This article presents a study on the Defense-associated reverse transcriptase (DRT9) system in bacteria, illustrating its role in viral defense. The researchers provide evidence that during viral infections, DRT9 catalyzes the production of polydeoxyadenylate (poly-dA) using an RNA template, leading to abortive infections and bolstering population-level immunity. Through cryo-electron microscopy, the complex structures involved in this process are characterized, highlighting the dual role of noncoding RNA as both a scaffold and a template. This mechanism reveals new insights into bacterial immune strategies against phages, expanding the understanding of viral-bacterial interactions.
Our findings reveal that the Defense-associated reverse transcriptase (DRT9) system utilizes an RNA template to synthesize polydeoxyadenylate, serving as a pivotal defense mechanism against viral infections.
During viral infections, the DRT9 system catalyzes the accumulation of poly-dA in bacterial cells, triggering abortive infections and enhancing population-level immunity through innovative biochemical pathways.
Collection
[
|
...
]