Bacterial defense mechanisms against bacteriophages: an evolutionary arms race - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #Phage therapy
- #CRISPR-Cas
- #Bacterial immunity
- Bacteria and bacteriophages are engaged in a co-evolutionary arms race, developing defense and counter-defense strategies.
- Bacterial defense mechanisms include surface-based defenses (receptor modifications, capsule production, biofilm formation) and intracellular systems (R-M, Abi mechanisms).
- CRISPR-Cas systems provide adaptive immunity, allowing bacteria to recognize and neutralize recurring phage attacks.
- Phages counter bacterial defenses with anti-CRISPR proteins, receptor mimicry, and depolymerization to degrade capsules and biofilms.
- These interactions shape microbial ecosystems and offer insights for novel antimicrobial strategies, including engineered phages and combination therapies.
- Understanding bacterial-phage dynamics is crucial for advancing phage therapy against multidrug-resistant infections.