Host-pathogen interactions are the dynamic, reciprocal biological processes that occur between a host organism and an invading pathogen, encompassing molecular recognition, immune sensing, signaling, and effector responses, as well as pathogen strategies for attachment, invasion, replication, and immune evasion. These interactions involve pattern recognition receptors (e.g., Toll-like, NOD-like, and RIG-I-like receptors), pathogen-associated molecular patterns, and downstream signaling pathways that regulate inflammation, cell death, and antimicrobial defenses. Concurrently, pathogens deploy virulence factors, secretion systems, and immune-modulatory molecules to manipulate host cell pathways, subvert immunity, and optimize their survival, replication, and transmission, thereby determining infection outcomes and disease pathogenesis.
Researchers at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB), led by Prof. Gracjan Michlewski, have shown that a subtle difference at the very beginning of an RNA molecule can influence how strongly ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 15, 2026
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43
Alternative therapies that aid the body's immune system to fight bacteria have shown promise in addressing the global threat of antibiotic resistance. University of Queensland researchers have found when under attack, the ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 14, 2026
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120
Bacteria fend off invading viruses with molecular scissors that slice up viral DNA—a system called CRISPR that's become indispensable to gene editing. But viruses can fight back with a molecular trick that stops the scissors ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 8, 2026
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20
A study led by researchers at the University of Liège reveals the mechanism by which surfactin, a molecule produced by beneficial soil bacteria, activates plants' immune defenses. This mechanism, distinct from the classical ...
Plants & Animals
May 7, 2026
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24
Salicylic acid, the active molecule in aspirin and some acne medications, is a hormone in plants that is essential for immunity, but it's a double-edged sword: Too much can cause autoimmunity and stunt growth. In a study ...
Plants & Animals
May 5, 2026
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9
The ability to detect viruses and other harmful pathogens is highly advantageous for animals, as it can guide their behavior and prevent them from illness, and—in severe cases—death. When it comes to species that live in ...
A University of California, Riverside study reports that cells in the earliest stages of human development could be susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, offering new insight into how the virus interacts ...
Molecular & Computational biology
May 2, 2026
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25
Each animal species has an optimal temperature at which it can metabolize food and its immune system can best fight off pathogens.
Plants & Animals
Apr 30, 2026
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14
RNA technology is regarded as one of the newest frontiers in medicine, but in fact a primordial innovator got there way before we did. The malaria parasite, an ancient single-celled organism, has been using sophisticated ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Apr 30, 2026
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13
Every year, antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as staph, causes serious infections and outbreaks in hospitals and community settings, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, including ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 30, 2026
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