Erez Yirmiya

Bacteria sense virus-induced genome degradation via methylated mononucleotides

This study identifies a bacterial defense system, Metis, that detects virus-induced genome degradation through methylated mononucleotides, leading to inhibition of phage infection.

Functional diversity of phage sponge proteins that sequester host immune signals

The paper investigates the functional diversity of phage sponge proteins that sequester host immune signals, identifying new specificities against CBASS, Pycsar, and Thoeris systems.

Bacterial defense via RES-mediated NAD+ depletion is countered by phage phosphatases

The paper identifies a bacterial defense mechanism, aRES, that depletes NAD+ by producing ADPR-1P, which resists phage NARP1 reconstitution, and describes phage countermeasures including phosphatases and inhibitors.

Conserved catalytic activity of animal TIR domains functions in TLR4 signaling

This study shows that TIR domains in animals, including human TLR4, have conserved catalytic activity that produces cADPR and is essential for TLR4 signaling.

Structural modeling reveals viral proteins that manipulate host immune signaling

The paper identifies viral proteins that manipulate bacterial immune signaling by analyzing structural and biophysical traits, and develops a computational pipeline to predict such proteins in phage genomes.

Systematic discovery of TIR-based immune signaling systems in bacteria

The paper systematically identifies TIR-based immune signaling systems in bacteria, finding they exist in 8% of bacterial genomes and use signaling molecules similar to those in plant and human immunity.

Phages overcome bacterial immunity via diverse anti-defense proteins

This study identifies anti-defense proteins in phages that inhibit bacterial immune systems like Gabija, Thoeris, and Hachiman.