Excited to share the newest paper from our team, where we uncovered a potential role of the uncultured gut #microbiome in health: www.cell.com/cell-host-mi.... Out now in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social @cellpress.bsky.social. With Ana C. da Silva, Jacob Lapkin, Qi Yin and Efrat Muller.

Weekend read! Structural proteome unfolds insight into gut microbiome: Structure database of gut microbial proteins & structure-aware AI model for remote homolog detection. Reveals diversification of phage endolysins & bacterial enzymes in melatonin biosynthesis www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

HMGB1 guards gut mucosal barrier HMGB1 in colonic mucus directly targets bacterial adhesins to protect the gut epithelium against commensal bacteria. Ulcerative colitis is associated with HGMB1 failure & adhesion of target bacteria www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

DNA recognition-mimicry switch governs induction in arbitrium phages: · Antirepressor triggers prophage entry into lytic cycle · Antirepressor inactivates master repressor by mimicking DNA target · Antirepressor controlled by host SOS response www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Arbitrium system controls lysis/lysogeny via antirepression: Arbitrium systems are embedded in 5-gene extended system. In absence of arbitrium signal, receptor activates antirepressor that interferes with repressor dimerization through molecular mimicry www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Evolution of root nodule symbiosis A single origin of root nodule symbiosis regulatory networks, followed by lineage-specific refinements & repeated losses in non-nodulation lineages, provides unifying framework to understand evolution of this complex trait www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

🫴 Fantastic work: DNA recognition-mimicry switch governs induction in arbitrium phages: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @spp2330.bsky.social #subtiwiki @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social

Chemical inhibition of a bacterial immune system Small molecules inhibit type II Thoeris anti-phage systems from diverse bacteria. One compound, IP6C, improves phage-therapy against P. aeruginosa & is effective against Thoeris in polymicrobial communities www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Protists shift bacterial interactions Soil protist predation shifts bacterial metabolic interactions from competitive to cooperative. Protist-driven microbial cross-feeding enhances plant-beneficial functions www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Predation by soil protists shifts bacterial metabolism from competitive to cooperative interactions -in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social from Wu Xiong (Qirong Shen) with Stefan Geisen, Alex Jousset www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Temporal rhythms govern coral-symbiont relationship Changes in gene expression & microbiome of reef-building coral & algal symbionts through diel cycles. Dawn is time for host molecular activation, while microbes shift metabolic contributions between day/night www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Probiotics eradicate glioblastoma E. coli Nissle locally produces bispecific engagers to recruit & instruct in situ-edited CAR macrophages. Microbe-guided CAR macrophages overcome glioblastoma antigenic heterogeneity & establish durable antitumor immune memory www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

E. faecalis lactic acid suppresses macrophages Enterococcus faecalis-derived lactic acid suppresses macrophage NF-κB activation via MCT-1 & GPR81. This lactic-acid-driven immunosuppression promotes bacterial persistence & polymicrobial infection www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Lactic acid lover? Check out @ronni.bsky.social 's new work in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social showing how Enterococcus faecalis-derived LA suppresses macrophage activation, in turn promoting bacterial persistence and polymicrobial wound infection in vivo. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Dual-purpose switch for NLRP6 UBE2O-mediated mono-Ub of NLRP6 at K680–687 & K115–130 promotes inflammasome assembly & ensures cytoplasmic localization. UBE2O deficiency or mono-Ub-resistant NLRP6 mutations increase infection susceptibility www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

A small molecule with larger-than-expected effects on hepatitis B virus Preview of recent work that developed a double-humanized chronic HBV murine model to test the capsid assembly modulator GLP-26. GLP-26 reduced HBV DNA & surface Ag and induced immunomodulation www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Steps to curing chronic HBV: Capsid assembly modulator depletes viremia while reducing hepatitis in chronic HBV-infected humanized mice. Treatment interruption induces functional immune responses & viral control, prompting seroconversion & functional cure cell.com/cell-host-mi...

CS: Host-microbiome dynamics abstract deadline extended to Feb 6. Share your research with leading scientists exploring the ecology of the human microbiome, its influence on host physiology & its complex interactions with the immune system. http://dlvr.it/TQVndt

Maternal-infant bidirectional communication Infant gut microbiomes are linked to maternal gut & milk factors in time-specific manner. Early gut profiles predict later milk composition, suggesting potential bidirectional communication within the mother-infant dyad www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Bacteria’s babysitter role: Indole-driven immune truce in the womb Preview of @cp-cell.bsky.social work showing maternal microbiota, specifically tryptophan derivatives produced by commensals, promote maternal tolerance of the fetus to improve pregnancy outcomes. www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

lncRNA induces trained immunity against TB: Exosomal lncRNA TRCR1 derived from Mtb resisters induces trained immunity via CLOCK-mediated epigenetic reprogramming. Mycobacterial MPT53 induces release of TRCR1+ exosomes. TRCR1 boosts immunity & BCG efficacy www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

METTL9 tests Candida’s mettle by limiting metal acquisition Highlight of new findings showing intestinal epithelial cells secrete anti-zincophore protein, METTL9, that limits fungal access to essential zinc, thereby diminishing colonization & growth www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

METTL9, a cross-kingdom antifungal effector Intestinal epithelial cells secrete histidine methyltransferase, METTL9, that methylates fungal zincophore PRA1, disrupting zinc acquisition & limiting Candida albicans colonization and dissemination www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Last chance to submit your abstract for @CellSymposia #CSMicrobiome2026! Bruges, Belgium | May 10–12, 2026 Join global leaders in microbiome and host interaction science. hubs.li/Q03-KLf_0

Viral theft of light Preview of @Nature work revealing how cyanophages use a viral nblA gene to accelerate infection by degrading the photosynthetic machinery of marine cyanobacteria. www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Microbes & spermatogenesis dysfunction High-altitude-induced microbial imbalance impairs sperm quality. C. symbiosum-derived succinic acid promotes spermatogenic cell apoptosis via triggering macrophage polarization via GPR91/TRPV4/Ca² www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Molecular basis of 60 yrs of evolution of influenza A(H3N2) NA Examination of antigenic evolution of N2 neuraminidase of human influenza A viruses from 1957-2020 revealed key substitutions. NA evolution was found to be discordant with that of hemagglutinin. www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Preview: Yin & yang of bacterial Asn in tumor biology When Bacteroides asparaginase depletes Asn, CD8 T cells lose stemness & effector capacity, promoting tumor progression. Deleting asparaginase restores Asn to tumor, enhancing anti-tumor immunity www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Featured Article: Microbiota modulates cancer by degrading amino acids Bacteroides asparaginase modulates host tumor responses to dietary asparagine by depleting Asn w/in TME. Reduced Asn impacts stemness of intratumoral CD8 T cells & tumor burden www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

New year, new issue, with “magnified” insights into microbiology! www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Bacteria protect from UVB irradiation • Rothia mucilaginosa on lips inversely correlates w/actinic cheilitis. • Rothia vesicles contain ferrochelatase, which stabilizes iron to alleviate UVB-induced ferroptosis. • Rothia vesicles relieve actinic cheilitis in patients www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Microbiota utilization of intestinal amino acids modulates cancer Bacteroides asparaginase, bo-ansB, modulates host tumor responses to dietary asparagine by depleting Asn w/in TME. Reduced Asn impacts stemness of intratumoral CD8 T cells & tumor burden www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Microbes potentiate spermatogenesis dysfunction High-altitude-induced microbial imbalance impairs sperm quality. C. symbiosum-derived succinic acid promotes spermatogenic cell apoptosis via triggering macrophage polarization via GPR91/TRPV4/Ca² www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

lncRNA induces trained immunity against TB: Exosomal lncRNA TRCR1 derived from Mtb resisters induces trained immunity via CLOCK-mediated epigenetic reprogramming. Mycobacterial MPT53 induces release of TRCR1+ exosomes. TRCR1 boosts immunity & BCG efficacy www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Steps to curing chronic HBV: Capsid assembly modulator depletes viremia while reducing hepatitis in chronic HBV-infected humanized mice. Treatment interruption induces functional immune responses & viral control, prompting seroconversion & functional cure www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Functional immune responses induced by a capsid assembly modulator in chronic hepatitis B virus-infected humanized mice @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social www.cell.com/cell-host-mi... @institutpasteur.bsky.social

METTL9, a cross-kingdom antifungal effector Intestinal epithelial cells secrete histidine methyltransferase, METTL9, that methylates fungal zincophore PRA1, disrupting zinc acquisition & limiting Candida albicans colonization and dissemination www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Viral enzymes degrade to evade Preview of work identifying & characterizing diverse families of viral two-histidine phosphodiesterase enzymes that degrade nucleotide-based signaling molecules, each with distinct substrate specificities. www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Divergent viral phosphodiesterases for immune signaling evasion Structure-based searches reveal exceptional diversity among viral 2H phosphodiesterases across the virome that evade immunity by degrading oligonucleotides www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Pseudomonas can make or break a happy phyllosphere microbiota Preview of work showing Pseudomonas strains can protect wheat against F. graminearum by counteracting alkalinization of the host environment by the fungus www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Pseudomonas mitigate Fusarium head blight via pH Host-acidifying Pseudomonas, selectively enriched in wheat phyllosphere during F. graminearum invasion, counteract pathogen-induced alkalinization through organic acid production, thereby suppressing FHB www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

I think this paper is among the most sophisticated I’ve been involved in producing 🥹 Today, we published our article below in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social with @lishideng.bsky.social @carllachat.bsky.social @meghanazad.bsky.social authors.elsevier.com/a/1mHq46t8JE... [1/6]

Commensal effectors establish heterogeneity B. thetaiotaomicron secretes self-targeting proteins that induce population heterogeneity.Differential expression of effectors & cognate protective factor allows single strain to diversify into sub-populations www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Infant gut microbiome & metabolic development Maternal & environmental factors shape gut microbiome & metabolome in Bangladeshi infants. Key signaling molecules, i.e.microbially derived bile acids & N-acyl lipids, increase w/ infant age. www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Segregating pneumonia into pneumotypes Preview of work using multi-omics to delineate “pneumotypes,” or distinct microbial states, in lungs of pneumonia patients. Pneumotypes have potential predictive value for clinical outcomes & therapeutic success www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Transitions in lung microbiota & pneumonia Microbiota states are predictive of pneumonia subtypes & exhibit differential stability & therapy response. Disruptive forces, e.g. aspiration, associated w/changes in gene expression & microbial community www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Symbiont-coral partnerships Hologenome of B. pseudoalternata reveals a division of labor between deep-sea coral & symbionts. Host provides habitat & manages immunity, while symbionts recycle waste, supply nutrients, resist viruses & produce antioxidants www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Microbes help corals conquer the deep sea Preview of work elucidating how intricate molecular adaptations of a coral host and its newly discovered microbial symbionts underpin their entwined lives in the deep sea. www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Restoring a gut Bifidobacterium community in early infancy In light of increasingly reduced Bifidobacterium in infant microbiomes, this Forum examines interventions that may prevent or reverse this dysbiosis, thus mitigating noncommunicable diseases www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Hide and seek: Cryptococcus evasion of microglial sensing enables meningitis Preview of work uncovering that delayed microglial activation provides Cryptococcus a temporal advantage in establishing CNS infections in a CD4+ T cell-competent setting. www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...