Ancient Virus Offers Clues to Battling Superbugs

A recent study generated a detailed structural map of a bacteriophage, providing new insights into how these viruses could help combat drug-resistant bacteria.

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect bacteria but are harmless to all multi-cellular life. They can selectively target and destroy specific bacteria, making them a promising alternative to antibiotics as antimicrobial resistance rises.

The team studied Bas63, a phage that infects E. coli, using advanced 3D imaging to understand how its complex tail structures function during infection. This research helps identify the most effective phages for therapy and explains differences in their behavior in the lab.

Phages are essential not only for human medicine but also for agriculture and industry, including controlling plant pathogens and biofilms in food processing and water systems. The study revealed rare structural features such as whisker-collar connections, hexamer proteins, and diverse tail fibers, which may also inspire artists and educators.

Structural analysis provided evolutionary insights, showing that phages share distant connections with herpes-viruses, tracing back billions of years before multicellular life. Bacteriophages are considered living fossils, offering a glimpse into ancient viral evolution.

This work builds on the group’s previous structural studies of potato pathogens, expanding understanding of phage biology and their potential applications in medicine, agriculture, and industry.

References:

1. Hodgkinson-Bean J, Ayala R, McJarrow-Keller K, Cassin L, Rutter GL, Crowe AJM, Wolf M, Bostina M. Cryo-EM structure of bacteriophage Bas63 reveals structural conservation and diversity in the Felixounavirus genus. Sci Adv. 2025;11(46):eadx0790. doi:10.1126/sciadv.adx0790.; https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251117095635.htm