NAD reloaded: Hacking bacterial defenses

Abstract

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is an essential metabolite, and its depletion serves as a common bacterial immune strategy against bacteriophages (phages). In a recent issue of Nature, Osterman et al.¹ reveal two phage-encoded NAD restoration pathways, showcasing the phages' innovative counterstrategies against bacterial immunity and providing insights for developing novel antimicrobial approaches.