Jerusalem, January 6 (IANS) - Researchers at the Israel Institute of Technology have identified a system in marine bacteria that protects them from viral attacks.
A new study published in Nature Microbiology focuses on the ongoing conflict between bacteria and phages, viruses that infect bacteria, highlighting their co-evolution in marine environments.
In certain areas, viral infections drastically reduce bacterial populations, leading to their destruction without a defense mechanism.
The study revealed that bacteria utilize a passive defense mechanism involving extremely low doses of molecules in protein synthesis.
Researchers investigated the relationship between the marine bacterium Synechococcus and phage Sini9, noting the critical role of Synechococcus in producing oxygen and energy from light, essential for marine life.
Findings indicate that resistance to Sini9 decreases the levels of transfer RNA (tRNA), a crucial molecule for gene function. Bacteria are more susceptible to viruses when tRNA levels are normal, but resistance increases as tRNA levels drop.
This passive resistance pattern enhances the bacteria's ability to evade viral infections through the cessation of certain intracellular functions.
Importantly, the resistance does not prevent phages from entering bacterial cells but inhibits the production of new viruses, allowing the bacteria to survive.
The study concludes that bacteria have gradually developed a method to withstand viral attacks, resulting in longer survival and the emergence of new, virus-resistant bacterial generations. This resistance mechanism is not limited to Synechococcus and Sini9 but may apply to other organisms as well.