How bacteria sense invading viruses and defend themselves
Official title: ATP-driven detection of foreign proteins triggers diverse mechanisms of cellular defense and phage-mediated counter defense
Funded at Montana State University - Bozeman · NIH-11330420 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are figuring out how bacteria spot viral proteins and turn on defenses, which could help fight antibiotic-resistant infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Montana State University - Bozeman NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bozeman, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2020 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $582,105 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM134867-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11330420 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections or those willing to donate microbiome or bacterial samples for research would be the most relevant candidates to help related studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are unrelated to bacterial infections or the microbiome are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this grant's work.
What this research studies
Researchers will use computational searches of bacterial genomes to find ATP-powered immune systems, then study those systems in the lab with biochemical and structural experiments to see how they recognize viral proteins. They will test how detection turns on different bacterial defense mechanisms and how viruses (phages) evolve ways to counteract those defenses. The work focuses on bacteria that live in and around people to understand how these interactions shape antibiotic resistance and microbial communities relevant to human health. Findings may guide future approaches like phage therapies or new ways to limit the spread of resistance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets or strategies to prevent or treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has revealed other bacterial immune systems like CRISPR and informed phage therapy efforts, but ATP-driven detection systems are less explored and this approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Montana State University - Bozeman
Bozeman, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wiedenheft, Blake a — Montana State University - Bozeman
- Study coordinator: Wiedenheft, Blake a
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.