Research Highlights

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  • In this study, Carrasco Flores et al. report that the bacterium Mycetocola lacteus protects the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii from the antagonistic activity of Pseudomonas protegens.

    • Agustina Taglialegna
    Research Highlight
  • A recent study reports the existence of a nitrogen-fixing organelle called the ‘nitroplast’.

    • Ashley York
    Research Highlight
  • This study shows that a single-stranded RNA phage binds to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa type IV pilus, leading to phage entry into the cell and the detachment of the pilus, which impairs bacterial motility.

    • Andrea Du Toit
    Research Highlight
  • In this study, Granton et al. show that biofilm-associated exopolysaccharides produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa control sickness during lung infection.

    • Agustina Taglialegna
    Research Highlight
  • In this study, Armani-Tourret et al. show that the combination of panobinostat and pegylated interferon-α2a transforms the structure and composition of the HIV-1 reservoir and could potentially counter it.

    • Agustina Taglialegna
    Research Highlight
  • In this study, Liu et al. explore the interplay between a fungal effector and a plant cysteine protease and design a small-molecule compound aimed at targeting this effector to combat rice blast disease.

    • Agustina Taglialegna
    Research Highlight
  • In this study, Achberger et al. report that microbial communities of inactive hydrothermal deposits contribute to primary productivity in the deep sea.

    • Agustina Taglialegna
    Research Highlight
  • The study provides insights into how insects and their endosymbionts can manipulate plant defences.

    • Andrea Du Toit
    Research Highlight
  • This study shows that the distinct cellular organization across the depth of a biofilm is tightly regulated and has consequences for cell physiology and antibiotic tolerance.

    • Andrea Du Toit
    Research Highlight
  • This study describes a signalling pathway involving the host receptor GPR35 and members of the gut microbiota, such as Parabacteroides distasonis, which regulates depressive-like behaviour.

    • Agustina Taglialegna
    Research Highlight
  • This study reports that antibodies that target the fusion peptide on the HIV envelope provide protection to rhesus macaques against mucosal simian-HIV challenge.

    • Andrea Du Toit
    Research Highlight
  • This study describes Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus trimeric fibre proteins with diverse adhesive tips that enable the identification of a broad range of prey.

    • Andrea Du Toit
    Research Highlight
  • In this study, Knödlseder et al. explore the potential of an engineered Cutibacterium acnes strain as a microbiome-based therapy for skin conditions.

    • Agustina Taglialegna
    Research Highlight
  • Two recent studies provide mechanistic understanding of how bacteria employ the Gabija system for defence against phages, as well as how phages use anti-defence proteins to overcome bacterial immunity.

    • Agustina Taglialegna
    Research Highlight
  • The data of the study suggest that bacteria possess a physiological iron memory that persists over multiple generations.

    • Andrea Du Toit
    Research Highlight
  • In this study, Lee et al. analyse the structure and receptor-binding features of the spike glycoprotein from a clade 3 sarbecovirus to examine the risk of spillover from bats to humans.

    • Agustina Taglialegna
    Research Highlight
  • This study reports a mechanism whereby a Staphylococcus aureus protease induces itch by activating a host receptor on sensory neurons in the skin.

    • Andrea Du Toit
    Research Highlight