Phage tRNAs

Decoding the enigma

Review (2025)
Author(s)

Daan F. van den Berg (TU Delft - BN/Stan Brouns Lab, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft)

Stan J.J. Brouns (TU Delft - BN/Stan Brouns Lab, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft)

Research Group
BN/Stan Brouns Lab
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2025.05.009
More Info
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Publication Year
2025
Language
English
Research Group
BN/Stan Brouns Lab
Bibliographical Note
Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository as part of the Taverne amendment. More information about this copyright law amendment can be found at https://www.openaccess.nl. Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.@en
Issue number
10
Volume number
33
Pages (from-to)
1121-1131
Reuse Rights

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Abstract

The presence of tRNAs in bacteriophage genomes has intrigued scientists since their discovery in the early 1960s, as phages were believed to rely on the host tRNAs for their translation. Over the years, a multitude of hypotheses have been explored, providing evidence that phages with different lifestyles utilize tRNAs in distinct ways. In recent years, several studies have provided evidence that phage tRNAs play a crucial role in evading phage defense systems. In this review we summarize the current state of the field of phage tRNAs, highlighting their diverse roles in phage infection. We also discuss the host response to phage tRNAs and the application of this knowledge to improve phage-based therapeutics to combat bacterial infections.

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