Borrelia hermsii

The fever breaks. The patient appears to recover. Then, days later, it returns, as if the same illness has begun again. This cycle of remission and relapse is the clinical hallmark of soft tick relapsing fever (STRF), previously called tick-borne relapsing fever (RF). In western North America, one of its principal agents is Borrelia hermsii, a bacterium with an extraordinary capacity for survival between soft ticks and mammalian hosts. Although Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease (LD), dominates scientific and public health attention, its RF relative B.

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Trends in Microbiology | LinkedIn

Trends in Microbiology | 2,001 followers on LinkedIn. Trends in Microbiology, published by Cell Press, is a monthly review journal that provides a multidisciplinary forum for the discussion of all asp...

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Scientific mobility in microbiology—20

I completed my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Uzbekistan. During my master’s studies at the National University of Uzbekistan, I developed a strong interest in microbial ecology, supported by my first research grant from the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia and the World Bank. After a year as a junior researcher at the same university and the Institute of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, I was awarded a fully funded PhD scholarship at the Russian State Agrarian University, conducting the majority of my research at the Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, where I gained invaluable experience in classical microbiology, including the isolation and cultivation of extremophiles.

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How do bacteria recognize fungal competitors?

Bacterial–fungal interactions (BFIs) are central to microbial community dynamics in diverse ecosystems, with profound implications for medicine, agriculture, and environmental microbiology. A critical...

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Beyond intracellular–extracellular divide toward metapopulation infection biology

The binary classification of pathogens as intracellular or extracellular fails to capture the complexity of infections in vivo. We propose the metapopulation infection biology framework, in which infe...

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Remembering Bernard Roizman (1929–2026)

Bernard Roizman, a trailblazing microbiologist, herpes virologist, and mentor, died on 14 April 2026. He was the Joseph Regenstein Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Microbiology and the Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology at the University of Chicago. During his 52 years of research there, he described the structural components of the herpes simplex virus (HSV), defined its gene expression patterns, and developed methods to genetically manipulate the virus. In the process, he helped develop the fields of molecular epidemiology and oncolytic viruses.

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Beyond intracellular–extracellular divide toward metapopulation infection biology

The binary classification of pathogens as intracellular or extracellular fails to capture the complexity of infections in vivo. We propose the metapopulation infection biology framework, in which infections comprise spatially structured, interacting subpopulations. Drawing on Klebsiella pneumoniae and Cryptococcus neoformans, we discuss how this framework generates testable predictions and informs therapeutic strategies.

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How do bacteria recognize fungal competitors?

Bacterial–fungal interactions (BFIs) are central to microbial community dynamics in diverse ecosystems, with profound implications for medicine, agriculture, and environmental microbiology. A critical yet unresolved question in BFIs is how bacteria specifically detect and respond to fungal competitors. This review synthesizes recent advances in this field, focusing on four integrated strategies that bacteria employ to recognize fungi: (i) sensing conserved fungal cell wall-derived microbe-associated molecular patterns; (ii) eavesdropping on fungal chemical signals, including quorum-sensing molecules and volatile organic compounds; (iii) contact-dependent recognition via chemotaxis, biofilm adhesion, and specialized secretion systems; and (iv) indirect recognition through resource competition. These mechanisms highlight the sophistication of interkingdom communication and its translational potential in managing polymicrobial infections and engineering biocontrol systems.

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Ancient pathogen genomics in Africa: Current evidence and future directions

Ancient pathogen genomics has redefined how infectious disease histories are reconstructed, revealing unexpected origins, transmission routes, and lineage turnovers that are invisible from modern genomes alone. Yet, this perspective remains heavily biased toward Eurasia, leaving Africa—central to human evolution and home to diverse ecological settings relevant to zoonotic and vector-borne disease emergence—largely unexplored. In this review, we assess the current state of ancient pathogen research in Africa and synthesize insights from bacterial, parasitic, and viral perspectives. We identify Africa as a pivotal frontier for the field and outline strategic priorities for moving from isolated detections toward continent-scale reconstructions of past disease landscapes, with potential relevance for understanding long-term patterns of endemicity, emergence, and epidemic risk.

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Host membranes provide hidden gateways for ‘accidental pathogens’

Human infection often results from accidental host–pathogen interactions rather than from evolutionary microbial adaptation. In this forum, we highlight how intrinsic host plasma membrane properties—deformation, curvature sensing, receptor enrichment, and membrane reservoirs—support diverse bacterial processes of adhesion and entry.

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Structural inequalities in global antimicrobial resistance governance

Despite substantial global investment, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) governance perpetuates structural inequalities, constraining low- and middle-income country (LMIC) capacity. Short-term funding, high-income country-centric research frameworks, and priorities undermine sustainable surveillance and scientific independence. Drawing on the BALANCE study, which enrolled approximately 67 000 patients across diverse economic settings, we argue that an equitable AMR response requires a transformation prioritizing LMIC institutional development and leadership.

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Environmental microbes as modulators of plant volatile landscapes: Implications for plant–insect chemical communication

Free-living environmental microbes at four plant-atmosphere interfaces (leaf, nectar, fruit, and bark surfaces) intercept, biotransform, and augment plant volatile signals, shaping what herbivores, pollinators, and parasitoids detect. This forum article reviews how microbes remodel these signals, the threats posed by climate change and land-use intensification, and priorities for translating microbial volatile ecology into sustainable pest management.

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Beyond AMGs: Phage-encoded transcription and sigma factors as understudied virocell reprogramming tools

Phages, the most abundant biological entities on Earth, infect bacteria and reprogram them into ‘virocells’ with altered physiology and ecology. While metagenomic studies have largely inferred reprogramming through virus-encoded auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), phages can reprogram cells through many other tools. In this review, we explore how phage-encoded, host-acting transcription and sigma factors (TSFs) reshape host transcriptional networks beyond simply regulating phage replication. We synthesize emerging genomic evidence for TSF prevalence in phages, mechanistic insights into how host-acting TSFs might influence ecologically relevant cellular functions, and highlight recent experimental and bioinformatic advances that make TSFs particularly tractable for large-scale bioinformatic studies. Together, we position TSFs as AMG-complementary mechanisms of viral reprogramming, tractable for metagenomic inferences, with potential cellular- and ecosystem-level consequences that can power translational applications.

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Cronobacter spp.

Cronobacter spp. are Gram-negative rods found in diverse environments and are most likely associated with plants. To date, seven species have been identified within the Cronobacter genus. Cronobacter species have diverged into two groups: species more adapted to environmental and plant niches, and species that have acquired virulence factors promoting their pathogenesis. The core genome includes genes involved in stress responses (pigment production, capsule biogenesis, and biofilm formation), maltose and other plant-associated sugar utilization, iron acquisition, adhesion, and resistance to toxic compounds.

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Anaerobic lignin deconstruction: A game changer for lignocellulosic biorefineries

Anaerobic microorganisms facilitate native lignin deconstruction via targeted cleavage of interunit linkages (e.g., β–O–4 bonds), selective lignin side-chain modification, and removal of lignin–carbohydrate crosslinks (e.g., ferulate ester cleavage). We discuss emerging mechanisms and their potential to advance lignocellulosic biorefineries through synthetic microbial consortia and consolidated bioprocessing strategies.

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Critical role of the inflammatory rheostat in influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis

Respiratory infections due to influenza A virus remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In the past decade, influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (IAPA) has emerged as a major clinical issue. However, the mechanisms involved in linking host–virus–fungal interactions remain poorly understood. Increasing experimental and clinical evidence is converging to underline the impact of inflammatory imbalance in the pathogenesis of IAPA.

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Structure-based prokaryotic transcription shapes adaptation and host–invader interplay

Prokaryotic gene regulation is governed by the dynamic conformation of the transcription machinery and the nucleoid. To navigate environmental fluctuations, prokaryotes reprogram RNA polymerase (RNAP) via σ factors and transcription factors (TFs) that remodel DNA conformation. Bacteriophages, in turn, exploit these mechanisms to hijack host gene expression. This review dissects recent structural insights into transitions governing transcriptional regulation, highlighting that both TFs and nucleoid-associated proteins act as ‘architects’ to remodel DNA structure, thereby blurring the traditional distinction between site-specific regulators and global genome organizers. By linking RNAP and DNA remodeling to broader prokaryotic conflicts, from stress adaptation to arms races between hosts and mobile genetic elements, the authors underscore the profound biological impact of perturbing prokaryotic transcriptional architecture.

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ER-phagy orchestrates virus–host interactions across kingdoms

Beyond maintaining endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis, ER-phagy (or reticulophagy) serves as a conserved antiviral defense across kingdoms. By targeting viral replication organelles and degrading viral components, it restricts infection, while viruses counteract or exploit this pathway. This dynamic interplay shapes infection outcomes and highlights ER-phagy as a promising target for antiviral intervention.

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Gut microbes compensate for protein-deficient diets

By coupling natural variation in carbon stable isotope signatures with amino acid-specific analysis, Mertz et al. demonstrate the substantive contribution of the gut microbiome in improving diet quality through the production of essential amino acids that are absorbed by the host (deer mouse) and incorporated into muscle tissue.

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Spatial engineering for improved microbial cell factories

Microbial cell factories enable the sustainable production of fuels, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, yet their performance is often constrained by inefficient metabolic flux distribution, cofactor imbalance, and pathway-associated toxicity. Spatial engineering has emerged as an effective approach to address these limitations. It does so by controlling the organization of metabolic processes. This review summarizes recent advances in spatial engineering at three levels: natural organelle engineering, artificial compartmentalization, and intercellular coordination. We discuss how these strategies enhance pathway efficiency through enzyme colocalization, metabolic insulation, and division of labor. We also underscore current challenges regarding targeting efficiency and system integration. Future directions for advancing spatial design and metabolic coordination in microbial systems are outlined.

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Scientific mobility in microbiology – 19

I was trained as a pharmacist. After graduation, I worked as a lecturer at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where my research focused on the antimicrobial activity of natural compounds.

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Cultivating the Pride in Microbiology Network

Rising anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hostility creates a crisis of exclusion in science. Queer and Trans microbiologists often navigate their careers in isolation, …

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Cultivating the Pride in Microbiology Network

Rising anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hostility creates a crisis of exclusion in science. Queer and Trans microbiologists often navigate their careers in isolation, facing systemic barriers that limit their retention. To counter this, we established the Pride in Microbiology Network in 2023. Here, we share strategies for building safe, decentralized networks beyond institutional and geographic borders and argue that resilient scientific ecosystems depend on diversity, inclusion, and support structures that enable 2SLGBTQIA+ scientists to remain, connect, and lead.

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The bacterial march toward symbiosis: on-ramps and off-ramps

Host-associated bacteria are found across the tree of life. In this opinion article, we propose that population genetics theory can be used to probe the conditions that form the path toward such symbioses. We illustrate how mutation-selection models generate insights into the maintenance of a symbiont under transmission between generations and from the environment. We outline how basic features of host population size and life history shape the fixation of a heritable symbiont in a host population, suggesting elevated fixation probabilities in long-lived hosts. Finally, whenever the fitness effects of the symbiont vary over time, reduced efficiency of selection increases the fixation of a deleterious symbiont. Our predictions of the properties of hosts, symbionts, and their ecological contexts that impact symbiont establishment frame expectations across systems.

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Phage therapy via receptor-constrained evolutionary traps

Phage therapy often fails when bacteria evolve resistance. We argue that phage selection should begin with receptors whose modification imposes predictable costs, turning resistance into reduced virulence, antibiotic resensitization, or other exploitable trade-offs. Receptor-constrained evolutionary traps offer a framework for designing phages that steer—not merely suppress—bacterial evolution effectively.

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LpxC activity regulation: An emerging paradigm for controlling lipopolysaccharide synthesis

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels in Gram-negative bacteria are primarily controlled by LpxC, a deacetylase catalyzing the committed step of LPS synthesis. Studies of LPS regulation have long focused on controlling LpxC abundance. However, recent findings on the allosteric regulation of LpxC activity suggest a broader framework for LPS synthesis control.

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Acidification-driven mineral weathering ability of bacteria: genetics, conservation, and regulations

Mineral weathering (MWe) is a fundamental driver of nutrient release in nutrient-poor ecosystems, sustaining both nutrient cycling and plant growth. Among the strategies employed by MWe bacteria—acidification, chelation, and oxidoreduction reactions—acidification stands out as the most widespread but least understood at the ecological and genetic levels. This review synthesizes current knowledge on acidification-driven MWe bacteria, the factors determining their effectiveness, genetic determinants, and regulatory mechanisms revealed through interdisciplinary approaches (transcriptomics/proteomics, mineralogy, and geochemistry). We also highlight newly discovered genes and critically assess the limitations of current approaches, offering new perspectives on the mechanisms and evolution underlying bacterial contributions to MWe.

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Mortierella alpina

Mortierella alpina Peyronel 1913 (MycoBank MB 170280) is an oleaginous filamentous fungus belonging to the family Mortierellaceae (Mortierellomycota). First described from alpine soils in Italy, this saprotrophic fungus has a cosmopolitan distribution across temperate and cold climatic conditions worldwide, including Europe, North America, Asia, Australasia, and Antarctica. It inhabits diverse environments ranging from forest litter and agricultural soils to glacier forefields and plant rhizospheres.

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Trick or treat: pathogens hijack host sugar metabolism

Besides suppressing immunity, pathogen effectors hijack host biosynthetic pathways, sugar transporters, enzymes, and transcriptional regulators for nutritional gain. In Xanthomonas, AvrBs2 drives de novo nutrient synthesis from a host metabolite, while PthA4 hijacks fruit ripening to release sugars. These findings pave the way for ‘anti-nutrition’ approaches for durable crop resistance.

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