{"title":"Common Strategies Governing Temperate Phage and α-Herpesvirus Persistence.","authors":"Angus C Wilson, Ian Mohr","doi":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042424-071953","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042424-071953","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>All life-forms can be infected by viruses with double-stranded DNA genomes. Typically, permissive cells support a productive infection, where virus gene expression and DNA replication yield virion progeny resulting in cell death and/or immune clearance. Alternatively, certain viruses, including prokaryotic temperate bacteriophage and herpesviruses that infect multicellular eukaryotes, establish a persistent state in permissive cells (lysogeny in bacteria, latency in eukaryotes) where productive infection is repressed, permitting viral genome maintenance while deferring virus replication and particle assembly until conditions shift to favor productive infection. We compare examples drawn from temperate bacteriophage with more recent developments using the prototypical human α-herpesvirus herpes simplex virus 1 to illustrate mechanisms that control persistence or foster productive infection. Remarkably, despite vast evolutionary distance, similar physiological cues (genome integrity, nutrient status, cell communication signals) govern the switch between persistence and productive infection. Thus, monitoring basic homeostatic indicators determines lysogenic/latent or productive infection outcomes, representing a conserved virus persistence strategy.</p>","PeriodicalId":7946,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"105-124"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148403462","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":"Ribosome Collisions Trigger Ribosome Rescue in Bacteria.","authors":"Allen R Buskirk","doi":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042524-081804","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042524-081804","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ribosome rescue pathways recycle the subunits from stalled ribosomes and target the aborted nascent peptide for degradation. Building upon seminal studies in eukaryotes, recent work in bacteria shows that rescue pathways are triggered by ribosome collisions. When an upstream ribosome catches up to a stalled one, a unique interface that directly recruits rescue factors forms between them. The nuclease SmrB in <i>Escherichia coli</i>, for example, cleaves mRNA, targeting it for decay and triggering the rescue of upstream ribosomes by transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA). In contrast, MutS2/RqcU in <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> splits stalled ribosomes into subunits without mRNA cleavage. Finally, the helicase HrpA splits stalled ribosomes in <i>E. coli</i> through a different mechanism. This review focuses on the discovery of these factors; the structural basis of their activities on collided disomes; and how, after splitting, the nascent chains trapped on 50S are targeted for degradation by the ribosome-associated quality control pathway.</p>","PeriodicalId":7946,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"179-200"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148576844","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":"Bacterial Physiology in the Context of Algal Partners.","authors":"Einat Segev","doi":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042924-052612","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042924-052612","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Marine bacteria display diverse lifestyles, many of which are shaped by close associations with microalgal partners. In the photic zone, where microalgae fix carbon through photosynthesis, bacteria consume algal-derived organic matter and often exhibit growth patterns that mirror algal activity and abundance. These interactions expose bacteria to strong fluctuations, with bursts of algal exudates during high productivity alternating with periods of scarcity. To cope, algal-associated bacteria have evolved strategies that balance rapid growth with the ability to endure starvation. This review highlights current knowledge and open questions in the physiology of algal-associated bacteria across three stages: the growth phase, supported by algal resources; the starvation phase, marked by storage strategies and a regulated decrease in cellular functions; and the transitions between these states, shaped by algal cues and corresponding bacterial responses. I hope this synthesis of our current understanding and the challenges ahead will inspire broader recognition of the importance and excitement of studying bacterial physiology in an environmental context.</p>","PeriodicalId":7946,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"17-35"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147925764","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}
Ram Sanath-Kumar, Qin Liao, Zhongqing Ren, Xindan Wang
{"title":"Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes Complexes in Bacteria.","authors":"Ram Sanath-Kumar, Qin Liao, Zhongqing Ren, Xindan Wang","doi":"10.1146/annurev-micro-041222-034556","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-micro-041222-034556","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) complexes are conserved ATP-driven machines that organize, compact, and segregate genomes in all domains of life. Despite variation in subunit composition and regulation, all SMC complexes share a core structure and mechanism of action. Bacteria possess two major classes of SMC complexes, SMC-ScpAB and MukBEF, which function in chromosome compaction and segregation. In addition, some bacteria contain other SMC complexes or SMC-like systems such as MksBEF, Wadjet, RecN, and SbcC, each with specialized functions. Bacterial SMC complexes coordinate genome maintenance, DNA replication, DNA repair, plasmid defense, and cell physiology. In this review, we discuss the structure and function of these bacterial SMC complexes, highlighting the shared characteristics and unique strategies employed by each.</p>","PeriodicalId":7946,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"243-262"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148688303","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":"Biomolecular Condensates in Bacteria.","authors":"David Moses, Anamika Avni, Keren Lasker","doi":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042424-021950","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-micro-042424-021950","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacteria use membraneless compartments, or biomolecular condensates, to organize cellular processes in space and time. These condensates assemble and function within a highly constrained physical landscape shaped by a crowded cytoplasm, structured nucleoid, membrane surfaces, and distinct polar zones. In this review, we examine condensates involved in genome maintenance, RNA metabolism, cell division, signaling, and metabolic regulation, focusing on how cellular microenvironments and physiological state shape when and where these condensates form, which molecules they recruit, and the material states they adopt. In turn, condensates can concentrate molecules for biochemical reactions, sequester them for storage or protection, release or redistribute them as conditions change, and position them at specific cellular sites. Disentangling the contribution of the condensed state from that of the underlying molecular interactions will be essential for determining how condensates regulate bacterial physiology.</p>","PeriodicalId":7946,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of microbiology","volume":"80 1","pages":"593-618"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149242744","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":"<i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i>: Local and Systemic Virulence.","authors":"Richard J Lamont, George Hajishengallis","doi":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042924-025307","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042924-025307","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The asaccharolytic anaerobe <i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i> is a contextually virulent keystone pathogen in the onset and progression of periodontal diseases. <i>P. gingivalis</i> is equipped with an array of virulence factors that promote oral colonization and adaptation to the prevailing heme and oxygen levels in the periodontal ecosystem. Interactions among the oral polymicrobial community lead to increased nososymbiocity (community pathogenicity), and <i>P. gingivalis</i> is adept at inducing dysbiotic inflammatory responses. In particular, the decoupling of inflammation from bacterial killing mechanisms misdirects innate immunity and provides proteinaceous metabolic substrates. The properties that underlie the success of <i>P. gingivalis</i> also provide the framework for its versatility as a systemic pathogen. <i>P. gingivalis</i> can exert a systemic influence following, for example, hematogenous spread and localization at remote tissues. Additionally, secreted bioactive components and metabolites, as well as locally generated immune effectors, have the potential to disrupt homeostasis on a systemic level. The ability to subvert epithelial cell life-and-death decisions further endows <i>P. gingivalis</i> with oncopathogenic properties. In this review, we first examine polymicrobial synergy, colonization, and metabolic adaptation in the periodontal niche; then analyze mechanisms of immune subversion at epithelial and myeloid interfaces; and finally discuss how these strategies contribute to periodontitis and to systemic inflammatory, autoimmune, neurodegenerative, and neoplastic diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":7946,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"523-544"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148879006","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":"Host-Pathogen Interactions in Malaria: Invasion, Neutralization, and Evasion.","authors":"Thayne H Dickey, Niraj H Tolia","doi":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042424-032639","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042424-032639","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Malaria remains a major global health burden despite decades of effort toward its prevention and treatment. Much of this difficulty stems from the complexity of the <i>Plasmodium</i> parasite's life cycle and its interactions with the human host. Here, we review receptor-ligand interactions between the <i>Plasmodium</i> parasite and human host, with a focus on clinically relevant antigens. The parasite uses a variety of proteins at each stage of its life cycle to achieve requisite functions such as motility, cell traversal, and invasion. In turn, the human immune response targets these key parasite antigens, and we review well-characterized antibody-antigen interactions. Finally, we describe several mechanisms the parasite uses to evade the human immune response. Understanding of this evolutionary back-and-forth has inspired several different vaccines and therapeutics, and we describe ongoing efforts to create improved next-generation versions.</p>","PeriodicalId":7946,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"37-60"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148238613","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":"Structure and Function of the Type IX Secretion System for Protein Secretion and Cellular Motility.","authors":"Yaëlle Aouizerate, Thierry Doan, Eric Cascales","doi":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042324-112641","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-micro-042324-112641","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The type IX secretion system (T9SS) is a <i>Bacteroidota</i>-specific multiprotein machine that supports a wide range of biological processes, from nutrient acquisition and surface modification to host interaction and gliding motility. T9SS effectors represent a structurally diverse repertoire of enzymes, adhesins, and surface proteins that all possess a C-terminal domain that addresses them to their final destination. Recent structural and mechanistic information has revealed the modular organization of the T9SS and molecular details governing effector selection, transport, processing, and sorting. In motile <i>Bacteroidota</i>, the T9SS has been co-opted, evolved, and specialized for gliding motility. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on T9SS architecture and function, describe the embedded gliding machinery, and highlight conceptual advances and open questions regarding the mechanisms, dynamics, and ecological implications of this unique system.</p>","PeriodicalId":7946,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"309-330"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148668185","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}
Irene M Stoutland, Mai V Beauclaire, Mikael H Elias, Helen E Blackwell
{"title":"Structure-Based Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms of LuxR-Type Quorum Sensing Receptors.","authors":"Irene M Stoutland, Mai V Beauclaire, Mikael H Elias, Helen E Blackwell","doi":"10.1146/annurev-micro-053025-083338","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-micro-053025-083338","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quorum sensing (QS) enables bacteria to coordinate collective behaviors in response to population density. LuxI/R QS systems, common among gram-negative bacteria, consist of a LuxI-type synthase that produces an <i>N-</i>acyl l-homoserine lactone (AHL) signaling molecule and a LuxR-type receptor that senses the AHL. At threshold AHL concentrations, LuxR-type receptors undergo ligand-induced conformational changes that affect DNA binding and target gene transcription. Because of their role in regulating myriad collective behaviors, LuxI/R systems are targets for many applications, including antivirulence strategies and the engineering of beneficial microbiomes. Recent structural studies have led to substantial progress in understanding molecular mechanisms of LuxI/R systems. However, LuxR-type receptors fall into functionally diverse subfamilies for which structural bases remain incompletely understood. In this article, we summarize recent structural and mechanistic insights into LuxR-type receptor function, including interactions with small molecules, protein partners, and DNA. We identify critical knowledge gaps that highlight the need for additional structural and mechanistic information regarding LuxI/R QS.</p>","PeriodicalId":7946,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"287-308"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148668180","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":"Mg2+, ATP, and the Control of Bacterial Metabolism.","authors":"Nick D Pokorzynski, Eduardo A Groisman","doi":"10.1146/annurev-micro-041326-012651","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-micro-041326-012651","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In all living cells, chemical reactions known as metabolism generate energy and building blocks for cellular structures. Metabolism produces and consumes ATP, the major currency of cellular energy. Because approximately 85% of ATP is bound to Mg2+, bacteria reduce their ATP concentration when cytoplasmic Mg2+ availability drops below a certain threshold. This reduction in ATP concentration reshapes metabolism and gene transcription as well as protein synthesis, solubility, and turnover. This article reviews how ATP acts both directly and via ATP-derived signaling molecules, such as 3',5'-cyclic AMP (cAMP), bis-(3',5')-cyclic dimeric-AMP (c-di-AMP), diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap<sub>4</sub>A), and guanosine-3',5'-tetra- and pentaphosphate [(p)ppGpp], which direct adaptations to stresses bacteria experience in their natural environments. It also discusses how Mg2+-responsive regulatory systems supersede canonical control of metabolism and protein homeostasis by governing ATP amounts and how this bacterial response slows growth, modifies cell envelope structures, and favors survival.</p>","PeriodicalId":7946,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of microbiology","volume":"80 1","pages":"409-432"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149242669","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}