Nature Microbiology

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 25 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02369-5 Multi-omics analysis of the plant fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae reveals the mitophagy pathway regulator Cox6 as a druggable target for antifungal treatment.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 25 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02383-7 We developed a scalable pooled CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) platform for the prominent fungal pathogen Candida albicans, enabling portable, high-throughput functional genomic analysis of essential genes across diverse environmental conditions and strain backgrounds. This approach identified conserved fungus-specif…

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 22 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02374-8 RNase E localization and translation initiation coordinate transcription, translation and mRNA degradation during the life cycle of an mRNA, explaining gene- and species-specific variations in this coordination in bacteria.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 22 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02353-z We spoke with Katherine Wu, a staff writer at The Atlantic, about her career path from infectious disease research to science journalism. She discusses her process as a science writer, offers advice to scientists when speaking with the press about their work and highlights the importance of science communication to…

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 22 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02358-8 Vaccines have saved an estimated 154 million lives in 50 years, yet that infrastructure is under threat. We highlight the global impact of vaccine scientists who trained in the USA and urge for stronger communication, advocacy and public engagement to safeguard vaccine science.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 22 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02371-x Continuous evolution methods accelerate directed evolution campaigns, but often at the expense of control over evolutionary outcomes. The lytic selection and evolution system combines the advantages of speed, control and flexibility, adding to recent advances in the directed evolution toolbox.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 22 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02349-9 Denitrification is an essential process for the removal of excess nitrogen in aquatic ecosystems, and models informed by lake samples suggest that seasonal stratification changes could weaken the microbial communities responsible for this process.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 21 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02393-5 Author Correction: Acarbose redirects gut microbiome utilization of dietary carbohydrates to suppress anaphylaxis in mice

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 21 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02360-0 TRAnsmission Clustering of Strains (TRACS) is a versatile and highly scalable computational tool that infers strain-level transmission of microorganisms within a host population using metagenomic or single-species deep sequencing data. It accurately reveals fine-scale strain-sharing patterns and transmission networ…

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 19 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02357-9 A common rifampicin-resistance mutation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis alters transcription and creates new metabolic vulnerabilities through transcription attenuation, revealing potential targets to combat drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 14 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02365-9 This study identifies four essential apical polar ring proteins in Plasmodium falciparum that are required for parasite cytoskeletal organization and host cell invasion.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 14 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02379-3 Author Correction: Streptomyces produce a diphtheria toxin-like exotoxin that targets insects

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 13 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02331-5 Forward and reverse genetics identifies the mode of action of clofazimine in the parasite Cryptosporidium. The genomic locus encoding the target is heterogeneous, and a resistance-conferring allele is already widely distributed.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 13 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02361-z Giant endogenous viral elements integrated into the multicellular alga Ectocarpus are reactivated by specific temperature cues, driving productive latent viral infections.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02350-2 Oral administration of an α-glucosidase inhibitor allows complex carbohydrates to reach the colon, where they promote succinate-producing bacteria that suppress anaphylaxis in mice.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02356-w This study presents a pooled CRISPRi screening approach in Candida albicans to investigate essential genes at scale, revealing environment- and strain-dependent gene sensitivities and conserved vulnerabilities relevant to antifungal drug discovery.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02347-x This study shows that HIV-1 resistance to broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) in clinical development can develop easily and could compromise their use. Nevertheless, it also identifies bnAb combinations that could minimize the development of resistance.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 06 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02364-w The birth and evolution of microbiology have been driven by technology, but human ingenuity is key to ensuring scientifically meaningful discovery.

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02376-6 Author Correction: An emerging human eye disease is associated with aquatic virus zoonotic infection

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 04 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02345-z We reflect on our experiences as principal investigators of two microbiome-focused citizen-science projects, offering opportunities and practical lessons as a guide for researchers considering citizen-science approaches.