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Newly discovered antiviral system in bacteria is 'strangest of its kind'

Newly discovered antiviral system in bacteria is 'strangest of its kind'
Phys.org Tuesday 13 October 2026, 19:20 UTC 1 min read
Key Points

Researchers at Gladstone Institutes have uncovered an unusual bacterial immune system that operates in reverse of known defenses. The discovery, published in Molecular Cell, details the mechanics of "type VI retrons"—a counterintuitive class of bacterial defenses. More than just a biological curiosity, decoding these complex systems provides a molecular blueprint that scientists can adapt to engineer more efficient DNA-editing tools for human health and therapies.

Researchers at Gladstone Institutes have uncovered an unusual bacterial immune system that operates in reverse of known defenses. The discovery, published in Molecular Cell, details the mechanics of "type VI retrons"—a counterintuitive class of bacterial defenses. More than just a biological curiosity, decoding these complex systems provides a molecular blueprint that scientists can adapt to engineer more efficient DNA-editing tools for human health and therapies.
Gladstone Institutes (ORG) VI (ORG)
Originally published by Phys.org Read original →

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