Seqanswers Leaderboard Ad

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • seqadmin
    Administrator
    • Oct 2022
    • 599

    Study Reveals How Bacteria Defend Against Viral Attacks

    Montana State University's (MSU) Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology has made significant progress in understanding a unique bacterial immune system, the Phage Anti-Restriction Induced System (PARIS). The research, led by doctoral student Nate Burman and published in Nature, provides new details about how this immune system protects bacteria from viral infections.

    A New Understanding of the PARIS System
    The PARIS system is distinct in its mechanism of action, recognizing viral proteins rather than nucleic acids—a function that draws an intriguing parallel to human immune responses. While PARIS operates differently from human immunity, this analogy highlights the complexity and diversity of immune systems across different organisms. “CRISPRs aren’t the only bacterial immune systems that exist,” Burman explained. “What’s unique about PARIS is that it recognizes viral proteins instead of nucleic acid. That’s similar to how a human immune response works.”

    This study builds on the foundation of CRISPR research, an area where Professor Blake Wiedenheft, Burman's mentor, is internationally recognized. Unlike CRISPR, which has been widely studied and repurposed for gene editing, the PARIS system represents a less understood but potentially equally important aspect of bacterial defense mechanisms.

    Visualizing PARIS with Advanced Technology
    A key achievement of this study was generating the first complete image of the PARIS system using MSU's cryo-electron microscope, a tool housed in the university’s Cryo-EM Core Facility. This ultra-high-powered microscope allows researchers to peer inside cells and observe the molecular machinery in action. “Using a new state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscope at MSU, Nate was able to ‘see’ the PARIS complex that forms inside of a bacterial cell,” said Wiedenheft. The structure revealed a propeller-shaped complex that consumes ATP as it scans for invading viral proteins, initiating a defense response when a threat is detected.

    Implications and Future Research
    The discovery that PARIS systems operate in multiple ways opens new avenues for understanding bacterial immunity. Future research will focus on identifying the specific triggers that activate different PARIS systems and exploring how these systems recognize and respond to viral attacks. This knowledge could provide deeper insights into various types of immune responses beyond bacterial systems.

    The environment at MSU has been pivotal in fostering these advancements. Burman, who began his research journey as an undergraduate at Carroll College, emphasized the importance of the collaborative atmosphere in Wiedenheft's lab. “Blake’s support is huge, and he really pushes us to think big about small proteins, how they work in nature and how we might use them in new ways,” Burman said.

    Publication Details
    Burman, N., Belukhina, S., Depardieu, F. et al. A virally-encoded tRNA neutralizes the PARIS antiviral defence system. Nature (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07874-3

Latest Articles

Collapse

  • seqadmin
    Pathogen Surveillance with Advanced Genomic Tools
    by seqadmin




    The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for proactive pathogen surveillance systems. As ongoing threats like avian influenza and newly emerging infections continue to pose risks, researchers are working to improve how quickly and accurately pathogens can be identified and tracked. In a recent SEQanswers webinar, two experts discussed how next-generation sequencing (NGS) and machine learning are shaping efforts to monitor viral variation and trace the origins of infectious...
    03-24-2025, 11:48 AM
  • seqadmin
    New Genomics Tools and Methods Shared at AGBT 2025
    by seqadmin


    This year’s Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) General Meeting commemorated the 25th anniversary of the event at its original venue on Marco Island, Florida. While this year’s event didn’t include high-profile musical performances, the industry announcements and cutting-edge research still drew the attention of leading scientists.

    The Headliner
    The biggest announcement was Roche stepping back into the sequencing platform market. In the years since...
    03-03-2025, 01:39 PM

ad_right_rmr

Collapse

News

Collapse

Topics Statistics Last Post
Started by seqadmin, 03-20-2025, 05:03 AM
0 responses
49 views
0 reactions
Last Post seqadmin  
Started by seqadmin, 03-19-2025, 07:27 AM
0 responses
57 views
0 reactions
Last Post seqadmin  
Started by seqadmin, 03-18-2025, 12:50 PM
0 responses
50 views
0 reactions
Last Post seqadmin  
Started by seqadmin, 03-03-2025, 01:15 PM
0 responses
201 views
0 reactions
Last Post seqadmin  
Working...