Articles in 2013

In vitrosingle-molecule technologies have emerged as powerful tools for the study of complex biological phenomena. Here, Robinson and van Oijen summarize the latest insights that fluorescence-based single-molecule studies have provided for DNA replication, transcription and translation in bacterial cells.

The bacterial nucleoid was first described more than 50 years ago, but the recent application of new imaging technologies and physical analytical methods has brought fresh insights to the structure of the DNA within the nucleoid. Here, Charles Dorman discusses these insights and argues that, in addition to DNA topology and nucleoid-associated proteins, gene regulation is an important organizing principle of nucleoid architecture.

The lipid mediator PD1 protects against lethal influenza infection by inhibiting viral replication.

Cryptococcus neoformansdetoxifies copper to avoid an antimicrobial host response.

RNA viruses have extremely high mutation rates, which are crucial for the ability of these viruses to adapt but can also lead to population extinction. Here, Andino and colleagues describe the mechanisms that RNA viruses use to cope with the high mutational load and discuss the impact of mutational robustness on population dynamics, pathogenicity and antiviral therapies.

The first report of a phage-encoded CRISPR–Cas system that deactivates an unrelated anti-phage system inVibrio cholerae.

Pseudomonas aeruginosauses the T6SS to specifically target aggressors that attack first, but leaves 'peaceful' neighbouring cells intact.

A new paper now reveals the first details on how theStreptococcus pneumoniaecompetence system is switched off.

Crowdsourcing efforts, such as those involved in theEscherichia coliO104 outbreak and, most recently, ash dieback disease, reflect a new era of community engagement in genomic analyses.

Many plants engage in symbiotic associations with microorganisms, in which the interactions are beneficial to both partners. Two of the best studied partnerships are rhizobial and mycorrhizal colonization. Giles Oldroyd highlights the commonalities in the symbiosis signalling pathways involved in these associations and how, despite these commonalities, sufficient specificity is maintained to ensure appropriate responses to each symbiont.

A new trimeric DARPin adapter allows specific targeting of adenoviral vectors to tumour cells.

This month's Genome Watch explores recent applications of the CRISPR immune system for bacterial phylogenetic analysis and genome editing.

The ability of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) to cause disease is strongly dependent on the strict coordination of viral gene expression with the differentiation state of the infected cell. Here, Johansson and Schwartz summarize the role of splicing and polyadenylation in the regulation of HPV gene expression and discuss the viral and cellular factors that control these processes.

In recent years, nine new human polyomaviruses have been discovered, including Merkel cell polyomavirus, which has been linked to Merkel cell carcinoma, a lethal skin cell cancer. DeCaprio and Garcea compare and contrast these new human viruses and discuss how they might interact with their human host.

Perturbations in the gut microbiota can lead to a state of dysbiosis, which may involve 'blooming' of potentially harmful bacteria. Here, Hardt and colleagues propose that such bacteria blooms promote horizontal gene transfer between members of the gut ecosystem, thereby facilitating pathogen evolution.

Pseudomonas syringaeHopU1 interferes with binding of GRP7 to the transcripts of the PRRs FLS2 and EFR.