Highlights Qdr3 coordinates cellular homeostasis in C. auris. qdr3 deletion remodels mitochondrial function. Loss of Qdr3 alters biofilm architecture and extracellular matrix production. qdr3 deletion enhances virulence. Qdr3 links membrane transport, mitochondrial function, and virulence. Abstract Candida auris (also known as Candidozyma auris) relies on extensive transporter networks to maintain cellular homeostasis and adapt to environmental stress, yet the broader regulat

Highlights C. albicans Th17 cells are restricted to a few proteins contained in fungal EVs The oral mucosa is a major reservoir of Th17 cells, dominated by C. albicans reactivity C. albicans-reactive Th17 cells are shared between oral and gut tissues Homeostatic C. albicans Th17 cells adapt pathogenic traits in Crohn’s disease Summary The commensal yeast Candida albicans is a major inducer of human mucosal Th17 cells. How C. albicans drives Th17 cell responses at homeostasis,

Highlights Single-cell Raman spectroscopy coupled with D2O labeling was first applied to Vibrio splendidus persisters. V. splendidus persisters are metabolically active rather than fully dormant. Persisters show remodeled cellular components with decreased nucleic acids and increased lipids and polysaccharides. Vitamin C inhibits persisters by suppressing the stringent response, providing a green anti-persister approach. Abstract Persister cells, a multidrug-tolerant bacteria

Highlights Sublethal oxytetracycline and CuCl2 elevated per-cell 18S rDNA/rRNA copy numbers, disrupting allometric scaling with cell volume in two ciliated protists. Oxytetracycline selectively increased rRNA: rDNA ratios, revealing stressor-specific ribosomal regulation. Both stressors induced persistent intragenomic polymorphisms of 18S rRNA gene. Pollutant-induced ASV inflation may bias microbial diversity estimates. Abstract Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes serve as foundationa

Highlights Bedtime probiotic intake retains 100,000x more bacteria than daytime intake. Oral-origin L. reuteri strain colonizes better than the non-oral isolate. Probiotic persistence varies widely interindividually, some individuals retain strains 7+ days. Supragingival plaque shows highest proportional probiotic abundance by site. Higher probiotic levels correlate with greater pocket depth reduction in periodontitis. Abstract The clinical application of probiotics for oral

Highlights The global regulator ppGpp plays a central role in controlling AIEC virulence. Loss of ppGpp impairs virulence across in vitro and in vivo infection models. Two candidate biomarkers with discriminatory potential for AIEC identification were defined. Abstract Strain LF82 belongs to the Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) pathotype, found in 21% to 63% of Crohn’s disease (CD) patients. Many studies have explored its specific virulence mechanisms, but AIEC isola

People who live together share more oral and gut microbes with each other than with other people in their communities, according to a study published June 15, 2026, in the Cell Press journal Cell Press Blue. This was true regardless of the cohabitants’ relationships—siblings, parents, and offspring all shared similar numbers of microbial strains, and romantic partners shared even more oral (but not gut) microbes with each other, likely due to kissing. The research, covered in

Abstract Pit mud (PM) microbiota play a vital role in Baijiu flavor formation, yet its ecological and functional succession during maturation remains incompletely elucidated. Here, physicochemical profiling, amplicon sequencing, and metagenomics were integrated to investigate 5-, 15-, and 30-year PM of Sichuan Tang Dynasty Laojiao cellars. Bacteria dominated the community (82.59%), followed by Archaea (16.99%), with Lactobacillus acetotolerans, Ruminococcaceae CPB6, and Metha

Highlights Microbial pantothenic acid (PA) supply is reduced in individuals with MetS panC enables B. fragilis to supply PA to the colonic microenvironment B. fragilis PA biosynthesis preserves the gut barrier and alleviates MetS Microbial PA sustains KLF4 via the PANK2/3-CoA axis to support differentiation Summary Pantothenic acid (PA), or vitamin B5, can be synthesized by gut commensals, but the contribution of microbial PA to metabolic health remains unclear. Here, we find

Highlight Bacterial isolates showed positive or negative effects on barley growth. GR effects were neutralized by GP and NA isolates in SynCom. GP isolates suppressed GR via contact-dependent T6SS activity. Cytokinin produced by GP/NA; Variovorax degraded IAA. Root microbiome shaped by fertilization and season, not inoculation. Abstract Microbial communities in plant roots are shaped by complex interbacterial interactions, yet how these interactions translate into plant fitne

Highlights Deficiency of MrMFS1 was confirmed to underlie to the accelerated growth. No morphological or physiological alterations were observed upon deletion of MrMFS1. The deletion mutant exhibits enhanced stress tolerance and insecticidal activity. MrMFS1 mediates the proton-coupled efflux of acetic acid. Abstract Identifying potential growth and virulence regulons that contribute to the efficacy of biopesticides has long been a central focus of biocontrol research. A shor

Summary Antibiotics are among medicine’s greatest successes, but resistance evolution threatens their continued efficacy. Decades of research have deepened our understanding of the mechanisms and evolutionary dynamics of antimicrobial resistance. More recently, advances in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) show promise in predicting antimicrobial resistance in pathogens based on rapid whole-genome sequencing and other accessible data. In this perspective,

Highlights Halococci differ from other haloarchaea by their thick cell wall structure. Currently no viruses are known to infect Halococci. Seven novel Halococcus strains were characterized and the genomes sequenced. The novel Halococcus strains contain predicted anti-viral defence mechanisms. Detected proviruses indicate that Halococci are infected by viruses in nature. Abstract Halococcus species are widely distributed in hypersaline environments and possess unusual cell wal

Highlights Gut microbiome CRC signature is universal across age groups and sequencing approaches Tumor-enriched microbes are concordant with fecal CRC signatures Increasing dietary fiber intake reduces the microbiome CRC signature score Fusobacterium subspecies show biogeographic variation in CRC enrichment Summary Numerous studies have linked gut microbiome alterations to colorectal cancer (CRC), but limited sample sizes and study heterogeneity have hampered cross-study comp

Highlights Climate stressors restructure soil microhabitats, reassembling microbial guilds that regulate C–N–P cycling and resilience. Cross-domain feedbacks link pore architecture and soil chemistry to microbiome functions and emergent soil health outcomes. Rhizosphere mechanisms (exudates, siderophores, ACC deaminase, ISR, AMF/N-fixing symbioses) provide actionable leverage points under stress. Integrative indicators connect physical, chemical, and biological metrics to soi

Highlights CBASS antagonizes phage replication while preserving cell viability in P. aeruginosa 3′,3′-cGAMP-activated CapV targets diverse phages and overcomes CBASS inhibitors CBASS-sensitive phages transcribe and replicate their genome CBASS activity limits packaged phage DNA, reducing virion production Summary Cyclic-oligonucleotide-based anti-phage signaling system (CBASS) is an immune pathway that recognizes phage infection and generates cyclic nucleotide signals, which

Highlights Isolated TPD-causing V. parahaemolyticus strain P40.49 from infected shrimp. Experimental infection confirmed the pathogenicity of the TPD-causing strain P40.49. Whole genome sequencing confirmed the presence of ∼69 kbp TPD-associated plasmid. The shrimp stomach and intestine tissues are ideal for early TPD detection (6 hpi). Four unique TPD-associated genes may serve as additional markers for TPD detection. Abstract Emerging infectious diseases threaten shrimp aqu

Highlights W. chondrophila encodes two Ndk paralogs, unlike most Chlamydiota. ndk genes are early expressed and protein levels peak during bacterial replication. WcNdk1 is inclusion-bound, while WcNdk2 localizes to host cell compartments. AZT inhibits bacterial growth and protects host cells from infection-induced death. AZT sensitivity is linked to ndk2 presence, implicating WcNdk2 as functional target. Abstract The Chlamydiota phylum consists of obligate intracellular bacte

Highlights Adjunctive oral FMT accelerates antidepressant response as early as week 2 Superior efficacy persists through 8 weeks with no additional side effects FMT reshapes gut microbes, with donor strains coexisting in recipients Benefits are mediated by elevated bile acids and reduced systemic inflammation Summary Gut microbiota may influence antidepressant treatment outcomes, yet whether targeted modulation can enhance efficacy remains unclear. We conducted a randomized,

Highlights YprA-family helicases are a central hub in the prokaryotic defense system network YprA phylogeny analysis identifies a distinct class of defense systems called ARMADA ARMADA protects bacteria against diverse phages and synergizes with Druantia III ARMADA, Druantia III, and Zorya II co-occur in phage-like integrated elements Summary Bacteria and archaea possess an enormous variety of antiviral immune systems that often share homologous proteins and domains. YprA-fam