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.
Aphids, grasshoppers and other bugs aren't the only pests that can quickly wipe out a crop. Many harmful bacteria have evolved ways to bypass a plant's defenses. A once-healthy tomato plant can quickly turn sick and blotchy, ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Sep 9, 2025
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Researchers have discovered how "pirate phages" hijack other viruses to break into bacteria, sharing new genetic material for dangerous traits.
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 9, 2025
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A study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution reveals a surprising evolutionary insight: sometimes, losing genes rather than gaining them can help bacterial pathogens survive and thrive.
Evolution
Sep 2, 2025
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University of Toronto researchers have uncovered how bacterial viruses protect their progeny in order to maximize their reach. The phenomenon, described in a study published in Nature, relies on viral proteins to fine-tune ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 28, 2025
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Salmonella Dublin is a type of bacteria that primarily infects cattle, but some strains also can adapt to infect humans. It is increasingly becoming resistant to antibiotics, making it a growing public health threat, according ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 25, 2025
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Researchers have discovered that a virus living inside the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus significantly boosts the fungus's ability to survive stress and cause severe infections in mammals. Removing the virus made the fungus ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 21, 2025
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Chronic infections impact a substantial portion of the global population, presenting ongoing challenges to health care systems and compromising patient well-being.
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 20, 2025
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Similar to humans, plants can become infected with more than one virus at a time, opening the door for more severe infections and new disease variants. But these mixed infections are often under-studied and poorly understood.
Molecular & Computational biology
Aug 13, 2025
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Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified more than 200 strategies used by bacteria to avoid viral infection. Their findings, published in Cell Host & Microbe, shed light on a microbial "arms race" that ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 11, 2025
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Enzymes known as kinases play a critical role in cell growth, metabolism and signaling in a multitude of organisms across the tree of life—from algae to helminths to mammals. Now, scientists have developed an atlas of bacterial ...
