Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 20 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01267-7This paper reports week 96 efficacy and safety findings from a multicentre, open-label phase IIIb trial of intramuscular cabotegravir and rilpivirine in adults living with HIV from Uganda, Kenya and South Africa.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 17 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01264-wThis Genome Watch discusses recent advances in genomic epidemiology that enable the reconstruction of transmission events, with greater resolution and across more complex settings at scale.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 17 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01259-7In this Review, Kocher, Krause and Spyrou explore how ancient pathogen genomics is providing new perspectives on the history and evolution of infectious agents. They show how ancient DNA has revealed the aetiology and unfolding of historic outbreaks, pathogen evolutionary timescales, patterns of dissemination and functional evolution, and discuss existing limitations and perspectives of the field.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 14 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01262-yThe gut microbiome can influence brain activity and complex behaviours. In this Review, Griffiths et al. discuss microbiome-associated effects on social behaviour in laboratory model organisms, free-living animals and humans, and consider potential mechanistic pathways.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 14 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01256-wIn this Review, Basler and colleagues examine the type VI secretion system (T6SS), focusing on the diversity of antibacterial T6SS effectors and the evolutionary forces that shape them. They explain how effectors diversify and highlight interbacterial antagonism as a key driver of this process.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 13 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01258-8Surface layers (S-layers) are ubiquitous protein assemblies that coat prokaryotic cells, with their functional roles increasingly coming into focus. In this Review, Isbilir and colleagues discuss recent insights into S-layer architecture, assembly and function, highlighting the importance of S-layers in microbial interactions and community organization.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 20 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01267-7This paper reports week 96 efficacy and safety findings from a multicentre, open-label phase IIIb trial of intramuscular cabotegravir and rilpivirine in adults living with HIV from Uganda, Kenya and South Africa.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 11 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01265-9This study identifies multiple low-density lipoprotein receptor family members, including LRP4, LRP1 and VLDLR, as entry receptors for yellow fever virus.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 10 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01255-xThis Review explores the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 since its emergence in late 2019 and discusses how the changes in the various variants and subvariants have affected the viral life cycle and ongoing transmission. In addition, prevention and treatment strategies are outlined, as well as the effects of antigenically distinct variants and immune imprinting on immunity after natural infection or vaccination.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 10 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01254-yMicrobial whole-genome sequencing is an important element of health-care-associated infection (HAI) prevention strategies. Focusing on specific high-priority antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens, this Review outlines the epidemiology and microbiology of HAIs and discusses the role of whole-genome sequencing in HAI prevention and surveillance.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 17 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01264-wThis Genome Watch discusses recent advances in genomic epidemiology that enable the reconstruction of transmission events, with greater resolution and across more complex settings at scale.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 17 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01259-7In this Review, Kocher, Krause and Spyrou explore how ancient pathogen genomics is providing new perspectives on the history and evolution of infectious agents. They show how ancient DNA has revealed the aetiology and unfolding of historic outbreaks, pathogen evolutionary timescales, patterns of dissemination and functional evolution, and discuss existing limitations and perspectives of the field.

In this Review, Basler and colleagues examine the type VI secretion system (T6SS), focusing on the diversity of antibacterial T6SS effectors and the evolutionary forces that shape them. They explain h...

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 14 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01256-wIn this Review, Basler and colleagues examine the type VI secretion system (T6SS), focusing on the diversity of antibacterial T6SS effectors and the evolutionary forces that shape them. They explain how effectors diversify and highlight interbacterial antagonism as a key driver of this process.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 14 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01262-yThe gut microbiome can influence brain activity and complex behaviours. In this Review, Griffiths et al. discuss microbiome-associated effects on social behaviour in laboratory model organisms, free-living animals and humans, and consider potential mechanistic pathways.

Surface layers (S-layers) are ubiquitous protein assemblies that coat prokaryotic cells, with their functional roles increasingly coming into focus. In this Review, Isbilir and colleagues discuss rece...

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 13 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01258-8Surface layers (S-layers) are ubiquitous protein assemblies that coat prokaryotic cells, with their functional roles increasingly coming into focus. In this Review, Isbilir and colleagues discuss recent insights into S-layer architecture, assembly and function, highlighting the importance of S-layers in microbial interactions and community organization.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 05 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01251-1The cryosphere remains one of the least-understood microbial ecosystems on Earth, but as climate change accelerates, cryosphere microbial communities will have an increasingly prominent role in Earth’s biogeochemical cycles. In this Review, Whyte and co-workers discuss the effects of climate change on cryosphere microbial ecosystems.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 11 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01265-9This study identifies multiple low-density lipoprotein receptor family members, including LRP4, LRP1 and VLDLR, as entry receptors for yellow fever virus.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 10 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01254-yMicrobial whole-genome sequencing is an important element of health-care-associated infection (HAI) prevention strategies. Focusing on specific high-priority antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens, this Review outlines the epidemiology and microbiology of HAIs and discusses the role of whole-genome sequencing in HAI prevention and surveillance.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 10 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01255-xThis Review explores the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 since its emergence in late 2019 and discusses how the changes in the various variants and subvariants have affected the viral life cycle and ongoing transmission. In addition, prevention and treatment strategies are outlined, as well as the effects of antigenically distinct variants and immune imprinting on immunity after natural infection or vaccination.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 05 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01251-1The cryosphere remains one of the least-understood microbial ecosystems on Earth, but as climate change accelerates, cryosphere microbial communities will have an increasingly prominent role in Earth’s biogeochemical cycles. In this Review, Whyte and co-workers discuss the effects of climate change on cryosphere microbial ecosystems.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 28 October 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01260-0This study shows that sialokinin, which is a vasodilatory peptide that is expressed in the saliva of female Aedes aegypti, modulates immune responses and mitigates inflammation during chikungunya virus infection in mice.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 28 October 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01248-wOomycete plant pathogens are a serious global threat to crop production and food security. This Review outlines oomycete biology, diversity and lifestyle, discusses the disease cycle in plants, highlights pathogenicity mechanisms and the impact of oomycete plant pathogens, and considers emerging strategies for disease management.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 27 October 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01257-9This study combines high-throughput RNA sequencing analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates with global population genomics to link diversity in gene expression with variants in genes encoding regulators.