Cell Host & Microbe

Lantibiotic-producing bacteria impact microbiome resilience and colonization resistance Lantibiotic-producing gut commensals are prevalent in human gut microbiomes. Cole et al. demonstrate that gut colonization with lantibiotic-producing Blautia pseudococcoides SCSK (BpSCSK) prevents rec...

Lantibiotic-producing bacteria impact microbiome resilience & resistance

Gut colonization w/ lantibiotic-producing Blautia pseudococcoides SCSK prevents recovery of antibiotic-induced dysbiosis & increases susceptibility to K. pneumoniae & C. difficile
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Exploring functional insights into the human gut microbiome via the structural proteome Liu et al. develop a structure database of human gut microbial proteins and a structure-aware AI model for remote homolog detection. They demonstrate the power of structure-guided approach in discover...

Insights into microbiome via structural proteome:

Structure database of human gut microbial proteins & structure-aware AI model for remote homolog detection. Work reveals structural diversification of phage endolysins & IDs bacterial enzymes for melatonin biosynthesis
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Environmental and maternal imprints on infant gut metabolic development Kvitne et al. show that maternal and environmental factors shape the developing infant gut microbiome and metabolome in Bangladesh, a low- and middle-income country. They report a rapid increase in ke...

Infant gut metabolic development:

Maternal & environmental factors shape developing infant gut microbiome & metabolome in Bangladesh. Key signaling molecules, including microbially derived bile acids & N-acyl lipids, increase during infant development
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The microbial metabolite imidazole propionate modulates hypothalamic activity and stress-induced behaviors Agirman et al. find that imidazole propionate, a microbiome-derived metabolite, reaches the brain, dampens hypothalamic activity, and promotes stress-related behaviors. Human data show that higher ImP...

Microbe-mediated stress?

Microbial metabolite Imidazole propionate reaches brain, dampens hypothalamic activity & promotes stress-related behaviors. In humans, higher ImP is associated w/reduced hypothalamic responses & emotional eating
@pipethero.bsky.social
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Divergent viral phosphodiesterases for immune signaling evasion Cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) and other short oligonucleotides play fundamental roles in immune system activation in organisms ranging from bacteria to …

Work I co-led with @jnoms.bsky.social is now online at
@cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social ! We revealed a previously unrealized diversity of viral immune-evasion proteins that selectively destroy different cyclic nucleotide signals used in bacterial immunity.

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Environmental and maternal imprints on infant gut metabolic development @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social @ucsandiego.bsky.social @laballaband.bsky.social
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Fascinating hologenome study of a deep-sea black coral and their microbial symbionts 🪸

Keystone Pseudomonas species in the wheat phyllosphere microbiome mitigate Fusarium head blight by altering host pH Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum) pathogen induces wheat phyllosphere alkalinization, promoting the development of Fusarium head blight (FHB). Xu et al. show that host-acidifying Pseudomonas, sele...

Keystone Pseudomonas species in the wheat phyllosphere microbiome mitigate Fusarium head blight by altering host pH

-in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social from Qin Gu at Nanjing Agricultural University
with @rlberendsen.bsky.social @fdiniandreote.bsky.social

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Hologenomic insights into the molecular adaptation of deep-sea coral Bathypathes pseudoalternata Wei et al. reveal how deep-sea corals partner with symbionts in the extreme environment using the hologenome of Bathypathes pseudoalternata. A division of labor shows that the host provides a protecte...

Symbiont-coral partnerships

Hologenome of B. pseudoalternata reveals a division of labor between deep-sea coral & symbionts. Host provides habitat & manages immunity, while symbionts recycle waste, supply nutrients, resist viruses & produce antioxidants
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Keystone Pseudomonas species in the wheat phyllosphere microbiome mitigate Fusarium head blight by altering host pH Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum) pathogen induces wheat phyllosphere alkalinization, promoting the development of Fusarium head blight (FHB). Xu et al. show that host-acidifying Pseudomonas, sele...

Pseudomonas mitigate Fusarium head blight via pH

Host-acidifying Pseudomonas, selectively enriched in wheat phyllosphere during F. graminearum invasion, counteract pathogen-induced alkalinization through organic acid production, thereby suppressing FHB

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Forum @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social Real-time monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 evolution during the COVID-19 pandemic
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Mapping the oral microbiome opens links to periodontitis Many microbiome analysis techniques can only detect the microbes present in the reference genome database used. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Cha et al. establish an improved genome database o...

Mapping the oral microbiome opens links to periodontitis

@mattolm.bsky.social highlights work establishing an improved genome database of the human oral microbiome, which is then used to discover a connection between periodontitis & an enigmatic bacterial phylum
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A high-quality genomic catalog of the human oral microbiome broadens its phylogeny and clinical insights Oral microbiome shows rising importance in human health. Cha et al. present the human reference oral microbiome (HROM), comprising 72,641 high-quality genomes from 3,426 species, including 2,019 previ...

Catalog of human oral microbiome:

Human reference oral microbiome (HROM) comprises 72,641 genomes from 3,426 species, including 2,019 novel species. HROM reveals disease-assoc. species & ectopic oral species in the gut predictive of systemic diseases
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Evolution of antibody cross-reactivity to influenza H5N1 neuraminidase from an N2-specific germline Lv et al. isolated a protective antibody against influenza neuraminidase that acquires cross-reactivity to avian H5N1 as a byproduct of affinity maturation against human H3N2. Along with structural an...

Evolution of Ab cross-reactivity to influenza H5N1 NA:

Isolation & characterization of protective antibody against influenza neuraminidase that acquires cross-reactivity to avian H5N1 as a byproduct of affinity maturation against human H3N2 @wchnicholas.bsky.social
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Triggering infection: When microbial pathogens are in cahoots Due to the presence of gut microbiota, enteric pathogens such as Salmonella are rarely alone in their battleground with the host. In a recent study published in Nature, Jaswal et al. revealed that Can...

Triggering infection: When microbial pathogens are in cahoots

Highlight of @Nature paper revealing that Candida albicans, a fungus frequently found in the gut, facilitates the intestinal colonization and infection of Salmonella.
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Gut bacteria metabolize natural and synthetic steroid hormones via the reductive OsrABC pathway Jacoby et al. identify a gut bacterial pathway that reduces natural and synthetic steroid hormones, including the anti-inflammatory drug prednisolone. This microbial activity is enriched in Crohn’s di...

Gut bacterial metabolism of steroid hormones

Gut bacterial pathway involving OsrABC reduces natural & synthetic steroid hormones, including prednisolone. This microbial activity is enriched in Crohn’s disease patients & diminishes drug bioavailability
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Bacteria block host cell death by protein cut-and-paste Bacterial pathogens interfere with host cell signaling by inducing post-translational modifications. In this issue, Xu and colleagues report that the Shigella flexneri effector OspB catalyzes an unusu...

Bacteria block host cell death by protein cut-and-paste:

Preview of work reporting Shigella OspB catalyzes recombination between pro-death members of BCL-2 family, creating inactive chimeras that block apoptosis of infected cells, promoting bacterial virulence
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Bacterial effector OspB hijacks apoptosis through peptide-bond recombination of BH3 domain proteins Shao et al. show that the Shigella effector OspB blocks apoptosis by enzymatically remodeling host BCL-2 proteins through peptide-bond recombination. This reveals a unique pathogen strategy to rewire ...

Bacterial effector hijacks apoptosis via remodeling BCL-2 family proteins:

Shigella OspB enzymatically recombines BH3-only activators & BAX/BAK via peptide-bond exchange. Chimeric proteins fail to mediate mitochondrial membrane permeabilization & apoptosis
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Immunometabolic reprogramming of macrophages by gut microbiota-derived cadaverine controls colon inflammation de Oliveira Formiga et al. present that gut-microbiota-derived cadaverine reprograms macrophage energy metabolism in a concentration-dependent fashion, promoting either anti- or pro-inflammatory immun...

Cadaverine rewires macrophages:

Gut-microbiota-derived cadaverine reprograms macrophage energy metabolism, altering inflammatory immunophenotypes. In IBD, cadaverine is associated w/increased flare risk & regulated by Enterobacteriaceae
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A duet of T6SS effectors How do gut bacteria outcompete rivals in dense microbial ecosystems? In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Li et al. report a BtapC-orchestrated co-secretion mechanism of T6SS effectors BtpeA and Btae...

A duet of T6SS effectors

Preview of new work reporting a BtapC-orchestrated co-secretion mechanism for T6SS effectors BtpeA and BtaeB in gut Bacteroidota, revealing a conserved strategy for interbacterial competition and gut microbiota modulation
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A conserved adaptor orchestrates co-secretion of synergistic type VI effectors in gut Bacteroidota Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) mediate bacterial competition. Li et al. reveal that Bacteroidota T6SS effectors BtpeA and BtaeB induce distinct cell-wall destructive activities yet are co-delivered...

Co-secretion of T6SS effectors:

Bacteroidota T6SS effectors BtpeA & BtaeB have distinct cell-wall destructive activities yet are co-delivered via coordinated binding to adaptor BtapC. This conserved synergistic system enhances fitness of encoding strains
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Brain hacks: Engineering a microbial factory for Parkinson’s disease Motor complications in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are exacerbated by the pulsatile delivery of levodopa (L-DOPA). In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Padhi et al. engineer a microbiota-based therapeut...

Brain hacks: Engineering a microbial factory for Parkinson’s disease

Preview of work that engineers a microbiota-based therapeutic for sustained, non-fluctuating L-DOPA production, demonstrating therapeutic promise for PD through stable dopamine signaling
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Bioengineered gut bacterium synthesizing levodopa alleviates motor deficits in models of Parkinson’s disease Padhi et al. bioengineered a gut-beneficial microbe to continuously produce and deliver L-DOPA, the gold-standard treatment for Parkinson’s disease, in a non-pulsatile manner. This biotherapeutic appr...

Microbial synthesis of L-DOPA as Parkinson’s disease treatment:

Gut microbe bioengineered to produce L-DOPA in non-pulsatile manner. Biotherapeutic reduces drug fluctuations causing debilitating symptoms & improves motor performance in animal models
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Genetically engineered plant endophytes broaden effector-triggered immunity Hou et al. engineer plant endophytes to express effectors that trigger NLR-mediated ETI upon pathogen infection, regardless of whether pathogens carry recognizable effectors. The sentinel bacterium ma...

Featured Article: Genetically engineered plant endophytes broaden ETI:

Engineered plant endophytes express effectors that trigger NLR-mediated ETI upon pathogen infection. Sentinel bacterium maintains plant growth & microbiota diversity & broadens plant defense
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The impact of COVID-19 on children and lessons for pandemic preparedness Children and adults experienced the COVID-19 pandemic differently. While the impact on children was significant, it was different than what had originally been expected. Here, Morris and Top outline k...

The impact of COVID-19 on children and lessons for pandemic preparedness:

Morris & Top outline key developments and learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on children and draw lessons for pandemic preparedness.
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The Africa COVID-19 legacy—Improved vaccinology for pandemic preparedness The COVID-19 pandemic caused global disruption that reverberated across Africa and revealed deep systemic vulnerabilities. Nonetheless, the scientific response to SARS-CoV-2 catalyzed unprecedented gl...

The Africa COVID-19 legacy—Improved vaccinology for pandemic preparedness:
Moore, Madhi & Gray discuss how SARS-CoV-2 catalyzed global collaboration & local capacity building across Africa, creating a framework for responses to future infectious diseases
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Optimizing vaccine protection for high-risk populations Despite proven effectiveness, vaccine uptake in high-risk groups remains low due to access barriers, misinformation, and limited trial data. In this Forum, we discuss how targeted communication, optim...

Optimizing vaccine protection for high-risk populations:

Cerqueira-Silva, Barral-Netto & Boaventura discuss how communication, optimized formulations, inclusive trials & real-world studies can help close gaps in vaccination of vulnerable populations
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Systems virology as a cornerstone for pandemic responsiveness: A G2P-Japan perspective Pandemic preparedness is critical as we face potential threats of infectious diseases. Systems virology and collaborative/responsive science are key infrastructures that facilitated scientific advance...

Systems virology as a cornerstone for pandemic responsiveness: A G2P-Japan perspective.

Sato discusses how systems virology & collaborative/responsive science facilitated scientific advances during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic by G2P-Japan & other consortia
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Real-time monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 evolution during the COVID-19 pandemic The global response to COVID-19 during the pandemic resulted in an unprecedented view of viral evolution. Here, we discuss both the capacity of the scientific community to monitor viral evolution on a...

Real-time monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 evolution during the COVID-19 pandemic

Korber, Fischer &Theiler discuss the capacity of the scientific community to monitor viral evolution on a global scale in real time & the mechanisms that shaped SARS-CoV-2 evolution
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Monitoring zoonoses to prevent future outbreaks and pandemics Most emerging human infectious diseases are derived from animals, and monitoring such zoonoses is imperative to help prevent future outbreaks. In this Forum, we discuss the knowledge gaps in our curre...

Monitoring zoonoses to prevent future outbreaks & pandemics

Liu, Zhou & Shi discuss knowledge gaps in our understanding of viral ecology, global disparities in virus discovery & applications of artificial intelligence in infectious disease monitoring
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