News & Comment

Nature Reviews Microbiologypresents a Focus on Mucosal Microbiology, covering issues including the colonization of the intestine, the skin microbiota, and the interplay of viruses and genetic factors in disease.

A new FISH approach that greatly increases the number of microorganisms that can be distinguished in a single image.

Our monthly round up of infectious diseases news, which this month includes new influenza vaccines and potential antimalarials, hopeful news about HIV in Zimbabwe, and drug delivery using bacteria.

This month's Genome Watch looks at how recombination has providedStreptococcus pneumoniaewith the adaptability to overcome antibiotic and immune challenges.

Our understanding of the role of the microbiota in our gut and other sites in our body is rapidly improving and can lead to many new and innovative approaches for health care.

Intercellular nanotubes can be formed between bacterial cells of the same and of different species to facilitate the exchange of cytoplasmic content.

A new study shows that bacteria can tailor their responses to different neighbouring bacteria, including the production of antibiotics.

In marine cyanobacteria, the circadian clock is directly entrained by changes in energy metabolism, and enzymes involved in photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation share a common pool of iron atoms.

Includesde novo-designed proteins for synthetic biology, evidence of shared amino acid metabolism in symbiosis, and the discovery of the first natural viruses of nematodes.

A dynamin-like protein found inBacillus subtilis localizes to the septum of dividing cells and can mediate nucleotide-independent membrane fusion in vitro.

Dictyostelium discoideumexhibits a primitive farming symbiosis that includes dispersal and harvesting of its bacterial food source.

A KSHV protein is a NLR homologue that inhibits inflammation by blocking formation of the inflammasome.

Researchers have discovered the long-elusive fungal compounds that signal to the plant in the initiation of the arbuscular mycorrhiza.

Some strains ofToxoplasma gondiisecrete a protein into the host cells that activates the host nuclear factor-κB pathway.

Pneumococcal vaccines and rotavirus vaccines will help to reach the goal, set by the United Nations Millennium Project, of a two-thirds decrease in child mortality by 2015.

Our monthly round up of infectious diseases news, which this month includes immunity to influenza, a new vaccine against TB and a potential new treatment for HIV.

The identification of the genes that determine the mating types inDictyostelium discoideumopens the way for the use of sexual genetics in this model organism.