Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 26, 2025

Selection-dependent and Independent Generation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Gene Knockouts in Mammalian Cells
11:35

Selection-dependent and Independent Generation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Gene Knockouts in Mammalian Cells

Published on: June 16, 2017

12.6K

A host of armor: Prokaryotic immune strategies against mobile genetic elements

David Mayo-Muñoz1, Rafael Pinilla-Redondo2, Nils Birkholz3

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Genetics Otago, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.

Cell Reports
|June 22, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Prokaryotes defend against mobile genetic elements (MGEs) using diverse immune systems. These defenses protect microbial populations and reveal new enzymes for biotechnology.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Prokaryotic adaptation is significantly shaped by horizontal gene transfer from mobile genetic elements (MGEs) like viruses and plasmids.
  • MGEs can confer benefits but also impose fitness costs due to their parasitic nature and distinct evolutionary paths.
  • Prokaryotes have developed sophisticated immune systems to counteract MGE threats.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and highlight the diverse prokaryotic immune strategies against MGEs.
  • To focus on recent discoveries in the field of prokaryotic defense mechanisms.
  • To explore the evolutionary implications and biotechnological potential of these defense systems.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on recent scientific discoveries.
  • Analysis of various prokaryotic defense strategies against MGEs.
  • Synthesis of information on microbial evolution and enzyme discovery.

Main Results:

  • Prokaryotic immune systems exhibit remarkable diversity in their mechanisms.
  • Defense strategies include degradation of foreign genetic material, inhibition of replication, and abortive infection.
  • Recent research has greatly expanded the understanding of these systems' abundance and variety.

Conclusions:

  • Prokaryotic immune systems are crucial for microbial survival and evolution.
  • The study of these defenses offers insights into microbial evolutionary dynamics.
  • Novel enzymatic activities with significant biotechnological applications have been uncovered.
Keywords:
CP: Microbiologyabortive infectionmobile genetic elementphageplasmidprokaryotic immune systems

More Related Videos

Site-specific Bacterial Chromosome Engineering: ΦC31 Integrase Mediated Cassette Exchange (IMCE)08:21

Site-specific Bacterial Chromosome Engineering: ΦC31 Integrase Mediated Cassette Exchange (IMCE)

Published on: March 16, 2012

15.7K
Phage-mediated Delivery of Targeted sRNA Constructs to Knock Down Gene Expression in E. coli08:25

Phage-mediated Delivery of Targeted sRNA Constructs to Knock Down Gene Expression in E. coli

Published on: March 20, 2016

12.7K

Related Concept Videos

CRISPR and crRNAs02:53

CRISPR and crRNAs

Bacteria and archaea are susceptible to viral infections just like eukaryotes; therefore, they have developed a unique adaptive immune system to protect themselves. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) are present in more than 45% of known bacteria and 90% of known archaea.
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
17.1K
The Antiviral System of Bacteria and Archaea: CRISPR01:23

The Antiviral System of Bacteria and Archaea: CRISPR

CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats is a adaptive immune system found in bacteria and archaea that protects against viral infections. This system enables prokaryotic cells to identify, remember, and neutralize foreign genetic elements, primarily bacteriophages, by storing fragments of the invader’s DNA as a genetic memory.The CRISPR immune response begins during an initial infection. Cas (CRISPR-associated) proteins play a central role in this...
62
Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes00:46

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The chromosome is tightly wound, or supercoiled, for efficient storage. Prokaryotes also contain other circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. These plasmids are smaller than the chromosome and often carry genes that confer adaptive functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Genomic Diversity in Bacteria
Although bacterial genomes are much...
44.1K
Prokaryotic Cells01:51

Prokaryotic Cells

Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains—Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common organisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins....
122.8K
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
1.5K
DNA Bacteriophages01:26

DNA Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...
61