Jerusalem: Israeli researchers have identified a novel mechanism in marine bacteria that defends them against viral attacks, the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) announced. The discovery sheds light on the ongoing battle between bacteria and phages—viruses that infect bacteria—in marine ecosystems, according to inputs from IANS.
The study, published in Nature Microbiology, highlights how bacteria and phages are locked in an evolutionary arms race, where viral infections can drastically reduce bacterial populations. Without resistance mechanisms, these populations could face extinction, the researchers noted, as per IANS.
The research specifically examined the interaction between Synechococcus, a photosynthetic marine bacterium crucial to oxygen production and the food chain, and its phage Syn9. Synechococcus plays a vital role in maintaining marine ecosystems, making the findings particularly significant.
The study revealed that Synechococcus employs a passive defense strategy to resist the phage Syn9. This involves reducing the levels of transfer RNA (tRNA), a molecule essential for protein synthesis during gene translation.
When tRNA levels are normal, the bacterium is more vulnerable to viral infection. However, by lowering tRNA levels, Synechococcus enhances its resistance, preventing new virus formation within its cells. Interestingly, this mechanism does not block the virus from entering the bacterial cell but disrupts its ability to replicate, allowing the bacteria to survive.
Researchers believe this passive resistance evolved over time due to selective pressure, where bacteria with reduced tRNA levels survived longer and passed on this trait. They also concluded that this resistance is widespread and not limited to the Synechococcus-Syn9 relationship.
“This discovery provides insights into the evolutionary dynamics of marine ecosystems and highlights the resilience of bacterial populations,” the researchers noted, according to IANS.
The findings contribute to a better understanding of marine microbial interactions and could inform future research into bacterial survival strategies and virus control mechanisms.