Highlights Genomics-driven discovery of a family of lanthipeptide BGCs with anti-phage function Anti-phage function is confirmed for 6 lanthipeptides in native or heterologous hosts Key enzymes and residues are identified for anti-phage function Lanthivirin expression inhibits phage replication through interaction with proteins Summary Bacteria produce natural products to adapt to their environments, with phage interactions as major ecological and evolutionary drivers. While

Highlights SidL is an actin-dependent adenylyltransferase that targets host glycolysis SidL adenylates 3PG to produce 2-AMP-3PG Expression of SidL in human cells disrupts glycolysis and blocks mTORC1 signaling Production of 2-AMP-3PG by SidL occurs early during the Legionella infection cycle Summary The large effector arsenal of the bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila has been a rich source of biochemistry, highlighting the immense diversity of strategies deployed in ho

Highlights An introduced analytical framework quantifies taxon–community associations to identify computationally inferred candidate keystone taxa. Application to five PVTGs identifies 121 candidate keystone taxa, most of which are population-specific, with a reproducible subset across traditional populations. Several candidate keystone taxa associated with lower community dispersion also show consistent associations with multiple disease conditions, highlighting priorities f

Highlights This review provides a mechanistic classification of bacterial neurotoxins. Neurotoxins are discussed as modulators of neural and neuroimmune networks. Emerging links between bacterial neurotoxins and the gut–brain axis are highlighted. The role of neurotoxins in neurodegenerative disorders is critically evaluated. Engineered neurotoxin platforms show promise for targeted neural therapeutics. Current translational opportunities and limitations in precision neurolog