{"title":"Interferon family feud determines immunity to mycobacteria","authors":"Olga Babadei,Thomas Decker","doi":"10.1016/j.chom.2026.07.017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.07.017","url":null,"abstract":"The immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection leverages the interferon system. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Fattinger and colleagues1 provide compelling evidence for a previously suspected antagonism of type I interferons and interferon-γ as an important determinant of susceptibility against Mtb infection.","PeriodicalId":9693,"journal":{"name":"Cell host & microbe","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":30.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The rice circadian clock orchestrates the rhizosphere microbiome to synchronize nitrogen supply with plant demand","authors":"Mengke Du,Shunan Zhang,Lei Zheng,Huiwen Lv,Haotian Xue,Guanzhong Shou,Yi Jin,Hongye Qu,Gen Li,Aiqun Chen,Jun Wu,Guohua Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.016","url":null,"abstract":"Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is pivotal for sustainable agriculture but is limited by spatiotemporal mismatches between soil N supply and crop N demand. Here, we show that the rice circadian clock component Nhd1 coordinates rhizosphere microbial activity with plant diurnal N uptake. Nhd1 drives a rhythmic root exudation program: quercetin 3-gentiobioside peaks during the day against a constitutive baseline of baimaside secretion, both of which upregulate core microbial N-cycling genes to boost ammonium bioavailability. This Nhd1-orchestrated exudation rhythm aligns microbial N turnover with peak plant N demand. A synchronized microbial community engineered to match this diurnal N release pattern increased grain yield and NUE in field trials, with far greater benefits in cultivars harboring weak versus strong Nhd1 alleles. Our work uncovers a mechanism by which the plant circadian clock directly coordinates rhizosphere microbial functions to optimize N acquisition, thus providing a tractable strategy for sustainable crop production.","PeriodicalId":9693,"journal":{"name":"Cell host & microbe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":30.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Toward medical countermeasures against hantaviruses","authors":"Martin Ferrié,Johan Neyts","doi":"10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.002","url":null,"abstract":"Hantaviruses are zoonotic threats that can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and severe cardiopulmonary syndrome. Despite disease severity, there are no approved vaccines or therapeutics available for the prevention or management of hantavirus infections. Here, we discuss advances in the development of vaccines, neutralizing antibodies, and small-molecule antiviral therapeutics.","PeriodicalId":9693,"journal":{"name":"Cell host & microbe","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":30.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pulling the strings: Endobacteria manipulate fungal mycotoxin production","authors":"Morgan E. Carter","doi":"10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.007","url":null,"abstract":"In an overlooked but common phenomenon, bacteria colonize fungi and change how the eukaryotic microbe inhabits niches. In this issue, Wei et al. present a comprehensive look at an endofungal bacterium, identifying a mechanism to change plant disease outcomes through antagonism of beneficial soil microbes.","PeriodicalId":9693,"journal":{"name":"Cell host & microbe","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":30.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Hippo-thesis: Can bacteria turn back reproductive time?","authors":"Caroline M. Mitchell","doi":"10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.012","url":null,"abstract":"Fertility declines with age, partly because the endometrium ages alongside the oocyte. In this issue, Li et al. show that Lactobacillus gasseri and its exopolysaccharide reduce endometrial senescence and improve implantation in aged mice. Although senescence markers responded similarly in human endometrial cells, effects on human pregnancy rates remain unclear.","PeriodicalId":9693,"journal":{"name":"Cell host & microbe","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":30.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Microbial indole-3-acetamide alleviates polycystic ovary syndrome through HIF-2α-ceramide signaling","authors":"Weixuan Chen,Min Zhao,Sen Yan,Meng Li,Chuan Ye,Chuyu Yun,Lingkai Zhang,Yuejian Mao,Zhiyuan Yan,Yongping Wen,Yong Ding,Xinyu Qi,Kai Wang,Changtao Jiang,Yanli Pang","doi":"10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.015","url":null,"abstract":"Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine disease and metabolic disorder in women that is marked by abnormalities in adipose tissue and gut microbial dysbiosis. However, it remains unclear whether and how the gut microbiota affects adipose tissue, thereby leading to the development of PCOS. Here, we find that intestinal Collinsella aerofaciens and its metabolite indole-3-acetamide (IAM) are significantly reduced in PCOS patients. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that C. aerofaciens produces IAM through an IAM synthase, which activates the adipose hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF-2α) signaling pathway and promotes adipose ceramide degradation, thereby ameliorating the PCOS phenotype. A constructed IAM-producing engineered probiotic ameliorates PCOS in a mouse model. Together, our findings elucidate the link between gut dysbiosis and adipose tissue dysfunction in PCOS, while suggesting the potential of IAM as a treatment for PCOS.","PeriodicalId":9693,"journal":{"name":"Cell host & microbe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":30.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An upside of obesity: Diet-microbe synergy aids immunotherapy","authors":"Laura A. Bolte,Johannes R. Björk,Thomas Vogl","doi":"10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.004","url":null,"abstract":"While obesity is generally associated with unfavorable health outcomes, there are notable exceptions. In cancer immunotherapy, epidemiological studies consistently link obesity to improved checkpoint inhibitor responses. Desharnais et al. show in mouse models that this paradox is driven by diet-dependent interactions with the gut microbiome, not obesity itself.","PeriodicalId":9693,"journal":{"name":"Cell host & microbe","volume":"177 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":30.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hippuric acid metabolism by Corynebacterium glucuronolyticum-like bacteria promotes calcium oxalate crystallization","authors":"Kuan Qi,Huahui Wu,Shuqing Yan,Xiao Xiao,Heng Zhang,Zhiyong Shen,Rong Chen,Aisi Fu,Yuxiang Tan,Yongzhi Wang,Yang Gao,Dongai Yao,Zixin Deng,Tongzu Liu,Hua Xu,Tiangang Liu,Ran Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.009","url":null,"abstract":"Nephrolithiasis (kidney stone disease) incidence is rising, and microbes have been implicated in kidney stone formation, yet the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely defined. Here, urinary microbiome analysis reveals enrichment of Corynebacterium glucuronolyticum-like (C. glucuronolyticum-like) bacteria in calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone patients. In vivo and in vitro experiments suggest that C. glucuronolyticum-like bacteria promote CaOx crystal nucleation and aggregation in experimental models. Mechanistically, hippuric acid (HA) is identified as a key urinary anti-crystallization metabolite. C. glucuronolyticum-like bacteria degrade HA by expressing HA hydrolase, thereby accelerating crystal nucleation, while biofilm formation accelerates crystal aggregation. C. glucuronolyticum-like bacteria exhibit multidrug resistance, and even effective antibiotics show poor efficacy. However, HA supplementation or cranberry-derived diets attenuate C. glucuronolyticum-like bacteria-associated CaOx crystallization in experimental models. These findings suggest that C. glucuronolyticum-like bacteria contribute to CaOx crystallization through metabolic regulation and biofilm assembly, highlighting C. glucuronolyticum-like bacteria and HA hydrolase as therapeutic targets.","PeriodicalId":9693,"journal":{"name":"Cell host & microbe","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":30.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148902527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A microbial chromatin remodeler drives gastric cancer progression and immune evasion by reprogramming the host epigenome","authors":"Xiaoshan Xie,Yue Wei,Jiaying Zheng,Zhikai Zheng,Xijie Chen,Jiarui Wang,Ning Ma,Xiaoling Huang,Peng Zhang,Boyu Zhang,Hanyong Cai,Li Ma,Lishi Xiao,Qingxin Liu,Wenyu Wang,Sachiyo Nomura,Shi Chen,Xiangqi Meng,Mong-Hong Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.08.011","url":null,"abstract":"First-line treatment for gastric cancer (GC) includes PD-1 blockade with chemotherapy, but resistance challenges treatment success. We identify Streptococcus anginosus (SA) as a tumor-resident oncobacterium driving GC progression and immune evasion. SA is enriched in GC patient tumors and drives tumor growth in mice. SA extracellular vesicles (saEVs) translocate the bacterial chromatin remodeler saSNF2 into host cells. saSNF2 partners with host transcription factor TEAD1—through its ATPase activity and participation in BRG1/BRM-associated factor (BAF) complex assembly—to activate oncogenic transcription. This transkingdom interaction upregulates the palmitoyltransferase ZDHHC11, which stabilizes PD-L1 via palmitoylation to establish an immunosuppressive niche, while amplifying other TEAD1 target genes to fuel tumor progression. saEVs promote tumor growth and limit CD8+ T cell infiltration in vivo. Pharmacological inhibition of ZDHHC11 reverses immune evasion and synergizes with anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade. These findings establish SA as a multifaceted driver of GC and highlight the saSNF2-ZDHHC11 axis as a target to potentiate immunotherapy.","PeriodicalId":9693,"journal":{"name":"Cell host & microbe","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":30.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148899073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}