🔬 A study published this Thursday in Molecular Cell has uncovered a stealthy strategy viruses use to hijack their bacterial hosts using small RNA molecules as secret weapons.
Researchers from Israel and the U.S. mapped the complex RNA interactions inside E. coli during infection by the lambda phage. For the first time, they caught an extensive network of RNA “conversations” — not just among bacterial messages, but between the bacteria and the invading virus.
The star of the show is a tiny viral RNA named PreS. Acting like a molecular Trojan horse, PreS binds to the bacteria’s messenger RNA (mRNA) responsible for DNA replication. By tweaking its structure, PreS tricks E. coli into cranking out more replication machinery — which the virus then commandeers to churn out its own genetic material at lightning speed. 💥
Key findings:
- Disabling PreS slashes viral replication, proving its crucial role.
- Similar PreS-like sequences pop up in diverse viruses and bacterial genomes, hinting at a widespread microbial tactic.
- This hidden RNA warfare opens fresh paths for future antimicrobial strategies and virus manipulation techniques.
Whether you’re curious about the microscopic world or hunting insight for biotech breakthroughs, this discovery shows us there’s always more to learn in the battle between viruses and their hosts. 🌍🔍
Reference(s):
Study reveals how viruses hijack host cells using hidden RNA messages
cgtn.com
