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Anti-Quorum Sensing Phages Disarm Pseudomonas aeruginosa https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.16.706229v1

my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Two Postdoctoral Research Associates in the Molecular Analysis of Bacterial Outer Membrane Protein Biogenesis

BEN BERKS lab 🤩

Predicting phage–host specificity Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 12 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s41579-026-01287-xThis Genome Watch article explores how protein language models are transforming phage–host specificity prediction by capturing meaningful biological information from viral sequences, from individual proteins to entire genomes.

New online! Predicting phage–host specificity

A surface-exposed cardiolipin synthase provides an unexpected paradigm for maintaining the Gram-negative outer membrane | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....

A quorum-sensing molecule from Pseudomonas aeruginosa induces defensive multicellularity in a coinfecting pathogen | PNAS Microorganisms commonly exist in polymicrobial communities, where they can respond to interspecies secreted molecules by altering behaviors and phy...

A quorum-sensing molecule from Pseudomonas aeruginosa induces defensive multicellularity in a coinfecting pathogen

-in PNAS from @anukharelab.bsky.social

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Enterococcus fans: Check out our latest on E. faecalis EET, advancing our understanding of both the fundamental physiology of this bug and new mechanisms of its virulence. This is the product of a thrilling collaboration with friends in Singapore @gthibault.bsky.social led by @aarontan.bsky.social.

Metabolic control of porin permeability influences antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli - Nature Microbiology The permeability of bacterial porins is dynamically regulated by periplasmic proton and potassium concentrations, altering antibiotic resistance.

Metabolic control of porin permeability
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

YfgH is a transmembrane glycine-zipper containing lipoprotein that stabilizes excess cardiolipin and outer membrane proteins during envelope stress https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.22.696046v1

Peer-review practices of psychological journals: The fate of published articles, submitted again.

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Security hacked: How phages slip past bacterial defenses Phages rely on diverse anti-defense proteins to neutralize bacterial defense systems and successfully infect their host.

📣 New MicroBites!

Security hacked: How phages slip past bacterial defenses 🦠

Phages rely on diverse anti-defense proteins to neutralize bacterial defense systems and successfully infect their host. 👇

A chimeric Mla-Pqi lipid transport system is required for Brucella abortus survival in macrophages | The EMBO Journal imageimageSeveral systems, such as the Mla and Pqi pathways, mediate lipid transport between the two membranes of gram-negative bacteria. This study identifies a novel Mla-Pqi chimeric complex in Bruc...

A chimeric Mla-Pqi lipid transport system is required for Brucella abortus survival in macrophages

www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....

Peptidoglycan–outer membrane attachment generates periplasmic pressure to prevent lysis in Gram-negative bacteria - Nature Microbiology Outer membrane attachment to peptidoglycan enables periplasmic pressure to build up and counter cytoplasmic turgor pressure, preventing lysis during osmotic challenges in Escherichia coli.

#NewResearch

Outer membrane attachment to peptidoglycan enables periplasmic pressure to build up and oppose cytoplasmic turgor pressure, preventing lysis during osmotic challenge in Gram-negative bacteria

@michaeldeghelt.bsky.social #MicroSky 🦠

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A recent paper reveals that while LPS deficiency shields bacteria from phage infection (they lack receptor), it heightens vulnerability to T6SS contact-dependent antagonism, highlighting a critical evolutionary constraint.

by @seeyeunting.bsky.social
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....

just like among humans, 𝗺𝗼𝗯bing is rampant in the microbial world.
here 👇 Maria Pilar Garcillán-Barcia , Fernando de la Cruz, and Eduardo Rocha review the extended 𝗺𝗼𝗯ility of plasmids...

#MicroSky

#MicroSky

Cartoon microbe with boxing gloves defending itself against other microbes Adobestock: 299822964

Just as our bodies have evolved to defend us against bacterial and viral pathogens, bacteria face the same challenges. They must deter their own viruses, chemically compete with other microbes, and deal with challenges from eukaryotic hosts 1/n 🧪

weekend is here! comes with a most welcome recording on youtube 👇

and if you need a less crick-heavy read, from the same author: DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.05.032
#MicroSky

Molecular interplay between peptidoglycan integrity and outer membrane asymmetry in maintaining cell envelope homeostasis https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.19.660527v1

Model for the interaction between P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae. These bacteria can co-exist in nutrient-replete conditions. Under iron-limiting conditions, siderophore synthesis is induced in both bacteria. Iron limitation can also turn on the synthesis of biosurfactants, rhamnolipids, in P. aeruginosa, allowing it to push away K. pneumoniae.

#MicrobiologyMonday: Pseudomonas aeruginosa releases a surfactant that displaces Klebsiella pneumoniae from solid surfaces. By pushing K. pneumoniae away, the detergent allows P. aeruginosa to better compete for limited iron. Learn more in #mBio: asm.social/2sH

Captions are available in many other languages: Please press the settings button (gear icon) for more options. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of most ... What is Antimicrobial Resistance and how can we tackle it?

Just in case you missed it, watch our video ‘What is AMR?’, which explains the fundamentals of Antimicrobial Resistance and the strategies and solutions to mitigate its threat. Watch the full video now -https://youtu.be/hXr2Rn9OTOg #KnockingOutAMR

Cyclic-di-AMP modulates cellular turgor in response to defects in bacterial cell wall synthesis - Nature Microbiology Brogan et al. uncover a signalling pathway in which levels of the nucleotide second messenger c-di-AMP increase in response to defects in cell wall synthesis. This regulatory pathway decreases turgor ...

Very happy to share that a large part of my thesis work is out today: B. subtilis uses the second messenger c-di-AMP to modulate its turgor pressure in response to the state of its cell envelope. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A connection between two ancient and essential cellular processes, iron-sulfur protein biogenesis and fatty acid synthesis, in Escherichia coli https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.16.659903v1

Impaired envelope integrity in the absence of SanA is linked to increased Lipid II availability and an imbalance of FtsI and FtsW activities https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.10.658892v1

How to read a paper

PDF download
ccr.sigcomm.org/online/files...

Latest paper drop from Yale Phage Center @paulturnerlab.bsky.social

It's Thursday: Episode 89 of #MattersMicrobial is up, with Dr. Amir Mitchell of University of Masschusetts Medical School! Today, the #QualityQuorum discussed using AI to identify new antibiotics. Please spread the #GoodMicrobialWord? @profvrr

youtu.be/Wa0zd-TRCO8?...

Telomere bacteriophages are widespread and equip their bacterial hosts with potent interbacterial weapons Klebsiella host strains infected with telomere phages can grow to be the dominant lineage in mixed populations.

"That telomere phages are so prevalent means that they are a selective force, one that we know little about. We now want to understand how the telomere-toxin is secreted and also understand how this ‘telocin’ wheedles its way into unsuspecting bacterial neighbors”

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Cell membranes sustain phospholipid imbalance via cholesterol asymmetry This work challenges a major assumption in cell biology by showing that lipid bilayers can have drastically different phospholipid abundances between their two leaflets. This lipid abundance asymmetry...

Groundbreaking study in Cell from @leventallab.bsky.social: phospholipid asymmetry is a defining feature of the plasma membrane and cholesterol fills the holes — major implications for how this membrane works. A #lipidtime must-read! www.cell.com/cell/abstrac...

The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend How one bacteria befriended an old foe to take down a thriving competitor

📣 New MicroBites!

The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend 🦠

How one bacteria befriended an old foe to take down a thriving competitor 👇