Microbiology

DDX3 Regulates the Cap‐Independent Translation of the Japanese Encephalitis Virus via Its Interactions with PABP1 and the Untranslated Regions of the Viral Genome

1. Chenxi Li
2. Linjie Zhang
3. Chenyang Tang
4. Xuan Chen
5. Jing Shi
6. Qingyu Li
7. Xue Jiao
8. Jinyao Guo
9. Bin Wang
10. Kefan Bu
11. Abdul Wahaab
12. Yuguo Yuan
13. Ming‐an Sun
14. Yanhua Li

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This work is a valuable study that presents a detailed analysis of translation, driven by the untranslated regions of the Japanese encephalitis virus. It reports a role for the RNA helicase DDX3 in promoting a cap-independent translation mechanism. The conclusions are based on generally solid evidence, although there are some weaknesses in the overall model based on suboptimal experimental approaches and over-interpretation of some of the data. Addressing deficiencies noted in peer review could elevate the impact of the study.

Reviewed by eLife

Surface-mediated bacteriophage defense incurs fitness tradeoffs for interbacterial antagonism

1. Chia-En Tsai
2. Feng-Qi Wang
3. Chih-Wen Yang
4. Ling-Li Yang
5. Thao VP Nguyen
6. Yung-Chih Chen
7. Po-Yin Chen
8. Ing-Shouh Hwang
9. See-Yeun Ting

Reviewed by Review Commons

Organ structure and bacterial microbiogeography in a reproductive organ of the Hawaiian bobtail squid reveal dimensions of a defensive symbiosis

1. Derrick L. Kamp
2. Allison H. Kerwin
3. Sarah J. McAnulty
4. Spencer V. Nyholm

Reviewed by Arcadia Science

An unusual trafficking domain in MSRP6 defines a complex needed for Maurer’s clefts anchoring and maintenance in P. falciparum infected red blood cells

1. Alexandra Blancke Soares
2. Jan Stäcker
3. Svenja Schwald
4. Wieteke Hoijmakers
5. Nahla Galal Metwally
6. Jakob Cronshagen
7. Hanno Schoeler
8. Sven Flemming
9. Katharina Höhn
10. Ulrike Fröhlke
11. Paolo Mesén-Ramírez
12. Bärbel Bergmann
13. Melissa Khosh-Naucke
14. Iris Bruchhaus
15. Richárd Bártfai
16. Tobias Spielmann

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study presents valuable data on the identification and function of a protein complex present at the Maurer's cleft organelles of Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells. The evidence supporting the findings is solid, but would benefit from greater rigor in presentation and analysis.

Reviewed by eLife

Screening the MMV Pathogen Box reveals the mitochondrial bc1-complex as a drug target in mature Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites

1. Deborah Maus
2. Elyzana Putrianti
3. Tobias Hoffmann
4. Michael Laue
5. Frank Seeber
6. Martin Blume

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This valuable study utilizes a newly developed approach to culture T gondii bradyzoites in myotubes, and then takes advantage of the antiparasitic compound collection known as the Pathogen Box, to find compounds that target both tachyzoite and bradyzoite forms of the parasite. A set of compounds yielding patterns consistent with targeting the mitochondrial bc1 complex was explored further, with solid evidence for changes in ATP production in bradyzoites to support the conclusions about the importance of this complex. The paper will be interesting for parasitologists studying drug discovery of apicomplexan parasites.

Reviewed by eLife

A CRISPRi Library Screen in Group B Streptococcus Identifies Surface Immunogenic Protein (Sip) as a Mediator of Multiple Host Interactions

1. K Firestone
2. KP Gopalakrishna
3. LM Rogers
4. A Peters
5. JA Gaddy
6. C Nichols
7. MH Hall
8. HN Varela
9. SM Carlin
10. GH Hillebrand
11. EJ Giacobe
12. DM Aronoff
13. TA Hooven

Reviewed by Arcadia Science

Mapping the ultrastructural topology of the corynebacterial cell surface

1. Buse Isbilir
2. Anna Yeates
3. Vikram Alva
4. Tanmay A. M. Bharat

Reviewed by Review Commons

Inflammasomes primarily restrict cytosolic Salmonella replication within human macrophages

1. Marisa S Egan
2. Emily A O'Rourke
3. Shrawan Kumar Mageswaran
4. Biao Zuo
5. Inna Martynyuk
6. Tabitha Demissie
7. Emma N Hunter
8. Antonia R Bass
9. Yi-Wei Chang
10. Igor E Brodsky
11. Sunny Shin

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This paper provides fundamental insights into the control of Salmonella within human macrophages, with convincing evidence that Salmonella can replicate in the macrophage cytosol in the absence of inflammasome signaling. This paper, which improves our understanding of how the immune system fights bacterial infections, will be of broad interest to cell biologists, immunologists and microbiologists.

Reviewed by eLife

Combination of mitomycin C and low-dose metronidazole synergistically against Clostridioides difficile infection and recurrence prevention

1. Jun-Jia Gong
2. I-Hsiu Huang
3. Yuan-Pin Hung
4. Yi-Wei Chen
5. Yun-Chien Lin
6. Jenn-Wei Chen

Reviewed by Rapid Reviews Infectious Diseases

Birth of new protein folds and functions in the virome

1. Jason Nomburg
2. Nathan Price
3. Jennifer A. Doudna

Reviewed by Arcadia Science