Volume 16 Issue 10, October 2018

Two recent studies provide new insights into the architecture, molecular mechanisms and function of the Plasmodium translocon of exported proteins (PTEX) complex and the core PTEX protein EXP2.

This study shows that rotaviruses and noroviruses are transmitted in stool as clusters of viruses within vesicles, and that this mode of transmission provides a replication advantage.

A recent study integrates genomic, geological and fossil evidence to derive a timeline of life’s early evolution and the origin of eukaryotes.

This month’s Under the Lens discusses the utility of live-cell fluorescence labelling to record the dynamics of bacterial surface appendages.

Canonical two-component systems catalyse autophosphorylation of the histidine kinase, transfer of the phosphoryl group to the regulator and dephosphorylation of the phosphoregulator. In this Progress article, Jacob-Dubuisson and colleagues highlight recent structural insights into the signalling and catalytic mechanisms of sensor histidine kinases.

The recent epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas has revealed the devastating consequences of ZIKV infection, particularly in pregnant women. In this Progress article, Barouch and colleagues discuss recent preclinical studies and lessons learned from first-in-human clinical trials with ZIKV vaccines.

Bacterial RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) directly associate with and influence the fate of virtually all cellular transcripts. In this Review, Holmqvist and Vogel discuss our current understanding of the molecular interactions between specific RBPs and RNA during transcription, protein synthesis and RNA decay.

In this Review, Brun and colleagues summarize our understanding of the mechanisms governing bacterial adhesion at the single-cell level, including the physical forces experienced by a cell before reaching the surface, the first contact with a surface and the transition from reversible to permanent adhesion.

Candidate phyla radiation (CPR) bacteria and DPANN archaea are massive radiations of organisms recently identified. In this Analysis, Castelle et al. explore the metabolic potential of CPR and DPANN radiation, focusing in particular on metabolic gaps and unexpected biological features that are unusual outside of these groups.

The microbiota can influence host behaviour through the gut–brain axis. In this Opinion, Johnson and Foster explore the evolution of this relationship and propose that adaptations of competing gut microorganisms may affect behaviour as a by‑product, leading to host dependence.