Viruses "watch" the "weapons" of the host

Bacteriophages can sense DNA damage from bacteria, triggering them to replicate and jump ship
.

However, viral biology is much more
complex than we see.

For more than two decades, my lab has been studying the molecular biology of bacteriophages, that is, viruses
that infect bacteria.

Escape from DNA damage

If the enemy of the enemy is your friend, then the bacteriophage is of course your friend
.

However, just like HIV, lambda is not idle
.

Eavesdropping on the communication system of cells

Instead of using their own proteins to gather information, some bacteriophages use the infected cell's own DNA damage sensor: LexA
.

Proteins like CI and LexA are transcription factors that turn genes on or off by binding to specific genetic patterns in DNA instructions, i.

Researchers first reported on the role of CI in phage decision-making in the 1980s, and Coliphage 186's counterintelligence ruse
was first reported in the late 1990s.

Transcription factors determine the turn of genes on and off
.

Our main hypothesis is that bacteriophages use CtrA to guess when enough bacteria will move near the hairs and flagella to become susceptible to infection
.

These phages aren't the only ones that can make complex decisions, they don't even have the help
of the brain.

Fight virus counterspy

A good question is why you should care about counter-espionage operations
carried out by germ viruses.

Until now, scientists don't know what human viruses would listen for if they hijacked these lines, but there are plenty of options
imaginable.

Having a virus listen to the intimate conversations of your cells isn't the best picture, but it's not without a glimmer of hope
.

But, shhh, don't tell anyone
.

Author: Ivan Erill
, associate professor of biological sciences at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

This article is from an interview
.