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Plasmids are well known for spreading antibiotic-resistance genes between bacterial strains. Recent experiments show that they can also act as catalysts for evolutionary innovation, promoting rapid evolution of novel antibiotic resistance.
Toxin–antitoxin systems mediate virulence plasmid retention at environmental temperatures; deletion of these systems may have facilitated the evolution of Shigella sonnei as a person-to-person transmissible pathogen.
A steady-state evolutionary model is used to investigate archaeal genome evolution, finding two classes of microbial genes—one with instantaneous gene replacement and another with finite, distributed replacement rates.
Optimization of culturing techniques has allowed the identification of 1,057 prokaryotic species within the human gut microbiome repertoire, doubling the previous number of isolated species from the human gut.
‘Candidatus Udaeobacter copiosus’ is found to be one of the most abundant microorganisms across >1,000 soil samples. Metabolic reconstruction of the small genome suggests it is an aerobic heterotroph with multiple auxotrophies.
A small-molecule inhibitor that blocks the ATPase activity of the cellular human transcription/export complex (hTREX) protein UAP56 prevents the formation of Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) viral ribonucleoprotein particles (vRNPs)
The metabolomes of 260 strains of Pseudomonas were indexed, enabling the discovery and evolutionary relationships of 4 molecules — a poaeamide analogue, and the bananamides 1, 2 and 3 — a molecular sub-family of cyclic lipopeptides.
Sequence variability in microbial surface proteins can be extensive in order to promote immune escape, but the changes must not interfere with the function of the protein. Structural analysis of a streptococcal protein now clarifies how an extremely variable region retains its ability to specifically bind its human target.
Viruses, once thought of only as purveyors of disease, take centre stage, from the human microbiome to the oceans, as archives of global diversity and drivers of biogeochemical cycles.
The number of ribosomal operons in bacterial genomes correlates with both growth rate and carbon use efficiency, likely via proteome allocation trade-offs, providing clues into how microbial communities are structured to make best use of available nutrients.
Structural determination of the secreted haem-binding protein from Candida albicans reveals a novel fold and haem coordination environment that facilitates the shuttling of the haem cofactor across the cell wall to the cell surface.
Technological breakthroughs in cryo-electron microscopy are allowing the capture of virus structures, leading to advances in the field of viral microbiology almost daily. An innovative structure–function study on Aichi virus reveals that novel entry mechanisms, yet undiscovered, may exist for non-enveloped viruses.
The declaration of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance culminates an unprecedented period of efforts to change the politics of antimicrobials and global health. Now begins the onerous task of translating the new-found political will into real-world action.
Optical and force nanoscopy enable visualization of intracellular and extracellular microbial structures with unprecedented resolution. This Review discusses the principles, advantages and limitations of the main optical and force nanoscopy techniques available.