A Eukaryotic-like Serine/Threonine Kinase Protects Staphylococci against Phages.
Organisms from all domains of life are infected by viruses. In eukaryotes, serine/threonine kinases play a central role in antiviral response. Bacteria, however, are not commonly known to use protein phosphorylation as part of their defense against phages. Here we identify Stk2, a staphylococcal serine/threonine kinase that provides efficient immunity against bacteriophages by inducing abortive infection. A phage protein of unknown function activates the Stk2 kinase. This leads to the Stk2-dependent phosphorylation of several proteins involved in translation, global transcription control, cell-cycle control, stress response, DNA topology, DNA repair, and central metabolism. Bacterial host cells die as a consequence of Stk2 activation, thereby preventing propagation of the phage to the rest of the bacterial population. Our work shows that mechanisms of viral defense that rely on protein phosphorylation constitute a conserved antiviral strategy across multiple domains of life.
Synthetic Biology Group, Microbiology Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France.
Florence
F
Depardieu
Institute of Molecular and Supramolecular Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lyon-CNRS, Villeurbanne 69100, France.
Jean-Philippe
JP
Didier
Synthetic Biology Group, Microbiology Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France; AgroParisTech, Paris 75005, France.
Aude
A
Bernheim
Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Andrew
A
Sherlock
Proteomics Resource Center, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Henrik
H
Molina
Institute of Molecular and Supramolecular Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lyon-CNRS, Villeurbanne 69100, France. Electronic address: bertrand.duclos@univ-lyon1.fr.
Bertrand
B
Duclos
Synthetic Biology Group, Microbiology Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France. Electronic address: david.bikard@pasteur.fr.
David
D
Bikard
D020536:Enzyme Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D050296:Microbial Viability; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000821:virology*; D013204:Staphylococcus Phages / Q000254:growth & development*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D020536:Enzyme Activators; D014764:Viral Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases