The bacterial flagellum is made up of about 30 different proteins, which are produced step by step in a specific order. One key protein making the flagellum is flagellin, several copies of which come together to form the long filament. This filament acts like a propeller, allowing bacteria to swim. The gene for flagellin is one of the last to be transcribed in the flagellum-building process, thus called a “late flagellar gene.” This review explains the structure and function of flagellins and also discusses the regulatory systems that control their production.

The DNA Mismatch Repair (MMR) pathway serves to correct mismatches that arise during genome replication. Perturbation of MMR leads to drastically heightened mutation rates in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes and MMR dysfunction in humans leads to the onset of cancer.

The study published by Kumari et al. highlights the impact of severe dengue patients’ plasma-derived extracellular vesicles (SD-EV) on CD4+ T cells and together induce endothelial barrier dysfunction. The study provides evidence that SD-EV induces PD-1 and CD44 on CD4+ T cells and, when interacting with endothelial cells (EC), significantly affects endothelial cell properties through direct interaction or secretome and may contribute to dengue pathogenesis.

The work presents the results of a comprehensive study on the search for available drugs/compounds that can be repurposed for treating Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection. Using a combined strategy of proteomics and connectivity map-based analysis, Soni et al., identified Ly303511 and MDL11939 as the most promising compounds for treating JEV infection. A combination of Ly303511 and MDL11939 treatment exhibited improved clinical symptoms and reduced JEV-induced damage in a lethal mouse model.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) spreads through the bites of the infected mosquitoes and causes chikungunya fever, which causes severe joint and muscle pain. Epidemics of chikungunya fever are frequent, and the virus has become endemic in several regions. The virus has been reported from over 100 countries in Asia, Africa, South and Central America, and Europe, affecting almost half a million individuals annually. A CHIKV vaccine has recently been approved; however, no CHIKV-specific antiviral therapy is available.