Review Articles in 2006

Traditonally, clinicians have looked to antifungal drugs to help combat the ever-increasing incidence of fungal diseases. In this article, Cutler, Deepe and Klein discuss the evidence to support their view that antifungal vaccines are now a viable alternative strategy for the prevention of various fungal diseases that should be actively pursued by researchers.

The tuberculoma or tubercle is the granuloma that is formed during tuberculosis infection. The role of the immune system in the formation of the granuloma is documented extensively, but this Review takes a different tack and examines the role ofMycobacterium tuberculosisin the biology of the granuloma and how this relates to disease transmission and progression.

Bacterial populations produce persisters, cells that neither grow nor die in the presence of bactericidal agents, and are tolerant to antibiotics. The tolerance of persisters to antibiotics is important in persistent infections, and is especially significant in the recalcitrance of biofilms to antibiotics during infection.

Prodiginines are a family of secondary metabolites produced by Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria that have anticancer and immunosuppressive activities. The biosynthesis of these tripyrrole red pigments is reviewed, together with a discussion of the exquisite regulation of the production of these molecules, and why bacteria might benefit from producing such complex products.

Bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) cause a huge burden of morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries. This article focuses on syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia, reviewing the clinical manifestations and current diagnostic techniques for each disease, as well as discussing the need for improved rapid, point-of-care diagnostic tests.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) uses an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) to directly recruit ribosomes to the viral mRNA translation-start site. Recent structural studies and biochemical data reveal how the HCV IRES interacts with the 40S ribosomal subunit and the cellular protein-synthesis machinery to direct efficient translation initiation.

Although we have a detailed knowledge of how many bacterial pathogens deliver virulence effectors into host cells, until recently, we had little corresponding knowledge for eukaryotic pathogens. This Review focuses on the malaria parasitePlasmodium falciparum and the plant pathogen Phytophthora infestans, which have recently been shown to use equivalent host-targeting signals.

Safe and effective vaccines are available that could be used to eradicate measles, which is a primary cause of childhood vaccine-preventable deaths worldwide. This article reviews the pathogenesis of this deadly disease and the prospects for its elimination.

Group BStreptococcus(GBS) is a pathogen of worldwide significance, and although prophylactic measures have reduced the number of infections, development of a vaccine remains an important goal. Here, the authors review the incidence of GBS and how new technologies are being applied in the search for a globally effective vaccine.

Cultured archaeal viruses, which so far all have double-stranded DNA genomes, come in all shapes and sizes, with the range of virion morphotypes surpassing that found in the viruses of the Bacteria. The authors present a unifying view of this fascinating viral group.

The liver stage ofPlasmodium infection constitutes an appealing target for the development of vaccines or prophylatic drugs as this step in the life cycle is obligatory but occurs before the onset of pathology. This Review summarizes the current knowledge on this stage of the Plasmodiumlife cycle.

The type III secretion injectisome delivers bacterial proteins into the cytosol of eukaryotic target cells. Here, Guy Cornelis reviews our current understanding of the structure, assembly and operation of this nanomachine.

The article focuses on the tensions between the opposing forces of maintaining genome integrity and increasing genome diversification inHelicobacter pylori. The authors propose that this generates a dynamic pool of genetic variants that is sufficiently diverse to occupy the different niches in the stomach.

Anaerobic microbial iron oxidation and reduction contributes significantly to soil and sediment biogeochemistry and mineralogy in anaerobic environments. Here, Weber and colleagues review the diversity of microorganisms involved in these processes, and the unique biochemical challenges associated with utilizing an insoluble metal substrate.

In recent years, significant progress has been made in our understanding of the biology of prions, yet many fundamental questions remain unanswered. Aguzzi and Heikenwalder discuss some of these unanswered questions, focusing on the role of the immune system in prion pathogenesis.

The ribozyme RNase P catalyses maturation of the 5′-end of tRNA and is found in cells from all three domains of life. Kazantsev and Pace summarize what is known about the bacterial RNase P, bringing together recent structural results with biochemical and phylogenetic data.

The computational prediction of the particular cellular compartment that a bacterial protein is destined for is an important aspect of microbiological research. This article discusses the methods currently available to predict bacterial protein localization.