Even Bacterial Viruses Protect Their Offspring

The anti-Kronos effect: phages that save their children.

A University of Toronto team has uncovered how bacterial viruses (phages) safeguard their own progeny to maximize spread, a phenomenon they’ve dubbed the anti-Kronos effect.

The discovery, published in Nature, shows that viral proteins reshape bacterial cell surfaces to block self-infection, preserving viral offspring to infect new hosts.

The work centers on a phage protein called Zip, which shortens bacterial surface fibres commonly used as docking stations for viruses. By preventing wasted re-infections, phages boost the survival of their progeny, in some cases, producing up to 2,000 times more viable viruses.

“These phages have hijacked the host communication system and are using host cell density to control their gene expression.”

— Dr. Karen Maxwell, Professor of Biochemistry

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