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Pathogens have led to the development of various defense strategies in cells, known as cell-autonomous innate immunity. Bacteria possess a wide range of defense systems to protect against bacterial viruses, or phages. Recent research has revealed that innate immunity shares similarities across different organisms, with components of eukaryotic innate immunity also found in bacteria. This includes pathways such as cGAS-STING, gasdermins, and Radical S-adenosyl methionine domain-containing protein 2. The conservation of innate immune pathways between prokaryotes and eukaryotes suggests that studying bacterial defense mechanisms could uncover new molecular players in eukaryotic innate immunity.
A few human proteins are like those in bacterial defense systems, Eleos and Lamassu. When these proteins are overexpressed in embryonic kidney 293T cells, they reduce herpes simplex virus 1. This suggests they might have antiviral properties.
Just as higher organisms compete for resources and habitable space, bacteria also produce a diverse array of weapons to inhibit, injure, and kill their competitors. Similar to the evolutionary arms race seen in higher organisms, the introduction of a new bacterial weapon often leads to the development, acquisition, or evolution of defenses that protect the target population. Several review articles have focused on bacterial antagonism and the diverse arsenal of weapons that bacteria produce to inhibit competitors.
see also:
Acquired interbacterial defense (AID)
Bacteriocins
Biological effects / Functions & Macrophages (CD68s)
Infection Diseases / Infections / Bacterial Infection & Toll-like receptors (TLRs)
Intestinal Epithelial Barrier / Mucosal Barrier / Mucus Layer
Ring Finger Protein 213 (RNF213)
SP-D / Surfactant Protein D
Type VI secretion system (T6SS)