This immunofluorescence micrograph catches a cultured neuron 30 minutes after exposure to pathogenic prions (PrP Sc ). Protein Kinase C (PKC) primed by phosphorylation at serine-660 rapidly accumulates in specialized endosomes within the cell body, prior to its redistribution to dendritic spines. Colocalization of the primed PKC (red) with total PKC (green) produces striking yellow/orange fluorescence in the cell body. A similar effect is elicited by other strong PKC activators like phorbol ester. This acute spatial rearrangement of a key signaling kinase highlights a crucial, pre-degenerative window prior to neuronal fragmentation and death. Le et al. 2026
Image Credit: Nhat T. T. Le
Pearls
Is heme metabolism a promising drug target in Toxoplasma gondii?
PLOS Pathogens: published June 2, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014280
The natural history and evolution of dermatophytosis: Host immunity in acute and chronic infection
PLOS Pathogens: published June 8, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014264
Hippo signalling as a nexus in host–virus interactions
PLOS Pathogens: published June 11, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014316
Emerging fungal threats from the environment—a lesson from Candida auris and a warning about a second candidate, Rhodosporidiobolus fluvialis
PLOS Pathogens: published June 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014356
Beyond resistance: Emerging methods to dissect drug responses in Leishmania
PLOS Pathogens: published June 24, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014331
Review
Active but not passive passengers: Persistent-propagative plant viruses manipulate insect vectors for efficient transmission
PLOS Pathogens: published June 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014368
Research Articles
Yad fimbriae are triggered by host cues and enhance extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli tissue colonisation during bloodstream infection
PLOS Pathogens: published June 1, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014299
Targeting BRD2 and BRD4 inhibit the growth of KSHV-infected immortalized endothelial cells through suppression of LANA translation
PLOS Pathogens: published June 1, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014288
A designed peptide disrupting viral protease cleavage restores cGAS-DNA phase separation and type I interferon responses
PLOS Pathogens: published June 1, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014291
M-Sec promotes the production of infectious HIV-1 virus through the exocyst complex in macrophages
PLOS Pathogens: published June 1, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013717
ATAD3 megadalton complex in Plasmodium falciparum is essential for mitochondrial and cellular viability
PLOS Pathogens: published June 3, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014317
Fingolimod increases cellular resistance to HIV-1 infection and limits viral reservoir size in peripheral CD4+ T-cells
PLOS Pathogens: published June 3, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014266
Structural basis for conserved and distinct antigen recognition by a lineage of malaria-protective antibodies
PLOS Pathogens: published June 3, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014243
Distinct prion conformers from brain and peripheral tissues of gene-targeted mice produce convergent CWD strain properties
PLOS Pathogens: published June 4, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014303
Culture-specific transcriptional drifts limit the fidelity of organoid infection models
PLOS Pathogens: published June 4, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014321
Feedback coordination of FoxO-mediated antibacterial immunity by PDGF/VEGF signaling establishes hemolymph microbiota homeostasis in shrimp
PLOS Pathogens: published June 4, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014307
Evaluating beta-tubulin variants as predictors of benzimidazole resistance across Caenorhabditis nematodes
PLOS Pathogens: published June 5, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014306
HIV-1 BG505 SOSIP immunization induced B cell expansion targeting the 465-glycan hole, with neutralizing antibodies exhibiting distinct binding modes and mechanisms of virus inhibition
PLOS Pathogens: published June 5, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014268
Inhibition of high risk HPV31 E8^E2 repressor activity enables differentiation-independent genome amplification and E4 expression
PLOS Pathogens: published June 8, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014330
The Legionella pneumophila type IVb secretion system effector BinA subverts amino acid transport to sensitize TORC1 signaling in macrophages
PLOS Pathogens: published June 8, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1012998
Low frequency variants can predetermine antiviral drug resistance development in herpes simplex virus type 1
PLOS Pathogens: published June 8, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014296
Downregulation of miR-10b-3p by EBV promotes tumor growth and metastasis via ITGAV in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
PLOS Pathogens: published June 9, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014304
Understanding the impact of Klebsiella pneumoniae K-Antigen based MAPS vaccine design on the immune response in animal models
PLOS Pathogens: published June 10, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014289
A chemical bactericide dioctyldiethylenetriamine (Xinjunan) exerts a non-lethal effect by inhibiting RpfG activity to regulate the quorum sensing system
PLOS Pathogens: published June 10, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014320
Exposure to herbivore-induced plant volatiles primes JA-dependent gossypol defenses in cotton
PLOS Pathogens: published June 11, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014338
The assembly of stress granules during foot-and-mouth disease virus infection is uncoupled from activation of cellular intrinsic antiviral signalling
PLOS Pathogens: published June 11, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013722
SV40 exploits the Nesprin-2-SUN1-KPNA4 axis for stepwise targeting and entry into the host nucleus to promote infection
PLOS Pathogens: published June 11, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014344
Central Nervous System T-cell immune architecture, and not HIV burden, tracks with cognition under long-term viral suppression
PLOS Pathogens: published June 15, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014351
Extended poly(A) tails are a shared feature of herpesvirus mRNAs
PLOS Pathogens: published June 16, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014341
Ovoid cell is an inducible small-sized morphotype that enhances proliferation and antifungal drug tolerance in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans
PLOS Pathogens: published June 17, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014302
An ER-IMC bridge protein TgVPS13A and an IMC-resident scramblase TgDAT1 drive daughter budding in Toxoplasma gondii
PLOS Pathogens: published June 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013865
Chemo-omic pipeline enables discovery of prion synaptotoxic pathways and inhibitory drugs
PLOS Pathogens: published June 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014314
Maturation of HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies in a germinal center conditional expression mouse model
PLOS Pathogens: published June 22, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014373
Deep mutational scanning of recent SARS-CoV-2 variants highlights changing amino acid preferences within epistatic hotspot residues
PLOS Pathogens: published June 22, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014074
Hidden hematological, biochemical and immune costs of asymptomatic malaria infections in semi-wild chimpanzees
PLOS Pathogens: published June 23, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014287
Merkel cell polyomavirus exploits extracellular vesicles for skin infection and host immune evasion through activated Wnt signaling
PLOS Pathogens: published June 23, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014360
Selective sugar transport supports Proteus mirabilis fitness in the urinary tract
PLOS Pathogens: published June 23, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014324
Latent cytomegalovirus disrupts innate NK cell responses to P. falciparum and impairs parasite control in first infection in adults
PLOS Pathogens: published June 23, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014372
Eliminate pneumococcal colonization by targeting intracellular acidification that promotes H2O2 production to enhance bacterial survival
PLOS Pathogens: published June 23, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014381
Schistosoma japonicum histone acetyltransferase 1 (SjHAT1): A novel anti-schistosomal drug target
PLOS Pathogens: published June 24, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014334
Predictive value of PfEMP1 antibody profiles for the course of controlled human malaria infections
PLOS Pathogens: published June 24, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014377
Obligatory intracellular bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum AnkA regulates actin dynamics and spatiotemporal bacterial release
PLOS Pathogens: published June 24, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014350
SUMOylation and ubiquitination reciprocally regulate SMCHD1 antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus 1
PLOS Pathogens: published June 24, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014371
RNA methyltransferase CMTR-1 inhibition activates a GATA transcription factor-mediated protective immune response
PLOS Pathogens: published June 24, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014375
Co-inoculation with deformed wing virus and sacbrood virus affects viral and immune dynamics and synergistically increases honey bee mortality
PLOS Pathogens: published June 25, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014290
O-GlcNAcylation licenses RNF166 to degrade the M protein of porcine coronaviruses
PLOS Pathogens: published June 25, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014301
HSV-2 gC2 mRNA immunization in mice protects by producing antibodies that bind immune evasion epitopes
PLOS Pathogens: published June 25, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014337
The human parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is paralyzed without two components of the apical polar ring
PLOS Pathogens: published June 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014378
Endogenous viral elements trace the ancient origins and early evolution of the Caulimoviridae
PLOS Pathogens: published June 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014340
Dissecting the host determinants of orthoflavivirus infection using QIC-seq
PLOS Pathogens: published June 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014279
Cyclic AMP compartmentalization drives signal specificity to control vector colonization and mammalian host infection by American trypanosomes
PLOS Pathogens: published June 29, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013784
A single Citrobacter rodentium infection in Pink1 knockout and wild-type mice leads to regional blood-brain-barrier perturbation and limited microglial activation without dopamine neuron axon terminal loss
PLOS Pathogens: published June 30, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014315
Balancing under constraint: Structural insights into norovirus evolution and antigenic innovation
PLOS Pathogens: published June 30, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014383
Corrections
Correction: Molecular response to the non-lytic peptide bac7 (1–35) triggers disruption of Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilm
PLOS Pathogens: published June 9, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014298
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Correction: Interferon-stimulated gene 20 (ISG20) selectively degrades N6-methyladenosine modified Hepatitis B Virus transcripts
PLOS Pathogens: published June 16, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014336
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Correction: Porcine B cell receptor repertoire uncovers balanced recognition of antigenic structures on serotype Asia1 foot-and-mouth disease virus
PLOS Pathogens: published June 22, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014358
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Correction: ExoS effector in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Hyperactive Type III secretion system mutant promotes enhanced Plasma Membrane Rupture in Neutrophils
PLOS Pathogens: published June 22, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014353
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Correction: Insights into the structural changes that trigger receptor binding upon proteolytic activation of Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3Aa insecticidal protein
PLOS Pathogens: published June 23, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014366
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Correction: Preventive effects of folic acid on Zika virus-associated poor pregnancy outcomes in immunocompromised mice
PLOS Pathogens: published June 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014363
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Correction: Structural basis for substrate recognition and inhibition of thioredoxin glutathione reductase from Schistosoma japonicum: Implications for antiparasitic development
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Retractions
Retraction: Androgen receptor transactivates KSHV noncoding RNA PAN to promote lytic replication–mediated oncogenesis: A mechanism of sex disparity in KS
PLOS Pathogens: published June 4, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014281
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Retraction: Plant rhabdovirus glycoprotein activates unfolded protein response-mediated antiviral ER-phagy in insect vectors
PLOS Pathogens: published June 12, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014319
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Editorial Note
Editorial Note: Reoviruses hijack the SMARCB1-MYC transcriptional regulation complex to activate autophagy for persistent viral infection in leafhopper vector
PLOS Pathogens: published June 12, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1014318