More than two decades ago, the first naturally occurring mRNA elements regulating gene expression by directly binding target ligands, termed riboswitches, were discovered in bacteria (1–4). Since then, more than 55 classes of riboswitches have been characterized (5, 6), advancing our general knowledge of gene regulation and stress response, but also unveiling unexpected biological roles for compounds whose relevance had remained elusive. A notable example is the discovery of riboswitches recognizing c-di-AMP and c-AMP-GMP (7, 8), which hinted at important biological functions for the two molecules that were later revealed to act as second messengers in key cellular processes such as biofilm formation, chemotaxis, sporulation, and virulence (9–11).

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...

Solar UVB light causes damage to the outermost layer of skin. This insult induces rapid local responses, such as dermal inflammation, keratinocyte cel…

Coffee consumption is associated with the presence and abundance of a specific member of the human gut microbiome, Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus, and changes to the plasma metabolome.