Edze R. Westra

Jan 16, 2025 | biorxiv.org | Sean Meaden |Edze R. Westra |Peter C. Fineran

AbstractThe defence systems bacteria use to protect themselves from their viruses are mechanistically and genetically diverse. Yet the ecological conditions that predict when defences are selected for remain unclear, as substantial variation in defence prevalence has been reported. Experimental work in simple communities suggests ecological factors can determine when specific defence systems are most beneficial, but applying these findings to complex communities has been challenging.