News & Comment

This study shows the development of a chimeric dengue virus bivalent vaccine that generated serotype-specific neutralizing antibodies in vivo.

A recent study uncovered a relationship between sensory neurons and immune cells in the meninges that facilitates brain invasion by two Streptococcus species and the development of meningitis in mice.

This study reveals a role of contractile injection systems in regulated cell death and developmental processes.

This study analysed sorption, stability and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewers.

This new study reports that a fungal ectosymbiont metabolizes resin monoterpenes of the host tree and that the volatile products possibly function as cues for beetles to locate breeding sites with beneficial fungal symbionts.

This Genome Watch highlights recent metagenomics studies in fish that reveal unique microbiomes with low functional diversity, which could help to improve our understanding of host–microorganism dynamics in non-mammalian species.

This study set out to increase our understanding of how viruses might mediate responses of microbial communities to climate warming.

This study evaluates the efficacy of exogenous pegylated IFNλ in the treatment of patients with COVID-19.

This study shows that the orphan kinesin KLIF is a non-processive dimeric kinesin that bundles microtubules in Trypanosoma brucei.

This Genome Watch explores how large-scale microbiome studies are facilitating discoveries in bacteriophage biology and functional capabilities that are prime for translation towards advances in biotechnology and biotherapeutics.

Vincent et al. investigate the impact of viral infection on the microbial communities of algal blooms and carbon cycling.

Khan et al. show that mycelial nutrients can promote bacterial biodegradation of hexachlorocyclohexane pesticide in nutrient-deprived habitats.

Brown et al. perform a randomized trial with 218 women and show that the copper intrauterine device contraceptive disrupts the vaginal microbiota.

Decades of coronavirus research and intense studies of SARS-CoV-2 since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to an unprecedented level of knowledge of coronavirus biology and pathogenesis, yet many outstanding questions remain. Here, we discuss knowledge gaps and research priorities in the field.

This study shows that Listeria monocytogenes and Enterococcus faecalis can evade phage predation by transient conversion to a cell wall-deficient L-form state.

This month’s Genome Watch explores how synonymous mutations may have wider implications for protein function than previously acknowledged.

Invasive fungal diseases are on the increase globally. The World Health Organization fungal priority pathogens list highlights fungi of critical or high importance to human health and provides pathways for action. The report calls for improved surveillance (diagnostics and antifungal resistance monitoring), research and innovation (implementation research) and public-health interventions.

Mazzolini and colleagues have developed an engineered Mycoplasma pneumoniae strain to treat and prevent Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in the lung.

Yang et al. present the fluorogenic reversible reporter SURF to monitor real-time interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2, and identify compounds that block such interaction.

This study reports that Acinetobacter baumannii establishes intracellular reservoirs in the bladder that can seed recurrent infections following catheterization.