{"title":"The role of artificial intelligence in microbial sciences to support climate resilience","authors":"Jack A. Gilbert, Karsten Zengler","doi":"10.1038/s41579-025-01178-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01178-7","url":null,"abstract":"Mitigating climate change requires innovative solutions, and microorganisms, combined with artificial intelligence, can help. This Comment explores artificial intelligence strategies aimed at supporting and improving the development of microbial technologies for climate change action.","PeriodicalId":18838,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Microbiology","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":88.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143876131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Epstein–Barr virus pathogenesis and emerging control strategies","authors":"Christian Münz","doi":"10.1038/s41579-025-01181-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01181-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Sixty years after its discovery as the first human tumour virus, Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-specific therapies and vaccines have entered clinical trials. These might not only be applicable for EBV-associated malignancies, where the virus was originally discovered, but also to immunopathologies, including the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis, which might be triggered in susceptible individuals by primary EBV infection. This Review discusses the surprisingly large spectrum of diseases that EBV seems to cause, as well as which of these might be treated by the therapeutic approaches that are currently being developed or are already clinically applied. New pharmacological inhibitors, antibody therapies, adoptive T cell therapies and active vaccinations are beginning to offer possibilities to target the various EBV infection programmes that are associated with different diseases. These novel developments might allow us to specifically target EBV rather than its host cells in virus-associated pathologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":18838,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Microbiology","volume":"71 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":88.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143872395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"E. faecium gains an edge from bacteriocin","authors":"Alakananda Karthick","doi":"10.1038/s41579-025-01187-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01187-6","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, Mills et al. identify bacteriocin T8 as a key factor conferring a competitive advantage to successful vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium lineages in hospital settings.","PeriodicalId":18838,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Microbiology","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":88.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143866500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Scavenging a pyrimidine to thrive","authors":"Agustina Taglialegna","doi":"10.1038/s41579-025-01186-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01186-7","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, Munneke et al. demonstrate that Clostridioides difficile scavenges the modified pyrimidine nucleobase 4-thiouracil to promote its pathogenesis in the vertebrate gut.","PeriodicalId":18838,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Microbiology","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":88.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143866559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tim B. Schille, Jakob L. Sprague, Julian R. Naglik, Sascha Brunke, Bernhard Hube
{"title":"Commensalism and pathogenesis of Candida albicans at the mucosal interface","authors":"Tim B. Schille, Jakob L. Sprague, Julian R. Naglik, Sascha Brunke, Bernhard Hube","doi":"10.1038/s41579-025-01174-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01174-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fungi are important and often underestimated human pathogens. Infections with fungi mostly originate from the environment, from soil or airborne spores. By contrast, <i>Candida albicans</i>, one of the most common and clinically important fungal pathogens, permanently exists in the vast majority of healthy individuals as a member of the human mucosal microbiota. Only under certain circumstances will these commensals cause infections. However, although the pathogenic behaviour and disease manifestation of <i>C. albicans</i> have been at the centre of research for many years, its asymptomatic colonization of mucosal surfaces remains surprisingly understudied. In this Review, we discuss the interplay of the fungus, the host and the microbiome on the dualism of commensal and pathogenic life of <i>C. albicans</i>, and how commensal growth is controlled and permitted. We explore hypotheses that could explain how the mucosal environment shapes <i>C. albicans</i> adaptations to its commensal lifestyle, while still maintaining or even increasing its pathogenic potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":18838,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Microbiology","volume":"74 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":88.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143841381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Lassoing bacterial ribosomes","authors":"Andrea Du Toit","doi":"10.1038/s41579-025-01182-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01182-x","url":null,"abstract":"This study reports the identification of a ribosome-targeting lasso peptide that acts on a new ribosomal binding site.","PeriodicalId":18838,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Microbiology","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":88.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143827142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Growing together under pressure","authors":"Andrea Du Toit","doi":"10.1038/s41579-025-01184-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01184-9","url":null,"abstract":"This study shows that mechanical pressure induces multicellular development in Haloferax volcanii.","PeriodicalId":18838,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Microbiology","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":88.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143827143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The global resistance problem and the clinical antibacterial pipeline","authors":"Ursula Theuretzbacher","doi":"10.1038/s41579-025-01169-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01169-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A comprehensive analysis of the clinical antibacterial pipeline demonstrates that there is a limited range of strategies that are primarily focused on modified versions of widely used chemical classes. These modifications aim to circumvent class-specific resistance mechanisms and reduce resistance rates in certain multidrug-resistant pathogens. Owing to the great variation in resistance rates and mechanisms, the clinical success of current approaches varies substantially across different countries, regions, and economic and environmental conditions, which affects the global societal value of these antibiotics that remain vulnerable to cross-resistance. Although there has been some progress in developing urgently needed antibiotics with novel targets and chemical structures, some of which have advanced to phase I/II trials, further breakthroughs are required. Additionally, adjunctive agents designed to enhance the outcome of conventional antibiotic therapies, along with bacteriophages that offer targeted and personalized treatments, are also under investigation. However, the potential of adjunctive therapeutics, such as antivirulence agents, and bacteriophages has yet to be realized in terms of feasibility and global societal impact.</p>","PeriodicalId":18838,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Microbiology","volume":"183 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":88.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cellular souvenirs in viral luggage","authors":"Yumary M. Vasquez","doi":"10.1038/s41579-025-01179-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01179-6","url":null,"abstract":"This Genome Watch article highlights recent findings of cellular-like genes in giant viruses and how these viruses acquire and repurpose host cellular machinery.","PeriodicalId":18838,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Microbiology","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":88.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A new strain of thought in gut metagenomics","authors":"Bonface M. Gichuki, Andrew G. Van Camp, Yan Shao","doi":"10.1038/s41579-025-01176-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01176-9","url":null,"abstract":"This Genome Watch discusses advancements in our understanding of interpersonal transmission dynamics of the human gut microbiota and their implications for host health and therapeutic outcomes.","PeriodicalId":18838,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Microbiology","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":88.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143758171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}