Zhemin Zhang, Emma Kundracik, Wei Li, Svitlana Babii, Komal Choukate, Alex Aboagye, Philip A Klenotic, Rakesh Maharjan, William D Gregor, Benjamin M Swarts, Helen I Zgurskaya, Mary Jackson, Edward W Yu
{"title":"Structure, assembly, and mechanism of the MmpL family of transporters.","authors":"Zhemin Zhang, Emma Kundracik, Wei Li, Svitlana Babii, Komal Choukate, Alex Aboagye, Philip A Klenotic, Rakesh Maharjan, William D Gregor, Benjamin M Swarts, Helen I Zgurskaya, Mary Jackson, Edward W Yu","doi":"10.1128/mmbr.00139-26","DOIUrl":"10.1128/mmbr.00139-26","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SUMMARYThe mycobacterial cell envelope, one of the most complex membranes found in bacteria, plays a major role in bacterial pathogenesis, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance. Biogenesis and modeling of this cell envelope are heavily influenced by the mycobacterial membrane protein large (MmpL) family of transporters due to their ability to export fatty acids and lipid components. Select MmpL transporters can also function as siderophore exporters to help regulate the acquisition of iron, which is critical for mycobacterial survival. Additionally, certain MmpLs can participate in active efflux of antimycobacterial drugs, directly contributing to antimicrobial resistance. Given the physiological significance of these MmpL membrane proteins and their potential to serve as important antimycobacterial targets, questions regarding their functional roles, cellular assemblies, interactions, and regulation need to be fully addressed. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on the structures and functions of these MmpL transporters. It is our hope that researchers in the field will continue to build upon these efforts and apply various structural, biophysical, and biochemical methodologies to fully elucidate how MmpL transporters coordinate to participate in cell envelope biogenesis, cell elongation and division, and antimicrobial resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":18520,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews","volume":" ","pages":"e0013926"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602945/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148345823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Killer meiotic drivers in fungi.","authors":"Yu Hua","doi":"10.1128/mmbr.00001-25","DOIUrl":"10.1128/mmbr.00001-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SUMMARYMendel's Law of Segregation posits an equal probability for each allele to be inherited during sexual reproduction. This process, however, is subverted by killer meiotic drivers (KMDs)-selfish genetic elements that enhance their own transmission in driver+/driver- heterozygotes by selectively eliminating meiotic products lacking the driver allele. Such elements arise recurrently during evolution, and the genomic conflicts they generate are considered potent evolutionary forces shaping genome architecture and sexual reproductive systems. While documented across diverse eukaryotes-including plants, fungi, and animals-most KMDs remain molecularly uncharacterized, and their actual prevalence in nature remains elusive. In fungi, KMDs can act at two distinct life-cycle stages: by directly killing sexual spores (fungal gametes)-hence termed \"spore killers\"-or by targeting haploid progeny after spore germination. Fungal models have profoundly advanced our understanding of these elements. This review synthesizes current knowledge on characterized fungal KMDs (from <i>Neurospora</i>, <i>Podospora</i>, <i>Fusarium</i>, and <i>Schizosaccharomyces</i>), emphasizing their molecular basis and interplay with the host. Approaches for KMD discovery are also discussed. Growing evidence from fungi suggests that these selfish elements are likely far more prevalent than previously appreciated.</p>","PeriodicalId":18520,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews","volume":" ","pages":"e0000125"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602940/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148345717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The microbiome in reptile health, disease, and ecology.","authors":"Carmen Hoffbeck, Michael W Taylor","doi":"10.1128/mmbr.00128-25","DOIUrl":"10.1128/mmbr.00128-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SUMMARYReptiles are a diverse and speciose class of animals that are broadly threatened by habitat loss, climate change, and other factors. From a microbiological perspective, reptiles have historically been examined as a source of disease, particularly salmonellosis, with most studies being culture-based investigations into causative agents of disease and potential for zoonoses. More recent work has sought to characterize the oral, skin, and gut microbiomes of reptiles more broadly to understand their contribution to reptile health and digestion. Non-avian reptiles are particularly interesting as ectothermic tetrapods, which usually lay eggs and have limited interaction with their young, as their digestion and life history strategies diverge substantially from the more well-studied mammals. Here, we review the reptile skin, oral, gut, eggshell, and nest microbiomes, along with the relationship between the microbiome and temperature stress. We present findings that distinguish the reptile microbiome from those of other studied vertebrate taxa, and place them in the context of their phylogenetic and ecological similarities to other animals. We discuss major disease-causing agents in reptiles, which was historically the main lens through which to view reptile microbiology, along with potential zoonoses. Finally, we examine how temperature and thermoregulation interact with the microbiome in reptiles, and how the microbiome may play a role in reptile conservation.</p>","PeriodicalId":18520,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews","volume":" ","pages":"e0012825"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602956/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148265357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Inna Rozman Grinberg, Daniel Lundin, Gerald Cohen, Ilya Borovok, Yair Aharonowitz, Britt-Marie Sjöberg, Derek T Logan
{"title":"NrdR-a unique nucleotide-sensing regulator of prokaryotic ribonucleotide reductases.","authors":"Inna Rozman Grinberg, Daniel Lundin, Gerald Cohen, Ilya Borovok, Yair Aharonowitz, Britt-Marie Sjöberg, Derek T Logan","doi":"10.1128/mmbr.00009-25","DOIUrl":"10.1128/mmbr.00009-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SUMMARYThe transcriptional regulator NrdR is present in most bacteria and in some archaea, but is lacking in eukaryotes. It controls the expression of operons of the universal and essential ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) enzymes, which provide building blocks of DNA by reducing ribonucleotides to their corresponding deoxyribonucleotides. The NrdR protein consists of an N-terminal zinc-ribbon domain that can bind to specific NrdR boxes in DNA, followed by an ATP-cone domain that binds adenosine nucleotides. Discovered 20 years ago, it was not until the recent high-resolution structures of NrdR in its DNA-bound and -unbound forms that its intricate mechanism of action could be described in detail. Contrary to early assumptions, the ATP-cone in NrdR has two nucleotide-binding sites, an inner and an outer site. When cellular dATP is low, NrdR is loaded with ATP in both sites and forms oligomers unable to bind to DNA, allowing transcription of RNR-encoding operons, and DNA replication and repair. When dATP levels increase, ATP in the outer site is substituted for dATP, NrdR will bind to DNA, and the expression of RNR-encoding genes will be inhibited. Interestingly, many RNRs also carry an ATP-cone that binds either one or two adenosine nucleotides, and that acts as an allosteric on/off switch of its enzyme activity. On the basis of current knowledge, this is a unique utilization of the same horizontally transferable domain for controlling both enzyme expression and enzyme activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":18520,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews","volume":" ","pages":"e0000925"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602944/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148211842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> geographic variation: a window into global differences in gastric cancer incidence.","authors":"Chiamaka D Okoye, Georgia C Caso, Timothy L Cover","doi":"10.1128/mmbr.00204-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/mmbr.00204-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SUMMARY<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> infection is the strongest known risk factor for gastric cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. There is marked global geographic variation in both the incidence of gastric cancer and genetic features of <i>H. pylori</i> strains. Geographic diversity among <i>H. pylori</i> strains can be linked to ancestral human migrations and subsequent <i>H. pylori</i> evolution within human population groups. In this review, we discuss how geographic diversity among <i>H. pylori</i> strains is an important factor contributing to geographic variations in gastric cancer incidence. We focus on geographic variations in genes encoding secreted <i>H. pylori</i> proteins (CagA and VacA), outer membrane proteins (BabA, HopQ, HopH/OipA, HomB, AlpA, and AlpB), and enzymes required for lipopolysaccharide synthesis, and we discuss how these variations can impact gastric cancer pathogenesis. We discuss the concept of <i>H. pylori</i>-human co-evolution, including selective forces that may influence <i>H. pylori</i> evolution within human populations. Finally, we discuss recent changes in <i>H. pylori</i>-human relationships, including a declining prevalence of <i>H. pylori</i>, changes in <i>H. pylori</i> populations, and potential adverse consequences of mismatch between the ancestry of <i>H. pylori</i> strains and the ancestry of human hosts.</p>","PeriodicalId":18520,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews","volume":" ","pages":"e0020424"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602960/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148592451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicholas P Cianciotto, Joshua Mayoral, James A Garnett
{"title":"Revisiting the type II secretion system: it is more than you might think.","authors":"Nicholas P Cianciotto, Joshua Mayoral, James A Garnett","doi":"10.1128/mmbr.00118-25","DOIUrl":"10.1128/mmbr.00118-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SUMMARYOne of the first gram-negative protein secretion systems to be discovered was the type II secretion system (T2SS), in which proteins first cross the inner membrane mainly via the Sec translocon, and then are recognized and carried across the outer membrane by the multiprotein T2SS apparatus. With its erstwhile appellation as the main terminal branch of the general secretory pathway, the T2SS has sometimes been described as (only) secreting a relatively small number of degradative enzymes for the purpose of nutrient acquisition. However, as comprehensively reviewed here, the T2SS is a great deal more than this, e.g., it (i) can secrete and expose on the cell surface over 100 proteins, (ii) is a major mediator of virulence against humans, animals, and plants, secreting diverse substrates that target essentially every step in the pathogenic process, (iii) promotes biofilm formation and environmental reactions such as metal reduction, (iv) has functional interactions with other secretion systems, and (v) has a homolog in mitochondria. Moreover, current assessment of the literature reveals an underappreciated role for the T2SS in both interbacterial antagonism and bacterial competition with fungi, protozoa, and perhaps algae. We also assembled data indicating that the T2SS mediates bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Finally, the T2SS is a fascinatingly complex \"machine\" whose contributing parts can vary and whose ability to recognize substrates is primarily conformational, involving spatially separated elements that interact with the T2SS apparatus through transient, multivalent interactions rather than a single dedicated binding motif.</p>","PeriodicalId":18520,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews","volume":" ","pages":"e0011825"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602943/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148819026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Biomolecular condensates in fungi: mechanisms and regulatory roles.","authors":"Emma E Blackburn, Xiaorong Lin","doi":"10.1128/mmbr.00012-26","DOIUrl":"10.1128/mmbr.00012-26","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SUMMARYLiquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) drives the formation of biomolecular condensates, a conserved phenomenon across eukaryotes. This process governs diverse cellular programs, from stress response and morphogenesis to disease pathology. Over the past two decades, the regulatory impact of biomolecular condensates in fungal biology has become increasingly recognized. In this review, we examine the fundamental molecular mechanisms driving LLPS, evaluate the current evidence for LLPS in macromolecular organization and cellular regulation in fungi, and outline the tools employed to study this phenomenon. Lastly, we highlight the challenges of bridging the gap between the <i>in vitro</i> behavior of biomolecular condensates and their complex regulatory functions <i>in vivo</i> within fungal biology.</p>","PeriodicalId":18520,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews","volume":" ","pages":"e0001226"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602932/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148673886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"<i>Bacillus anthracis</i>: biological origins and impact on human history.","authors":"Owen S Burroughs, Eric P Skaar","doi":"10.1128/mmbr.00274-25","DOIUrl":"10.1128/mmbr.00274-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SUMMARYIn 1876, Robert Koch published \"The Etiology of Anthrax Disease, based on the Developmental History of <i>Bacillus anthracis</i>.\" This seminal work laid the foundation for microbiology as a discipline. To commemorate the 150<sup>th</sup> anniversary of its publication, this article will review the history of <i>B. anthracis</i>, from its evolutionary origins to recent advancements in understanding its pathogenesis. For millions of years, <i>B. anthracis</i> existed in the environment as a unique pathogen whose lifestyle was heavily reliant on causing lethal disease in mammalian hosts. Beginning around 10,000 years ago, anthrax outbreaks have caused terrifying disease in humans and have wreaked havoc on livestock. The efforts to understand, treat, and prevent this disease have produced major breakthroughs in microbiology, medicine, and agriculture. In the modern era, despite still threatening livestock populations, \"anthrax\" has taken on a new meaning as a feared agent of bioterror. Continued scientific investigation into <i>B. anthracis</i> is not only critical in the prevention of the disease, but it promises to reveal new discoveries about the microbial world and its interactions with human hosts.</p>","PeriodicalId":18520,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews","volume":" ","pages":"e0027425"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602937/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148813525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effective influenza treatment: a comprehensive review of challenges and advances.","authors":"Kristina Pomeshikova, Artem Poromov, Michaela Schmidtke, Vadim Makarov","doi":"10.1128/mmbr.00441-25","DOIUrl":"10.1128/mmbr.00441-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SUMMARYInfluenza viruses remain a serious global health problem, causing annual epidemics and potential pandemics with significant morbidity and mortality. Antiviral therapy, particularly with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), is a critical component of influenza control. This comprehensive review analyzes the current landscape of DAA drugs, with special attention paid to the complexity of synthesis, pharmacokinetic properties, and the development of antiviral resistance. We evaluated approved treatments, including neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors, viral RNA polymerase inhibitors, hemagglutinin (HA) inhibitors, and M2 ion channel blockers. We identify several critical obstacles to effective treatment: (i) the high genetic variability of influenza viruses, which facilitates the emergence of resistance, particularly in the case of M2 blockers (widespread) and, to a lesser but concerning extent, NA and polymerase inhibitors, both through natural evolution and selective pressure during drug treatment, and (ii) the suboptimal pharmacokinetic profiles of many existing drugs. This review provides a crucial framework for evaluating existing and investigational drugs for influenza, emphasizing the need to develop balanced therapeutic strategies that consider efficacy, resistance management, and global accessibility. The novelty of this review is a comprehensive comparative analysis of not only the drugs officially recommended by the WHO but also a wide range of other anti-influenza drugs approved in individual countries or under development. We have identified key comparative aspects that are discussed in detail here and are not always brought together in other reviews. The purpose of the article is to provide a generalized overview of the current state of knowledge, identify key trends and problems, and discuss future prospects without providing new primary data or experimental results.</p>","PeriodicalId":18520,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews","volume":" ","pages":"e0044125"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602942/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148204786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Role of TMDs in Class I viral fusion proteins.","authors":"Juan Ortiz-Mateu, Luis Martinez-Gil","doi":"10.1128/mmbr.00006-26","DOIUrl":"10.1128/mmbr.00006-26","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SUMMARYClass I fusion proteins are trimeric viral membrane proteins that mediate fusion between the virion and cellular membranes. In their prefusion state, they comprise three domains: a globular \"head\" domain that binds the target cell receptor, a helical \"stalk\" domain, and a transmembrane domain (TMD) at the carboxy-terminal end that anchors the protein in the viral membrane. However, it is now evident that the role of the TMD extends beyond simple membrane anchoring. This review explores the dynamic and regulatory functions of the TMD throughout the viral life cycle. TMDs contribute to intracellular trafficking and modulate membrane fusion activity and receptor binding. During virion assembly, they facilitate the incorporation of fusion proteins into budding particles, and influence virion formation and release. Furthermore, TMDs mediate interactions between viral and host proteins, shaping the structural organization of viral complexes, and impacting cellular responses to infection. Collectively, these findings highlight the TMD as a critical determinant of viral fitness and infectivity, underscoring its potential as a novel therapeutic target.</p>","PeriodicalId":18520,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews","volume":" ","pages":"e0000626"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602934/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148295217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}