Bacterial defence system conjugates ubiquitin-like proteins to phage tail fibres, impairing infectivity (Nature)

A bacterial antiphage system made of a ubiquitin-like protein, E1 and E2 conjugating enzymes and a deubiquitinase attaches the ubiquitin-like protein to the phage central tail fibre during infection. Infected cells release tailless particles and phages with obstructed tail fibres that have severely impaired infectivity, and the authors conclude that ubiquitin-like conjugation is an antiviral strategy conserved across the tree of life.