Three Chlamydia species infect humans: C. trachomatis, C. pneumoniae and C. psittaci. C. trachomatis is the leading bacterial sexually transmitted infection, often asymptomatic but capable of causing pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and neonatal infections. It also causes trachoma, a major source of preventable blindness. C. pneumoniae causes respiratory illnesses and may be linked to cardiovascular disease. Chlamydial infections occur worldwide, with trachoma concent

Many people who walk by Bastille don't realize that there's a pretty little alley a few meters from the crowded cafés.

Clouds are more than water droplets. They host active microbial communities and, potentially, vast numbers of viruses. This article explores evidence that the global cloud virome contains roughly 10²¹ virus particles, examines how virus-bacteria interactions may shape microbial ecology during atmospheric transport, and highlights key research priorities for understanding the ecological role of the cloud virosphere. Read full article for free (open access): https://www.science

Age-linked loss of beneficial Lactobacillus and rise of L. iners impair endometrial receptivity and embryo transfer outcomes. L. gasseri and its exopollysaccharides (EPSs) counteract senescence, enhance implantation in aged mice, and act through Hippo‑YAP signaling, suggesting microbiome‑based strategies to improve fertility in older women. Read full article for free (open access): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1931312826002787#

Background The relationship between gastric microbiota composition, Helicobacter pylori infection, and eradication outcomes remains unclear. This study aims to explore the association of gastric microbiota composition among patients with refractory H. pylori infection with the outcomes of rescue therapy. Material and Methods Patients who failed to respond to second- or third-line eradication therapies were prospectively enrolled. The composition of the gastric microbiota was

Metabolomics of single-strain & co-cultures of 7 Fusarium strains causing Fusarium head blight reveals metabolic modifications induced by strain co-occurrence. FHB metabolomics reveals species‑specific biomarkers & interaction‑driven shifts in co‑cultures. Abstract Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is a devastating fungal disease affecting cereal crops, mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium poae, Fusarium avenaceum, Fusarium langsethiae, Fusarium sporo

Hadal microbes show distinct in situ activity, using refractory substrates & diverse electron acceptors to drive unique deep‑ocean biogeochemistry. Read full article for free (open access): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1931312826002829

Microbial communities shift with salinity and K⁺, altering succession & carbon‑use strategies across evaporation stages. Microbial community transition and carbon metabolism plasticity under continuous evaporative salinization in hypersaline brines HIGHLIGHT Microbial dominance shifted from Euryarchaeota to Proteobacteria, with increasing α-diversity. Potassium ion was a key driver, negatively regulating overall carbon metabolism but promoting amino acid utilization. Carbon m

Ecosystem Settings & Urbanization Shape Microbial Communities & Antibiotic Resistance Genes on Coastal microplastics. Plastispheres differ by habitat & urbanization, with urban mangroves showing the highest ARG diversity. Ecosystem Settings & Urbanization Shape Microbial Communities & Antibiotic Resistance Genes on Coastal microplastics Plastispheres differ by habitat & urbanization, with urban mangroves showing the highest ARG diversity. Highlights Habitat drives plastispher

Highlights Genomics-driven discovery of a family of lanthipeptide BGCs with anti-phage function Anti-phage function is confirmed for 6 lanthipeptides in native or heterologous hosts Key enzymes and residues are identified for anti-phage function Lanthivirin expression inhibits phage replication through interaction with proteins Summary Bacteria produce natural products to adapt to their environments, with phage interactions as major ecological and evolutionary drivers. While

Highlights SidL is an actin-dependent adenylyltransferase that targets host glycolysis SidL adenylates 3PG to produce 2-AMP-3PG Expression of SidL in human cells disrupts glycolysis and blocks mTORC1 signaling Production of 2-AMP-3PG by SidL occurs early during the Legionella infection cycle Summary The large effector arsenal of the bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila has been a rich source of biochemistry, highlighting the immense diversity of strategies deployed in ho

Highlights An introduced analytical framework quantifies taxon–community associations to identify computationally inferred candidate keystone taxa. Application to five PVTGs identifies 121 candidate keystone taxa, most of which are population-specific, with a reproducible subset across traditional populations. Several candidate keystone taxa associated with lower community dispersion also show consistent associations with multiple disease conditions, highlighting priorities f

Highlights This review provides a mechanistic classification of bacterial neurotoxins. Neurotoxins are discussed as modulators of neural and neuroimmune networks. Emerging links between bacterial neurotoxins and the gut–brain axis are highlighted. The role of neurotoxins in neurodegenerative disorders is critically evaluated. Engineered neurotoxin platforms show promise for targeted neural therapeutics. Current translational opportunities and limitations in precision neurolog

Highlights Maternal vitamin B12 deficiency aggravates offspring obesity Vitamin B12 deficiency reduces B. pseudolongum in dams and offspring Loss of B. pseudolongum during lactation worsens obesity in offspring Restoring B. pseudolongum or acetate alleviates this obesity via Ffar2-Ehhadh Summary Vitamin B12 deficiency during pregnancy and lactation is common, yet its mechanistic impact on reproductive outcomes and offspring health remains poorly understood. Here, we show that

Highlights Engineered GSDMs are tailored as VIDAs to sense viral protease VIDA is inert without infection and has potent antiviral effects in vitro and in vivo VIDA elicits a “kill-and-alert” antiviral immune response in mice AI-driven accelerated evolution generates safer and more potent VIDAs Summary While gasdermin (GSDM)-mediated pyroptosis is a potent immune effector, its antiviral potential remains largely untapped. Here, we introduce viral protease-initiated lytic cell

Highlights Bulk meta-transcriptomics separates recurrent and condition-specific responses. Heat ramp triggers a broader, more structured program than heat shock. WGCNA, GO and motif analyses identify recurrent non-specific modules. Heat ramp-specific signatures link ribosome biogenesis and proteostasis. Stress-responsive modules show limited overlap with evolutionarily young genes. Abstract A central challenge in biology is to distinguish transcriptional responses that recur

Highlights Seeds can transmit a subset of associated bacteria to the next plant generation. Seed-associated bacteria can influence germination, nutrient acquisition, and pathogen suppression. Seed-focused SynComs enable tests of bacterial persistence, seed-to-seedling transfer and effects on crop traits. Abstract Seeds represent specialized, low-biomass microbial niches that facilitate the transmission of the plant-associated microbiota from one generation to another. Residin

Highlights NiV as a highly pathogenic zoonotic agent, poses a persistent and severe threat to global public health. This review systematically reviews the viral structure and pathogenic mechanisms of NiV. This review summarizes the progress and breakthroughs in vaccine development and addresses current research limitations. The review provides theoretical support for the precise prevention and control of NiV. Abstract Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly pathogenic zoonotic agent, p

Highlights Pristine river ecosystem hosts ESBL ARGs, like blaTEM and blaCTX-M. The Yamuna River hosts multidrug, fluoroquinolone, fosfomycin, and β-lactam resistance genes. Predominance of biofilm-forming bacteria and their co-occurrence with the ARGs. Abstract Freshwater ecosystems are important reservoirs and transmission pathways for antibiotic resistance genes (ARG), yet host-mediated microbial selection and anthropogenic pressure on fish gut resistome remain poorly chara

Highlights Qdr3 coordinates cellular homeostasis in C. auris. qdr3 deletion remodels mitochondrial function. Loss of Qdr3 alters biofilm architecture and extracellular matrix production. qdr3 deletion enhances virulence. Qdr3 links membrane transport, mitochondrial function, and virulence. Abstract Candida auris (also known as Candidozyma auris) relies on extensive transporter networks to maintain cellular homeostasis and adapt to environmental stress, yet the broader regulat