Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Stimulation of Cytoplasmic DNA Sensing Pathways In Vitro and In Vivo
Published on: September 18, 2014
SMC-based immunity against extrachromosomal DNA elements
Hon Wing Liu1, Florian Roisné-Hamelin1, Stephan Gruber1
1Department of Fundamental Microbiology (DMF), Faculty of Biology and Medicine (FBM), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Abstract:
SMC and SMC-like complexes promote chromosome folding and genome maintenance in all domains of life. Recently, they were also recognized as factors in cellular immunity against foreign DNA. In bacteria and archaea, Wadjet and Lamassu are anti-plasmid/phage defence systems, while Smc5/6 and Rad50 complexes play a role in anti-viral immunity in humans. This raises an intriguing paradox - how can the same, or closely related, complexes on one hand secure the integrity and maintenance of chromosomal DNA, while on the other recognize and restrict extrachromosomal DNA? In this minireview, we will briefly describe the latest understanding of each of these complexes in immunity including speculations on how principles of SMC(-like) function may explain how the systems recognize linear or circular forms of invading DNA.
Related Concept Videos
Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and...
Diversity of Antigen Receptors
Before encountering any antigen, lymphocytes express these receptors. On B cells, the antigen receptor is a membrane-bound antibody molecule called BCR; on T cells, it is a T cell receptor or TCR. B and T cell receptors are composed of two...
Exon Recombination
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon...
Cell-mediated Immune Responses
Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
The Antiviral System of Bacteria and Archaea: CRISPR

