Nature Communications (Jun 2022)

Mucin induces CRISPR-Cas defense in an opportunistic pathogen

  • Gabriel Magno de Freitas Almeida,
  • Ville Hoikkala,
  • Janne Ravantti,
  • Noora Rantanen,
  • Lotta-Riina Sundberg

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31330-3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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It is unknown what circumstances promote particular bacterial defenses against bacterial viruses (phages). Almeida & Hoikkala et al. show that mucin, derived from mucus, greatly accelerates CRISPR-Cas defenses against phage in an opportunistic pathogen.