Virus deploys a ‘loose cannon’ enzyme to overpower bacterial defences

TL;DR - The bacteriophage kinase T7K phosphorylates nearly all bacterial proteins, with a preference for DNA-binding proteins. This broad activity helps the virus disable host defence systems that target nucleic acids.

• T7K acts as an unusually indiscriminate kinase across the bacterial proteome.
• Its bias toward DNA-binding proteins gives the enzyme functional specificity despite its broad activity.
• Phosphorylating these proteins enables the virus to counter bacterial nucleic-acid defence mechanisms.
• The finding reveals a viral strategy that uses widespread host-protein modification to overcome immunity.