Single stranded RNA (ssRNA) and single stranded DNA (ssDNA) bacteriophages represent a key component of the global virome, yet the host genetic networks supporting their infection cycles remain poorly...

CRISPR-Cas provides RNA-mediated adaptive immunity, but how its first RNA-guided effector arose is unclear. In this study, we report the discovery of Viral Interference Programmable Repeat (VIPR) syst...

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 10 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02288-5RNA-targeting CRISPR in Listeria seeligeri restricts the lytic cycle of temperate phages but tolerates prophage acquisition while also preventing induction—a system that enables acquisition of beneficial prophages while mitigating the risks of lysis.

CRISPR-associated transposons (CAST) use guide RNAs to direct their transposition and are being harnessed as tools for programmable genome engineering across diverse bacterial species. However, CAST s...