst of reactive oxygen species. How then, do pathogens successfully invade plants? Unexpectedly, a link between primary metabolism and suppression of plant immunity allows the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae to grow in such a hostile environment.
The WHO's plans to bolster global vector control measures blend audacious goals with a sensible approach that could save lives and stimulate economic growth and development in many of the world's poorest nations.
Long term co-culture of the phototroph Synechococcus and heterotrophic Roseobacter under in situ conditions reveals that nutrient cycling is important for maintaining mutualistic, stable interactions.
Metabolic labelling can be used to simultaneously tag peptidoglycan, lipopolysaccharide and capsular polysaccharide of live gut bacteria, and to label peptidoglycan in vivo, revealing host–bacteria interactions within the living mammalian host.
The undulating surface of mycobacterial cells contains wave troughs inherited from the (grand)mother cell that, combined with chromosome positioning, determine the site where cell division takes place.
Cycloclasticus bacterial symbionts of mussels and sponges that live in deep-sea gas and oil seeps are capable of using short-chain alkanes as their primary energy source, providing further insight into chemosynthetic symbioses.
Disruption of a cysteine protease that localizes to the vacuolar compartment of Toxoplasma gondii shows that autophagy is required for the intracellular survival of the parasite during chronic infection.
Sequence-specific interactions between the Hepatitis B virus pre-genome and the core protein define the nucleocapsid assembly pathway and trigger virus-like particle formation. Cp-RNA contacts may regulate pre-genome organization, facilitating reverse transcription.
Mutational analysis of marine microorganisms with streamlined genomes revealed an excess of deleterious radical amino acid substitutions compared to related lineages with larger genomes, suggesting that genetic drift may be important.
This study explores the mechanism for enhanced respiratory virus replication in airway epithelial cells subject to mesenchymal reprogramming, implicating a role for epigenetic silencing interferon pathways.
Virus attenuation is used to obtain vaccine strains. Here, the rapid evolution of RNA viruses is exploited by engineering their genomes to encode sites that are a mutation away from a stop codon, a clever method to generate attenuated viruses.