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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Bacteria are continually challenged by foreign invaders, including bacteriophages, and have evolved a variety of defenses against these invaders. Here, we describe the structural and biochemical mechanisms of a bacteriophage immunity pathway found in a broad array of bacteria, including E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This pathway uses eukaryotic-like HORMA domain proteins that recognize specific peptides, then bind and activate a cGAS/DncV-like nucleotidyltransferase (CD-NTase) to generate a cyclic triadenylate (cAAA) second messenger; cAAA in turn activates an endonuclease effector, NucC. Signaling is attenuated by a homolog of the AAA+ ATPase Pch2/TRIP13, which binds and disassembles the active HORMA-CD-NTase complex. When expressed in non-pathogenic E. coli, this pathway confers immunity against bacteriophage lambda through an abortive infection mechanism. Our findings reveal the molecular mechanisms of a bacterial defense pathway integrating a cGAS-like nucleotidyltransferase with HORMA domain proteins for threat sensing through protein detection and negative regulation by a Trip13 ATPase.

HORMA Domain Proteins and a Trip13-like ATPase Regulate Bacterial cGAS-like Enzymes to Mediate Bacteriophage Immunity.,Ye Q, Lau RK, Mathews IT, Birkholz EA, Watrous JD, Azimi CS, Pogliano J, Jain M, Corbett KD Mol Cell. 2019 Dec 31. pii: S1097-2765(19)30922-0. doi:, 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.12.009. PMID:31932165^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.