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Bacteria use surprising anti-missile defense-like system to fend off viruses

Date: 17.1.2025 

Study from the University of Copenhagen reveals how bacteria use a defense mechanism called Zorya to protect themselves from viral attacks. The system detects and degrades viral DNA before the virus can replicate, much like a city's defense system intercepts incoming missiles.

"A lot of anti-phage defense systems cause cell death, meaning that the cell self-exterminates and sacrifices itself to prevent the virus from spreading to its sister cells. Surprisingly, we discovered that Zorya treats the infection while leaving the cell intact – obviously this is very powerful for the cell as it ensures its survival," explains Associate Professor and Group Leader at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research Nicholas Taylor, corresponding author of the study.

"We took the genes that make up the Zorya system – ZorAB, ZorC, and ZorD – and inserted them into bacteria that didn't have this defense system. When these modified bacteria were exposed to various viruses, they showed strong protection against infection. This means the Zorya system can directly fight off viruses without killing the bacterial cell," says Taylor.

"Using cryo-electron microscopy, we looked at the structure of the ZorAB complex in great detail. We found that it works like a tiny motor powered by protons. This motor helps the bacteria detect a virus attack and sends signals through the ZorA cytoplasmic tail to activate the soluble ZorC and ZorD effectors, which facilitate degradation of the phage DNA. These parts then break down the viral DNA, stopping the virus from spreading."

Image source: William Brons Petersen.

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