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This study shows that targeting the microbiota enzymes that are involved in the production of trimethylamine (TMA) reduces the levels of TMAN-oxide (TMAO) and is a potential therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular disease.
The spatial organization of microbial communities can affect their function, both in the environment and during infections. In this article, Whiteley and colleagues review the factors that govern biogeography during polymicrobial infections and how spatial positioning can influence bacterial virulence. They also discuss how targeting biogeography can be used as a therapeutic strategy.
Two recent studies have shown that someNitrospiraspecies can oxidize ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate, demonstrating that the two steps of nitrification can be carried out by single microorganisms.
Recent studies have elucidated multiple virulence mechanisms used byCryptococcus spp. to infect, disseminate within and ultimately kill their human host. In this Review, May et al. describe these recent developments in understanding host–fungal interactions, discuss how they affect disease severity and debate current and future therapeutic interventions against cryptococcosis.
Two new studies show that Hsp70 inhibitors are promising candidates as antivirals against flaviviruses, including dengue virus (DENV), and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).
This study investigates the links between diet, the gut microbiota and postprandial glycaemic responses (PPGRs), showing that differences in the gut microbiota are associated with the high interpersonal variability in the PPGRs to identical meals.
This study identifies two new polyketide metabolites ofClostridium puniceumthat enable this crop pathogen to thrive in its unusual aerobic niche while inhibiting the growth of other bacteria.
Although there is currently no licensed vaccine against dengue virus (DENV), the chimeric yellow fever–DENV tetravalent dengue vaccine (CYD-TDV) has shown efficacy against DENV in two recent Phase III clinical trials. In this Opinion article, Guy and Jackson review the efficacy and safety data from these recent trials and discuss how interactions between the virus, pre-existing host immunity and vaccine-induced immune responses explain CYD-TDV-mediated protection.
AAA+ proteolytic machines unfold and degrade damaged and unneeded proteins in all domains of life. In this Review, Sauer and colleagues discuss the molecular mechanisms and structures of bacterial AAA+ machines, focusing on recent studies of ClpXP as a paradigm.
Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are produced as virulence factors by many pathogenic bacteria. In this Review, Dal Peraro and van der Goot describe new mechanistic insights into the assembly of these toxins and their target specificity, and discuss recent therapeutic developments.
Viral reservoirs pose a major challenge in the efforts towards curing HIV. Here, Churchill, Deeks, Margolis, Siliciano and Swanstrom discuss the cells and tissues that constitute the viral reservoir, how best to measure it and how to target this source of persistent infection.
Several bacterial pathogens have evolved the ability to subvert host cell functions. In this Review, Buchrieser and colleagues discuss the mechanisms used by bacteria to target eukaryotic organelles such as the nucleus, mitochondria, the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus, highlighting how these strategies potentiate bacterial infection.
