Faecalibacterium prausnitzii enzyme reprograms PD-L1 trafficking and sensitizes colorectal cancer to immunotherapy in mice Nature Microbiology, Published online: 17 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02326-2Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase from Faecalibacterium prausnitzii inhibits PD-L1 trafficking to boost anti-tumour immunity and potentiate anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy during colorectal cancer.

Out Now! Faecalibacterium prausnitzii enzyme reprograms PD-L1 trafficking and sensitizes colorectal cancer to immunotherapy in mice #MicroSky

A bacterial CARD–NLR-like immune system controls the release of gene transfer agents Nature Microbiology, Published online: 16 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02316-4An immunity-like system functions as a lysis control hub to promote gene transfer agent particle release from host bacterial cells, suggesting that bacterial immune systems may be co-opted to promote horizontal gene transfer.

Out Now! A bacterial CARD–NLR-like immune system controls the release of gene transfer agents #MicroSky

Structure of Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus RNA polymerase Nature Microbiology, Published online: 16 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02319-1Cryo-electron microscopy structures of Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus L polymerase in apo and RNA-bound states at 2.62 Å and 2.53 Å, respectively, map the domain architecture, elucidate promoter recognition and reveal RNA-induced conformational changes that stabilize catalytic motifs.

Out Now! Structure of Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus RNA polymerase #MicroSky

Impact of intensive control on malaria population genomics under elimination settings in Southeast Asia Nature Microbiology, Published online: 13 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02327-1Intensive control using village malaria posts and mass drug administration reduces parasite effective population size and increases genetic drift, driving founder effects and rapid shifts in resistance allele frequency.

Out Now! Impact of intensive control on malaria population genomics under elimination settings in Southeast Asia #MicroSky

Acetate utilization strategy in chain-elongating bacteria determines butyrate versus medium-chain carboxylate production Nature Microbiology, Published online: 13 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02320-8Assessment of the physiological trade-offs between short- and medium-chain carboxylic acid-producing bacteria reveals strategies that could optimize valorization of organic waste streams.

Out Now! Acetate utilization strategy in chain-elongating bacteria determines butyrate versus medium-chain carboxylate production #MicroSky

Long-term HIV-1 remission achieved through allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant from a CCR5Δ32/Δ32 sibling donor Nature Microbiology, Published online: 13 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02304-8This case study reports human immunodeficiency virus remission without antiretroviral treatment in an individual who received an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation from a sibling donor with a homozygous CCR5Δ32 mutation.

Out Now! Long-term HIV-1 remission achieved through allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant from a CCR5Δ32/Δ32 sibling donor #MicroSky

A penicillin-binding protein inhibitor series to target drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae Nature Microbiology, Published online: 08 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02309-3Emerging multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a global health threat in the treatment of gonorrhoea. This study reports the discovery and characterization of a promising antigonorrhoea agent that addresses antibiotic resistance.

Out Now! A penicillin-binding protein inhibitor series to target drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae #MicroSky

Microbial 10-oxostearic acid protects mice against colitis via the nuclear receptor PPARα Nature Microbiology, Published online: 08 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02321-7Microbially derived 10-oxostearic acid (10-oxoSA) interacts with PPARα in the colon to alleviate gut inflammation in acute and chronic mice models.

Out Now! Microbial 10-oxostearic acid protects mice against colitis via the nuclear receptor PPARα #MicroSky

Out Now! Advancing microbiology through foundational science #MicroSky

Local peptidoglycan composition defines division site selection in Streptococcus pneumoniae Nature Microbiology, Published online: 07 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02322-6Sequential peptidoglycan carboxylase activity of DacA and DacB generates a local peptidoglycan signature that recruits MapZ and establishes the division site at the Streptococcus pneumoniae cell equator.

Out Now! Local peptidoglycan composition defines division site selection in Streptococcus pneumoniae #MicroSky

Spatio-temporal dynamics of Hendra virus in Australia reveal stable maintenance of diverse viral clades among Pteropus bats Nature Microbiology, Published online: 07 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-025-02254-7Recovery of 48 bat and 9 horse HeV genomes from Australia (2016–2020) identified four Hendra virus clades, offering insights into evolutionary dynamics.

Out Now! Spatio-temporal dynamics of Hendra virus in Australia reveal stable maintenance of diverse viral clades among Pteropus bats #MicroSky

Our April issue is out now featuring...

🔬the impact of foundational, discovery-based microbiology
🪱a nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora
🏥climate change driving antibiotic resistance
👁️human eye disease linked to aquatic virus transmission

and more! 👇
www.nature.com/nmicrobiol/

A drug–microbiome–drug interaction impacts co-prescribed medications for Parkinson’s disease Nature Microbiology, Published online: 06 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02299-2Parkinson’s disease is managed through co-treatment with levodopa and tolcapone, with tolcapone altering the microbiome to increase its capacity to metabolize levodopa, implicating the gut microbiome in drug–drug interaction.

Out Now! A drug–microbiome–drug interaction impacts co-prescribed medications for Parkinson’s disease #MicroSky

Unbinned contigs expand known diversity in the global microbiome Nature Microbiology, Published online: 03 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02314-6Re-analysis of over 92,000 metagenomes reveals hundreds of thousands of previously undescribed Bacterial and Archaeal clades hidden in plain sight.

Out Now! Unbinned contigs expand known diversity in the global microbiome #MicroSky

A family of endonucleases blocks nanotube-mediated plasmid exchange Nature Microbiology, Published online: 03 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02293-8The YokF endonuclease provides a donor-controlled mechanism to limit plasmid transfer to recipient bacteria via nanotubes in Bacillus subtilis, with YokF functional homologues found across Gram-positive bacterial species.

Out Now! A family of endonucleases blocks nanotube-mediated plasmid exchange #MicroSky

Lipid accumulation in tuberculosis granulomas inhibits macrophage–CD4+ T cell interactions and infection control Nature Microbiology, Published online: 03 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02317-3Spatial transcriptomics and immunofluorescence microscopy of human samples and mouse models reveal that infection-driven cholesterol overload in granulomas impairs macrophage–CD4+ T cell interactions and anti-tuberculosis immunity.

Out Now! Lipid accumulation in tuberculosis granulomas inhibits macrophage–CD4+ T cell interactions and infection control #MicroSky

Out Now! Retraction Note: MAVS is a sensor of fumarate during antiviral immunity #MicroSky

Chikungunya virus persists in joint-associated macrophages and promotes chronic disease in mice Nature Microbiology, Published online: 01 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02303-9Ongoing chikungunya virus replication leads to the accumulation of inflammatory macrophages and CD4+ T cells in joint-associated tissues. Inhibition of chikungunya virus replication during chronic disease reduced viral RNA and joint inflammation in mice.

Out Now! Chikungunya virus persists in joint-associated macrophages and promotes chronic disease in mice #MicroSky

Conserved pathway for homarine catabolism in environmental bacteria Nature Microbiology, Published online: 30 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02313-7Homarine is a ubiquitous, phytoplankton-derived metabolite that is broken down by widely distributed and diverse marine bacteria containing a conserved homABCDER operon.

Out Now! Conserved pathway for homarine catabolism in environmental bacteria #MicroSky

Specialized RNA decay fine-tunes monogenic antigen expression in Trypanosoma brucei Nature Microbiology, Published online: 30 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02289-4To evade the immune system, Trypanosoma brucei relies on a specialized ‘expression site body’. Protein condensates within this nuclear compartment modulate expression of virulence genes via a targeted RNA decay mechanism.

Out Now! Specialized RNA decay fine-tunes monogenic antigen expression in Trypanosoma brucei #MicroSky

(1/7) How does T. brucei achieve a 140-fold stoichiometric excess of VSG mRNA over upstream ESAGs from a single polycistronic unit?
Our latest research in @natmicrobiol.nature.com reveals a mechanism of spatially regulated RNA decay to fine-tune expression of virulence genes

In the trap of Arthrobotrys Nature Microbiology, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02308-4Yen-Ping Hsueh used to think she was studying a fungus that traps nematodes. Fifteen years later, she realized she was the one who had been captivated, not by adhesive hyphae but by the irresistible mystery and quiet beauty of Arthrobotrys oligospora.

Out Now! In the trap of Arthrobotrys #MicroSky

Aquatic virus transmission to humans Nature Microbiology, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02306-6A human eye disease seems to be linked to covert mortality nodavirus, a virus commonly found in aquatic animals. The findings suggest that zoonotic transmission to humans occurs through close contact.

Out Now! Aquatic virus transmission to humans #MicroSky

Bacteria covalently incorporate polyfluoroalkyl carboxylates into membrane lipids Nature Microbiology, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02301-xBacteria are able to covalently incorporate n:3 polyfluoroalkyl carboxylates into phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol, two major components of bacterial lipid bilayers.

Out Now! Bacteria covalently incorporate polyfluoroalkyl carboxylates into membrane lipids #MicroSky

Activation of l-histidine biosynthesis as a new antibiotic strategy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis - Nature Communications Here, the authors report metabolic activation as a potential antimicrobial strategy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. They show that supra-physiological activation of L-histidine biosynthesis r...

#NatMicroPicks

A new way to defeat Mycobacterium! 🦠💉

Metabolic overactivation of the L‑histidine biosynthesis pathway in M. tuberculosis impairs its growth and infectivity, revealing a novel bactericidal mechanism for antimycobacterial drug discovery.

#MicroSky

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#NatMicroPicks

Opportunistic Pseudomonas 🦠🌱

Root‑secreted coumarins can be exploited by Pseudomonas NyZ480, whose coumarin‑degrading genes enable opportunistic colonization that worsens plant iron deficiency and impairs overall plant fitness.

#MicroSky

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Transmission dynamics of Oropouche virus in Latin America and the Caribbean - Nature Medicine The transmission dynamics of the 2023–2024 Oropouche virus (OROV) outbreak in Brazil (Manaus City) revealed a twofold increase in Oropouche seroprevalence in Manaus, and in a separate historical recon...

#NatMicroPicks

Transmission dynamics of Oropouche virus 🌐

A comprehensive assessment of OROV transmission in 2023-24 epidemic in Manaus City & estimated OROV infections across Latin America and the Caribbean provides better understanding of the OROV burden

#MicroSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Diet–microbiome associations in 10,068 individuals from the Human Phenotype Project to guide personalized nutrition - Nature Medicine Analyses of more than 10,000 participants from the Human Phenotype Project revealed distinct, persistent food–microbiome associations that can be used to simulate personalized dietary interventions to...

#NatMicroPicks

Diet-microbiome analysis at population scale 💻🦠

Diet shaped gut microbiome composition and function analysed at species-level resolution might enabling long‑term predictions and personalized dietary intervention strategies.

#MicroSky #MicrobiomeSky

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Gut microbiota-derived indole-3-lactic acid suppresses anti-PD-1 efficacy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma Zhou et al. reveal that gut L. salivarius and its metabolite indole-3-lactic acid (ILA) drive anti-PD-1 resistance in ESCC. Mechanistically, ILA activates AhR to suppress NF-κB signaling, triggering t...

#NatMicroPicks

Microbial factor in cancer immunotherapy resistance 🦀🦠💉

Ligilactobacillus salivarius–derived indole-3-lactic acid suppresses anti-tumor T‑cell populations, driving resistance to anti‑PD‑1 therapy in ESCC

#MicroSky #CancerSky #MicrobiomeSky

www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Controlled human influenza infection reveals heterogeneous expulsion of infectious virus into air A platform called MIST enables quantification and genotyping of infectious influenza in expelled respiratory particles, revealing diverse, individual-specific viral loads and aerosolized variants that...

#NatMicroPicks

Influenza in the sneeze 🤧🦠

A modular sampling tunnel captures, cultures, and sequences virus in human respiratory expulsions, revealing wide individual variation and preserved viral diversity in aerosols.

#MicroSky

www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...