Diversity and evolution of class 2 CRISPR –Cas systems
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 169 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.184
Authors: Sergey Shmakov, Aaron Smargon, David Scott, David Cox, Neena Pyzocha, Winston Yan, Omar O. Abudayyeh, Jonathan S. Gootenberg, Kira S. Makarova, Yuri I. Wolf, Konstantin Severinov, Feng Zhang & Eugene V. Koonin
Class 2 CRISPR–Cas systems are characterized by effector modules that consist of a single multidomain protein, such as Cas9 or Cpf1. We designed a computational pipeline for the discovery of novel class 2 variants and used it to identify six new CRISPR–Cas subtypes. The diverse (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 22, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Sergey Shmakov Aaron Smargon David Scott David Cox Neena Pyzocha Winston Yan Omar O. Abudayyeh Jonathan S. Gootenberg Kira S. Makarova Yuri I. Wolf Konstantin Severinov Feng Zhang Eugene V. Koonin Tags: Analysis Source Type: research
Bacterial development: Streptomyces' cue to leave
This study shows that co-culturing Streptomyces venezuelae with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae triggers a previously unknown growth mode in S. venezuelae that enables cells to explore their environment. (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 22, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Andrea Du Toit Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Metagenomics: Mining for CRISPR –Cas
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 133 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2017.4
Author: Ashley York
CRISPR–Cas systems confer adaptive immunity against exogenic elements in bacteria and archaea, and provide unprecedented potential for genome editing that is revolutionizing biological and clinical research. Current CRISPR–Cas systems are based on enzymes that were identified in isolated bacteria, thus excluding the majority of enzymes (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 22, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Ashley York Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Structural biology: High-order integration
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 133 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2017.3
Author: Ashley York
To establish a lasting infection, lentiviruses, such as HIV-1, stably integrate their DNA into the chromatin of host cells. Integration is mediated by the viral integrase enzyme in a multimeric nucleoprotein complex called the intasome, which assembles onto viral DNA ends to form the strand (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 22, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Ashley York Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Viral infection: Competing membrane proteins regulate picornavirus genome delivery
This study reveals that two host cell membrane proteins have contrasting roles during the transfer of picornavirus RNA into the cytoplasm. (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 22, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Shimona Starling Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Virus –host interactions and their roles in coral reef health and disease
We describe the distinctive benthic-associated and (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 15, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Rebecca Vega Thurber J érôme P. Payet Andrew R. Thurber Adrienne M. S. Correa Tags: Review Source Type: research
Clinical and biological insights from viral genome sequencing
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 183 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.182
Authors: Charlotte J. Houldcroft, Mathew A. Beale & Judith Breuer
Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of pathogens is becoming increasingly important not only for basic research but also for clinical science and practice. In virology, WGS is important for the development of novel treatments and vaccines, and for increasing the power of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genomics. (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 15, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Charlotte J. Houldcroft Mathew A. Beale Judith Breuer Tags: Perspectives Source Type: research
A journey into the brain: insight into how bacterial pathogens cross blood –brain barriers
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 149 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.178
Authors: Mathieu Coureuil, Hervé Lécuyer, Sandrine Bourdoulous & Xavier Nassif
The blood–brain barrier, which is one of the tightest barriers in the body, protects the brain from insults, such as infections. Indeed, only a few of the numerous blood-borne bacteria can cross the blood–brain barrier to cause meningitis. In this Review, we focus on invasive (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 15, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Mathieu Coureuil Herv é Lécuyer Sandrine Bourdoulous Xavier Nassif Tags: Review Source Type: research
You are where you live
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 68 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.203
Authors: Samuel E. Kidman & Josephine M. Bryant
This month's Genome Watch discusses how whole-genome sequencing of bacteria from several body sites has provided insights into the spatial diversity of bacteria within patients. (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 15, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Samuel E. Kidman Josephine M. Bryant Tags: News and Analysis Source Type: research
Archaeal evolution: Evolutionary insights from the Vikings
This study provides insights into the archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes and the primal stages of eukaryogenesis. (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 15, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Ashley York Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Collateral damage: insights into bacterial mechanisms that predispose host cells to cancer
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 109 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.171
Authors: Aurélie Gagnaire, Bertrand Nadel, Didier Raoult, Jacques Neefjes & Jean-Pierre Gorvel
Infections are estimated to contribute to 20% of all human tumours. Viruses are known to induce cell transformation, but evidence has also linked bacteria, such as Helicobacter pylori and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhi, to different cancer types. In addition, Chlamydia (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 2, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Aur élie Gagnaire Bertrand Nadel Didier Raoult Jacques Neefjes Jean-Pierre Gorvel Tags: Review Source Type: research
Microbiome: Expanding through the microbiota
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 66 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.199
Author: Andrea Du Toit
This paper shows that the intestinal microbiota is required for normal expansion of the pancreatic β-cell population in zebrafish during early larval development. (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 2, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Andrea Du Toit Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Parasite biology: Busting out from the inside
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 66 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.202
Author: Ashley York
Malaria parasites traverse through various cells within their human hosts and mosquito vectors to complete their life cycles. Although the mosquito cell traversal protein for ookinetes and sporozoites (CelTOS) is an essential protein for traversal of malaria parasites, and thus critical for the transmission and (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 2, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Ashley York Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Viral infection: Fine tuning HCV replication
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 66 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.201
Author: Ashley York
Efficient replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in cell lines requires the acquisition of host-specific adaptive mutations; however, the molecular basis for this adaptation has remained unsolved. Harak et al. report that adaptive mutations in the genes encoding viral NS5A and NS5B regulate the (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 2, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Ashley York Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Bacterial physiology: Building a bacterial ribosome
Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 66 (2017).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.200
Author: Ashley York
Biogenesis of the mature bacterial ribosome requires the stepwise association of ∼50 ribosomal proteins and intricately folded rRNA, and involves ∼100 molecular chaperones. Each bacterium can generate ∼100,000 ribosomes per hour, and therefore the direct visualization of ribosome biogenesis has been challenging. Davis et al (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)
Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - January 2, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Ashley York Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
