Current Opinion in Microbiology

Recent research has shown that the biosphere harbors an immense diversity of large and complex DNA viruses that infect a wide range of hosts. This is best exemplified by giant viruses of eukaryotes (phylum Nucleocytoviricota) and large phages, also referred to as jumbo phages, that infect bacteria (class Caudoviricetes). Both groups independently evolved large genomes and complex infection strate…

The human microbiota comprises a vast and diverse array of microorganisms that play critical roles in maintaining health and modulating diseases. Engineered live biotherapeutic products (eLBPs) harness genetically modified microbes to perform defined therapeutic functions within the host. A central challenge in developing effective eLBPs is the rational selection of an appropriate microbial chass…

Plants are exposed to a variety of devastating pathogens, causing significant yearly yield losses. In order to facilitate infections, plant pathogens secrete an arsenal of molecules termed effectors, which are known to modulate plant immune responses. Plants, on the other hand, possess receptors allowing them to detect invading pathogens by either recognising conserved molecules associated with i…

The first and arguably most critical level of gene expression is transcription of the genetic information from DNA into RNA. Within this process, transcription initiation stands out as the key step that influences all downstream events. Central to initiation are promoters, DNA sequences that interact with the key enzyme of transcription, RNA polymerase. A single transcription unit may be controll…

Phenotypic heterogeneity within isogenic bacterial populations represents a fundamental adaptation strategy that enables pathogen survival across the selective pressures of host infection. Rather than uniformly responding to environmental challenges, bacterial populations diversify through mechanisms including phase variation, stochastic gene expression, asymmetric cell division, and intercellula…

Messenger RNA (mRNA) decay is a central determinant of gene expression in eukaryotes, functioning both as a quality control mechanism and as a regulatory layer that shapes transcript abundance. In trypanosomes, including Trypanosoma brucei, gene expression relies almost entirely on post-transcriptional mechanisms due to polycistronic transcription and the near absence of promoter-specific transcr…

The rise of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens has outpaced the traditional methods of drug discovery and development, emphasizing a need for new and innovative approaches to identifying novel antibiotics. Artificial intelligence (AI) poses new opportunities to overcome the challenges in traditional drug discovery by accelerating the identification, design, and optimization of bioactive small mole…

Some aerobic bacteria can convert syngas, an energy-dense mixture of CO, H₂, and CO₂ derived from waste gasification, into platform chemicals and products such as single-cell protein and bioplastics. Despite the enormous theoretical energy yield of aerobic syngas conversion, few cultured bacteria can mediate this process, and none do so quickly or efficiently. This reflects …

The molecular dialogue between host and pathogen is defined by competition for the intracellular niche. Toxoplasma gondii exemplifies this mastery by deploying secreted effectors to remodel host cell biology and neutralize immune defenses. Yet a striking paradox has emerged, in which, despite exporting only a limited subset of effectors beyond the parasitophorous vacuole membrane into the host ce…

Superficial dermatophyte infections are a common cause of fungal diseases worldwide. These filamentous fungi specialize in degrading keratinized tissues (skin, hair, nails) and show an evolutionary trajectory from zoophilic species to anthropophilic species. In recent years, major human pathogens have emerged from the Trichophyton genus, such as T. indotineae, causing outbreaks of chronic, extens…

The phagosome is a dynamic organelle whose function is defined by engulfment and elimination of particles, including debris, dead cells, and foreign material such as invading pathogens. To effectively contain, kill, and degrade pathogens, the phagosome undergoes highly coordinated maturation through interaction with proteins, second messengers, and other organelles in the endocytic pathway. This …

Engineering bacteria to address human health challenges has been an active and productive area of research for many decades. Historically, a major emphasis of this work has been on modifying laboratory-adapted species to generate chemical or biological compounds for therapeutic use or for further study. In recent years, however, there has been a growing interest in utilizing nonmodel commensal an…