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Regulation of transcriptional termination in archaea has remained a mystery. Now, a high-throughput RNA sequencing approach identifies multiple archaeal genes that contain consecutive terminators, suggesting new ways by which these microorganisms regulate transcription.
Metagenomic analysis of Antarctic sea-ice and brine reveals the presence of hgcAB-like genes in the microaerophilic marine bacterium Nitrospina. These are similar to ones responsible for mercury methylation in anaerobic microorganisms and provide a plausible mechanism for mercury methylation in oxic marine environments.
A new, publicly available, collection of cultured bacterial species from the mouse gut, the Mouse Intestinal Bacterial Collection, opens up opportunities for deepening microbiome research. Cultured isolates allow the functions of specific species and controlled consortia to be determined through in vitro experimentation.
The threat of antimicrobial resistance causing drug-resistant infections and the escalating health, social and economic consequences are now becoming visible at a global level. Here, we discuss the economic and political considerations for creating a truly global and effective response to antimicrobial resistance.
Whole-genome sequencing suggests that the spread of multidrug-resistant Enterobacter cloacae infections in the UK and Ireland is driven by a diverse community-based pool of strains.
A symbiosis between the root-inhabiting Enterobacter sp. M6 and the finger millet creates a physical barrier around the roots, trapping and killing the fungus Fusarium graminearum via M6-derived release of fungicides into the barrier matrix.
Intermediate colistin production in E. coli maximizes the benefit of inhibiting sensitive neighbours while minimizing competition from resistant cheaters.
Immunization with inactivated Japanese encephalitis vaccine generates cross-reactive antibodies that enhance immunogenicity on subsequent immunization with live attenuated yellow fever vaccine, demonstrating antibody-dependent enhancement of infection in a clinical trial.
Mutations in two previously unreported Plasmodium falciparum genes, acetyl-CoA transporter (pfact) and UDP-galactose transporter (pfugt), convey resistance to two imidazolopiperazine antimalarial compounds.
7.7 million non-redundant genes have been documented in the pig gut microbiome gene catalogue, revealing a 96% similarity in functional pathways to the human catalogue and influences from sex, age, host genetics and antibiotic treatments.
The symbiotic cyanobacterium UCYN-A was found to contribute to ∼20% of the nitrogen fixation in the tropical North Atlantic Ocean, and is more widely distributed throughout tropical, temperate and polar oceans than previously thought.
The first crystal structure of a fungal secreted haemophore—Csa2 from Candida albicans—provides insight into how pathogenic fungi extract haem from haemoglobin and transfer it to the cytoplasm, where it serves as a source of iron.
The number of ribosomal RNA operons in bacterial genomes is positively related to maximum reproductive rate and negatively related to carbon use efficiency, and can also predict traits such as chemotaxis and genome streamlining.
Star-shaped engineered peptide nanoparticles are effective at killing a variety of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens in vivo with low host toxicity and resistance.
The structure of Aichi virus — a poorly characterized picornavirus that causes severe gastroenteritis in children — shows intermediate features between those of enteroviruses and cardioviruses, and provides clues into its cellular receptor.
Deep sequencing of samples from patients infected with Ebola virus during the latest West Africa outbreak reveals intra-host single nucleotide variations, including events that modulate the expression of the gene encoding the viral nucleoprotein.
Crystal structures of hypervariable group A Streptocococus M proteins define a conserved binding modality to complement the associated C4b-binding protein.