Bacteria employ various defense mechanisms against bacteriophages. BREX systems, recognizing and methylating 6 bp non-palindromic motifs, prevent non-methylated phage DNA replication. This study characterizes *Salmonella* BREX, providing X-ray crystal structures of PgIX (methyltransferase and motif recognition domains). The PgIX-Ocr (BREX inhibitor) structure is also presented. Analyses suggest DNA-binding modes and the need for larger BREX complexes. Rational PgIX engineering broadened phage targeting and host methylation, demonstrating PgIX's role in motif recognition for both phage defense and host methylation.
Publisher
Nature Communications
Published On
Aug 22, 2024
Authors
Sam C. Went, David M. Picton, Richard D. Morgan, Andrew Nelson, Aisling Brady, Giuseppina Mariano, David T. F. Dryden, Darren L. Smith, Nicolas Wenner, Jay C. D. Hinton, Tim R. Blower
Tags
bacteria
bacteriophages
BREX systems
methyltransferase
DNA binding
phage defense
motif recognition
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