Study Uncovers a Strategy that Viruses use to Evade Immediate Immune Responses

DNA, RNA, Protein? Three mechanisms of silencing that are guided by a short sequence. In each case a short sequence is used to identify a larger target sequence; these mechanisms are analogous to “search and delete” programs that utilize a “keyword” that have been written in three different languages. Each system has an enzyme that recognizes the match between the short sequence and the target and then cuts (“deletes”) the larger target sequence. The short sequence and target sequences belong to either the host or pathogen and the goal of these mechanisms is to antagonize or silence the effects of the molecule. These mechanisms are used to defend the host from viruses or to defend a virus from a host's immune system.