Articles in 2013

Two studies reveal thatChlamydiaspecies possess peptidoglycan-containing cell walls.

This proof-of-concept study shows that the gut microbiota is linked to neurodevelopmental disorders via circulating metabolites.

In this Review, Nierhaus and colleagues discuss the recent structural and mechanistic insights that have improved our understanding of elongation factor G (EF-G)-mediated forward-translocation and EF-4-mediated back-translocation on the bacterial ribosome.

Energy-coupling factor transporters mediate the uptake of essential micronutrients in prokaryotes. On the basis of recent structural studies, Dirk Slotboom discusses a testable model for the unusual mechanism of transport that is involved and considers the implications for our understanding of membrane transporters.

A study in transplant recipients shows that virome composition and size depends on immunocompetence.

A 'multi-omics', systems-based approach reveals the details of electron flow in a syntrophic relationship between twoGeobacterspecies.

FtsA has a dual role in FtsZ network assembly and rearrangement.

A new study shows that, in mice, motile commensal bacteria are prevented from crossing the mucosal barrier by the TLR5-induced production of anti-flagellin antibodies, which both immobilize the bacteria and downregulate flagellar gene expression.

This month's Genome Watch highlights recent studies that have characterized the reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes in the human gut microbiota.

The UK Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy report calls for an integrated response from the academic, pharmaceutical and political sectors to combat antibiotic resistance.

The ribosome is one of the primary antibiotic targets in the bacterial cell. Here, Daniel Wilson discusses how high-resolution crystal structures of antibiotic–ribosome complexes have provided molecular insight into the mechanisms of antibiotic action and bacterial resistance, in addition to the approaches being pursued for the development of improved and novel ribosome-targeting antibiotics.

Staphylococcus aureusis an important human pathogen that can cause invasive, potentially fatal infections.S. aureus expresses several virulence factors, which include cell wall-anchored surface proteins. Here, Foster and colleagues review the structural characteristics and functions of these proteins and how this knowledge can be used to combat S. aureusinfection.

In this Opinion article, Kenneth Bayles describes our current knowledge of programmed cell death in bacteria and argues that the processes involved are functionally analogous to eukaryotic systems. On the basis of recent observations, a testable model to guide further investigations in the field is presented.

Here, Gahlmann and Moerner describe single-molecule imaging in live bacterial cells, which has transformed the study of bacterial cell biology. They discuss the insights that have been gained about the bacterial cytoskeleton, nucleoid organization and chromosome segregation and partitioning, as well as transcription and translation.