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Originally published at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, on 7 January, 2025 A new study has uncovered a surprising link between Alzheimer’s disease and Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1). Researchers found HSV-1 proteins embedded in Alzheimer’s brains, revealing how the virus is inhibited by tau protein—a key player in the disease. These insights could pave the way for innovative treatments targeting viral activity and the brain’s immune response to slow or even stop Alzheimer’s progression. Picture: In green - herpes virus proteins. In red - Alzheimer’s tau. And also a merge image on the right. (Credit - Shemesh Lab) New study led by  Dr. Or Shemesh from the School of Pharmacy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem  has uncovered a surprising connection between Alzheimer’s disease and the Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1). The research team used advanced techniques to identify 19 HSV-1-related proteins in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, across all stages of the disease...

Originally published by Anne Trafton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , on December 23, 2024  A study from MIT biological engineers has yielded new insight into how bacteria in the gut microbiome adapt their CRISPR defenses as they encounter new threats. Credit: Donny Bliss, NIH Within the human digestive tract are trillions of bacteria from thousands of different species . These bacteria form communities that help digest food, fend off harmful microbes, and play many other roles in maintaining human health. These bacteria can be vulnerable to infection from viruses called bacteriophages . One of bacterial cells' most well-known defenses against these viruses is the CRISPR system , which evolved in bacteria to help t hem recognize and chop up viral DNA . A study from MIT biological engineers has yielded new insight into how bacteria in the gut microbiome adapt their CRISPR defenses as they encounter new threats . The researchers found that while bacteria grown in t...