virology

Scientists studying the remarkable regenerative abilities of planarian flatworms have uncovered a previously unknown type of immune cell with an unusually destructive defense strategy. What if an immune cell could wipe out nearby threats by detonating itself? That is exactly what Stanford researchers have discovered in one of nature’s most unlikely creatures: the planarian flatworm. [...]

Scientific Reports, Published online: 14 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-54099-7 Molecular and biological characterization of a newly discovered Kayfunavirus bacteriophage targeting multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli from swine feces

Cancer remission, in which tumor cells enter a dormant state and a patient’s symptoms subside, can persist for years or decades.1 Both the cancer cells themselves and the tumor microenvironment maintain this period of inactivity.2 While inflammation has been shown to disrupt this microenvironment, leading to metastasis, the mechanisms of this process remain unclear. Seeing […]

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02373-9 Phage–bacteria coevolution is associated with field-specific anti-phage defence and locally adapted phage populations, resulting in phage-resistant but weakly virulent pathogens.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02388-2 In a cerebral organoid model, Ebola virus persists by infecting neurons, astrocytes and microglia, driving local inflammation, cell-specific responses, viral adaptation and cell-to-cell spread.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02384-6 The activation of an antiphage defence system relies on host factors targeted by phages, a mechanism analogous to the way that eukaryotic innate immune systems detect pathogen-induced perturbations of host cells through effector-triggered immunity.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02380-w Metabolic modelling and experimental validation reveal that current probiotics lack the functional diversity of native microbes, identifying vaginal species that inhibit Gardnerella vaginalis through the dual mechanisms of resource competition and d-lactic acid production.

Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) is an innovative drug discovery strategy that utilizes bifunctional small molecules to bring a target protein (POI) into proximity with an E3 ubiquitin ligase, thereby inducing ubiquitination of the pathogenic protein and its subsequent degradation by the proteasome. PROTACs exhibit a novel mechanism of action, catalytic efficiency, high selectivity, and bro…

IntroductionPumpkin production in Guangxi, China, is increasingly affected by complex viral diseases, but the regional viral spectrum and mixed-infection structure in symptomatic pumpkin plants remain insufficiently characterized.MethodsWe analyzed 289 symptomatic pumpkin samples collected across Guangxi during 2022-2025 using small-RNA sequencing for virus discovery and targeted PCR/RT-PCR assay…

Abstract A metagenomic analysis was performed by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to identify viruses infecting a wild weed collected in Seles (Angola), which exhibited clear yellowing symptoms. The analysis led to the discovery of a putatively novel carlavirus, tentatively named ‘Seles weed carlavirus’. The complete genome sequence, consisting of 8,597 nucleotides, poly-A tail excluded, exhibite…

Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have discovered 45 new toxins produced by Salmonella bacteria, some of which are associated with foodborne infections.

Nature Communications, Published online: 11 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74283-7 Researchers identify transferrin receptor 1 as the long-sought receptor, previously termed VP1uR, required for parvovirus B19 entry into erythroid cells, and determine the cryo-EM structure of the receptor-virus interaction.

A potentially dangerous tapeworm linked to severe, cancer-like disease has now been found in the Pacific Northwest, marking its first detection in wild animals along the U.S. West Coast. Researchers discovered the parasite, Echinococcus multilocularis, in 37% of coyotes tested around Puget Sound—a surprisingly high rate for a region where it had never been reported until recently.

IntroductionDental caries, a highly prevalent oral disease, significantly compromises oral health. Dental biofilms represent a key etiological factor in caries pathogenesis and pose challenges for eradication due to their protective extracellular matrix.MethodsHerein, we rationally designed a ferro-polydopamine nanozyme (FPN) featuring a flower-like morphology and remarkable peroxidase-like (POD-…

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) is a major non-typhoidal Salmonella serovar associated with a substantial global burden of foodborne and invasive infections. Its transmission across human, animal, food, and environmental interfaces highlights its significance its relevance within a One Health framework. The pathogenicity of S. Typhimurium is mediated by multiple virulence…

Nature Medicine, Published online: 11 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04510-7 Clinical Profile and Genomic Characterization of the 2026 Bundibugyo Virus Index Case in Uganda