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Two recent studies find that pioneering bacterial cells use chemotaxis as a navigation strategy to boost range expansion, but colonizing too quickly can leave the population susceptible to invasion by competitors.
This study identifies a role for members of the endophytic root microbiome and their functional traits in plant protection from the fungal root pathogen Rhizoctonia solani.
This month’s Genome Watch article discusses the role of within-host adaptive evolution in bacterial pathogens for colonization and invasion of their human hosts.
DNA methylation affects DNA–protein interactions and has important cellular roles, including the control of reversible switching (phase variation) of gene expression. In this Review, Sánchez-Romero and Casadesús review epigenetic signalling by DNA methylation, focusing on its contribution to phenotypic heterogeneity in bacterial populations.
In this Review, Coleman and colleagues discuss recent advances in understanding the biogeochemical impact of viruses, focusing on how metabolic reprogramming of host cells during viral infection alters the flow of energy and nutrients in aquatic ecosystems.
In this Review, Jansson and Hofmockel explore the impacts of climate change on soil microorganisms in different climate-sensitive soil ecosystems and the potential ways that soil microorganisms can be harnessed to help mitigate the negative consequences of climate change.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a distinctive cell envelope that contributes to its resistance against the human immune system and antibiotic therapy. In this Review, Dulberger, Rubin and Boutte discuss mycobacterial cell envelope dynamics and their relevance for infection and drug treatment.
