Tandem mobilization of anti-phage defenses alongside SCCmec elements in staphylococci.

ABSTRACT: Recent research has identified multiple immune systems that bacteria use to protect themselves from viral infections. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which these systems horizontally spread, especially among bacterial pathogens. Here, we investigate antiviral defenses in staphylococci, opportunistic pathogens that constitute leading causes of antibiotic-resistant infections. We show that these organisms harbor a variety of anti-phage defenses encoded within or near SCC (staphylococcal cassette chromosome) mec cassettes, mobile genomic islands that confer methicillin resistance. Importantly, we demonstrate that SCCmec-encoded recombinases mobilize not only SCCmec, but also tandem SCC-like cassettes enriched in genes coding for diverse defense systems. Further, we show that

SUBMITTER: Hossain M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11470126 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature