The cell envelope is essential for viability in all domains of life. It retains enzymes and substrates within a confined space while providing a protective barrier to the external environment. Destabilising the envelope of bacterial pathogens is a common strategy employed by antimicrobial treatment. However, even in one of the best studied organisms, Escherichia coli, there remain gaps in our understanding of how the synthesis of the successive layers of the cell envelope are coordinated during growth and cell division. Here, we used a whole-genome phenotypic screen to identify mutants with a defective cell envelope. We report that loss of yhcB, a conserved gene of unknown function, results in loss of envelope stability, increased cell permeability and dysregulated control of cell size. Using whole genome transposon mutagenesis strategies, we report the comprehensive genetic interaction network of yhcB, revealing all genes with a synthetic negative and a synthetic positive relationship. These genes include those previously reported to have a role in cell envelope biogenesis. Surprisingly, we identified genes previously annotated as essential that became non-essential in a ΔyhcB background. Subsequent analyses suggest that YhcB functions at the junction of several envelope biosynthetic pathways coordinating the spatiotemporal growth of the cell, highlighting YhcB as an as yet unexplored antimicrobial target.

Increasingly, science diaspora networks are managed by formal organizations such as embassies or non-profit organizations. Researchers have studied these networks to understand how they influence international collaborations and science diplomacy, and to determine which network activities foster those outcomes and which do not. In this perspective, we suggest that many of these network organizations confront an underappreciated conundrum for managing resources: organizations with few resources must learn how to obtain more resources despite lacking means to do so. To substantiate our suggestion, we do the following. We review exploratory results from a study of network organizations that indicate that these organizations generally lack resources, learn too little from each other, and struggle to overcome the resource conundrum. We also show that this conundrum is expected from organizational theory based on bounded rationality. To help organizations confront the issue, we do the following. First we provide a new database of operating science diaspora networks. We encourage managers of network organizations to use it as a resource to identify peers with whom to regularly exchange knowledge about securing resources. We also suggest that other scientific organizations should infuse network organizations with fresh resources. Ultimately, we urge all relevant stakeholders to recognize that the conundrum results not from the shortcomings of individual managers, but rather is a legitimate organizational phenomena that must be addressed by organizational design.

The construction of ordered gene replacement libraries requires significant investment of time and resources to create a valuable community resource. During construction, technical errors may result in a limited number of incorrect mutants being made. Such mutants may confound the output of subsequent experiments. Here, using the remarkable E. coli Keio knockout library, we describe a method to rapidly validate the construction of every mutant.

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The global nature of science and technology enables professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to emigrate in pursuit of educational and professional opportunities abroad. To support and access these highly skilled expatriates, many countries develop scientific diaspora networks. These networks act as hubs to connect diaspora scientists to each other and to their country of origin, strengthening research collaborations and scientific diplomacy between nations. The U.S. does not have any formal networks for its scientists working abroad. These émigré researchers therefore represent an untapped resource of soft power and diplomacy. U.S. networks would help provide information on current innovation strategies worldwide, promote positive and peaceful relations between the U.S. and the host country, and foster cross-country research collaborations. We recommend the development of scientific diaspora networks for U.S. researchers abroad. We review three organizational and funding structures that the U.S. can use as models to develop its own science diaspora networks: government affiliated, NGO-managed, and grassroots-initiated. Given these, we make the following policy recommendations: 1) The Department of State and other federal agencies should help develop and support U.S. diaspora networks, 2) The U.S. government should create a ‘network of networks’ to scale support and resources for U.S. diaspora networks, and 3) The U.S. government and philanthropic groups should fund programs to establish professional organizations for U.S. scientists abroad.