Prophage terminase with tRNase activity sensitizes Salmonella enterica to oxidative stress. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38574144/)

These scientists wanted to understand how certain viruses, called phage viruses, affect the bacteria they infect, like Salmonella enterica. They found that the Salmonella bacteria have special genes that can be turned on when they are stressed, and one of these genes makes a protein called Gifsy-1 prophage terminase.

Normally, this protein helps the virus package its DNA, but when the bacteria are under oxidative stress (a type of stress caused by harmful molecules), this protein does something unexpected - it acts like scissors and cuts a specific part of a molecule called transfer RNA (tRNA).

This cutting of tRNA by the protein causes problems for the bacteria because tRNA is important for making proteins. So, the bacteria struggle to survive and recover from the stress. However, the bacteria have a clever way to deal with this problem. They activate another system called the RNA repair Rtc system to fix the damaged tRNA.

This whole process of the protein cutting tRNA and the bacteria repairing it helps the bacteria to slow down and take a break from being infected by the virus. It gives them a chance to repair themselves and stay healthy. This study shows how bacteria can adapt and survive in challenging environments by using their own mechanisms to fight against viruses.

Uppalapati S., Kant S., Liu L., Kim JS., Orlicky D., McClelland M., Vazquez-Torres A. Prophage terminase with tRNase activity sensitizes Salmonella enterica to oxidative stress. Science. 2024 Apr 5;384(6691):100-105. doi: 10.1126/science.adl3222. Epub 2024 Apr 4.