Abstract 1587 Architecture remodeling activates the HerA-DUF anti-phage defense system

Bacteriophages drive an evolutionary arms race with bacteria, spurring the development of diverse anti-phage defense systems. Bioinformatic analyses have uncovered numerous bacterial immune systems, many of which harbor components with elusive functions. One such system, the HerA-DUF4297 (HerA-DUF) system has emerged as a critical bacterial defense system with unknown function. The HerA-DUF system comprises HerA, an ATPase with an N-terminal HAS domain, a RecA-like ATPase domain, and a stabilizing C-terminal brace, and DUF4297 (DUF), a protein of unknown function.