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Bacteriophage exclusion, a new defense system
Author(s) -
Barrangou Rodolphe,
Oost John
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.15252/embj.201490620
Subject(s) - biology , library science , computer science
The ability to withstand viral predation is critical for survival of most microbes. Accordingly, a plethora of phage resistance systems has been identified in bacterial genomes (Labrie et al , [Labrie SJ, 2010]), including restriction‐modification systems (R‐M) (Tock & Dryden, [Tock MR, 2005]), abortive infection (Abi) (Chopin et al , [Chopin MC, 2005]), Argonaute‐based interference (Swarts et al , [Swarts DC, 2014]), as well as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats ( CRISPR ) and associated protein (Cas) adaptive immune system ( CRISPR ‐Cas) (Barrangou & Marraffini, [Barrangou R, 2014]; Van der Oost et al , [Van der Oost J, 2014]). Predictably, the dark matter of bacterial genomes contains a wealth of genetic gold. A study published in this issue of The EMBO Journal by Goldfarb et al ([Goldfarb T, 2015]) unveils bacteriophage exclusion ( BREX ) as a novel, widespread bacteriophage resistance system that provides innate immunity against virulent and temperate phage in bacteria.