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Mayo-Muñoz D, Pinilla-Redondo R, Camara-Wilpert S, Birkholz N, Fineran PC. Inhibitors of bacterial immune systems: discovery, mechanisms and applications. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:237-254. [PMID: 38291236 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00676-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
To contend with the diversity and ubiquity of bacteriophages and other mobile genetic elements, bacteria have developed an arsenal of immune defence mechanisms. Bacterial defences include CRISPR-Cas, restriction-modification and a growing list of mechanistically diverse systems, which constitute the bacterial 'immune system'. As a response, bacteriophages and mobile genetic elements have evolved direct and indirect mechanisms to circumvent or block bacterial defence pathways and ensure successful infection. Recent advances in methodological and computational approaches, as well as the increasing availability of genome sequences, have boosted the discovery of direct inhibitors of bacterial defence systems. In this Review, we discuss methods for the discovery of direct inhibitors, their diverse mechanisms of action and perspectives on their emerging applications in biotechnology and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mayo-Muñoz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Genetics Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Rafael Pinilla-Redondo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | | | - Nils Birkholz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Genetics Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Peter C Fineran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
- Genetics Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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