• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Monday, September 8, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Biology

A mechanism through which ‘good’ viruses kill ‘bad’ bacteria and block their reproduction

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
September 6, 2025
in Biology
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
IMAGE
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

An important step in the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria

The battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria: A new study at Tel Aviv University revealed a mechanism through which “good” viruses can attack the systems of “bad” bacteria, destroy them and block their reproduction. The researchers demonstrated that the “good” virus (bacteriophage) is able to block the replication mechanism of the bacteria’s DNA without damaging its own, and note that the ability to distinguish between oneself and others is crucial in nature. They explain that their discovery reveals one more fascinating aspect of the mutual relations between bacteria and bacteriophages and may lead to a better understanding of bacterial mechanisms for evading bacteriophages, as well as ways for using bacteriophages to combat bacteria.

The study, published recently in PNAS – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was led by Prof. Udi Qimron, Dr. Dor Salomon, Dr. Tridib Mahata and Shahar Molshanski-Mor of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine. Other participants included Prof. Tal Pupko, Head of the Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research and also of the new AI and Data Science Center ; Dr. Oren Avram of the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences; and Dr. Ido Yosef, Dr. Moran Goren, Dr. Miriam Kohen-Manor and Dr. Biswanath Jana of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine.

Prof. Qimron explains that the antibiotic resistance of bacteria is one of the greatest challenges faced by scientists today. One potential solution may lie in further investigation of the targeted eradication of bacteria by “good” bacteriophages; namely, understanding bacteriophage mechanisms for taking over bacteria as a basis for the development of new tools to combat bacterial pathogens.

With this intention in mind, the current study unveiled the mechanism by which the bacteriophage takes control of the bacteria. The researchers found that a bacteriophage protein uses a DNA-repair protein in the bacteria to “cunningly” cut the bacteria’s DNA as it is being repaired. Since the bacteriophage’s own DNA has no need for this specific repair protein, it is protected from this nicking procedure. In this way the “good” bacteriophage does three important things: it distinguishes between its own DNA and that of the bacteria, destroys the bacteria’s genetic material, and blocks the bacteria’s propagation and cell division.

Prof. Qimron adds: “The bacteriophage takes advantage of the bacterial DNA’s need for repair, while the bacteriophage itself has no need for this specific kind of repair. In this way the bacteriophage destroys the bacteria without suffering any damage to itself. The ability to distinguish between oneself and others is of enormous importance in nature and in various biological applications. Thus, for example, all antibiotic mechanisms identify and neutralize bacteria only, with minimal effect on human cells. Another example is our immune system, which is geared toward maximum damage to foreign factors, with minimal self-injury.”

The researchers discovered the process by searching for types of bacterial variants not impacted by this bacteriophage mechanism – those that have developed “immunity” to it. This inquiry led them to the specific bacterial mechanisms affected by the bacteriophage takeover. “We found that the ‘immune’ bacterial variants simply stopped repairing their DNA in ways that are vulnerable to the bacteriophage attack, thereby evading the bacteriophage’s destructive mechanism. Shedding more light on the ways in which bacteriophages attack bacteria, our findings may serve as a tool in the endless battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” concludes Prof. Qimron.

###

Media Contact
Noga Shahar
[email protected]

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2026354118

Tags: antibiotic resistancebacterial pathogensBacteriologybacteriophage therapyBiologyCell BiologyDNA repair mechanismsEpidemiologyGenesGeneticsMedicine/HealthMicrobiologyphage-bacteria interactionVaccinesVirology
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

Vientovirus Protein Mimics Autoantigens, Fuels Sjögren’s Disease

Vientovirus Protein Mimics Autoantigens, Fuels Sjögren’s Disease

September 8, 2025
Proteolytic Inactivation Follows Genomic Hypomethylation in Pseudomonas

Proteolytic Inactivation Follows Genomic Hypomethylation in Pseudomonas

September 8, 2025

Starter Cultures in Cocoa Fermentation: Flavor Impact

September 8, 2025

Leaf Beetle Evolution Boosts Defense Against Shared Wasp

September 8, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • blank

    Breakthrough in Computer Hardware Advances Solves Complex Optimization Challenges

    150 shares
    Share 60 Tweet 38
  • New Drug Formulation Transforms Intravenous Treatments into Rapid Injections

    116 shares
    Share 46 Tweet 29
  • First Confirmed Human Mpox Clade Ib Case China

    56 shares
    Share 22 Tweet 14
  • A Laser-Free Alternative to LASIK: Exploring New Vision Correction Methods

    47 shares
    Share 19 Tweet 12

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Vientovirus Protein Mimics Autoantigens, Fuels Sjögren’s Disease

Frailty Drives Gut Microbiome Imbalance and Heightens Post-Surgical GI Risks

BMS-986504 Shows Lasting Efficacy in MTAP-Deleted NSCLC, Targeting EGFR and ALK-Positive Tumors

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.