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Caulobacter crescentusTad (tight adherence) pili, part of the type IV pili family, are crucial for mechanosensing, surface adherence, bacteriophage (phage) adsorption, and cell-cycle regulation. Unlike other type IV pilins, Tad pilins lack the typical globular β sheet domain responsible for pilus assembly and phage binding. The mechanisms of Tad pilus assembly and its interaction with phage ΦCb5 have been elusive. Using cryo–electron microscopy, we unveiled the Tad pilus assembly mechanism, featuring a unique network of hydrogen bonds at its core. We then identified the Tad pilus binding to the ΦCb5 maturation protein (Mat) through its β region. Notably, the amino terminus of ΦCb5 Mat is exposed outside the capsid and phage/pilus interface, enabling the attachment of fluorescent and affinity tags. These engineered ΦCb5 virions can be efficiently assembled and purified inEscherichia coli, maintaining infectivity againstC. crescentus, which presents promising applications, including RNA delivery and phage display. 

In this paper, we present an extensive analysis of SN 2021 wuf, a transition between Ia-norm and SN 1991T-like supernovae, which exploded at the periphery of the tidal bridge between the pair galaxy NGC 6500 and NGC 6501, at a redshift ofz = 0.01. Our observations, ranging from −21 to +276 days relative to theB-band maximum light, reveal that SN 2021wuf exhibits properties akin to normal SNe Ia, with a peak absolute magnitude ofM_max(B)  ∼   − 19.49  ±  0.10 mag and a post-peak decline rate of Δm₁₅(B)  ∼  1.11  ±  0.06 mag. The peak bolometric luminosity of this SN is estimated as 1.58  × 10⁴³erg s⁻¹, corresponding to a⁵⁶Ni mass ofM_Ni  ∼  0.64  ±  0.05 M_⊙. The spectral features, including high-velocity Si IIλ6355 lines, a plateau in the Si IIλ6355 velocity evolution and the nickel-to-iron ratio in the nebular phase, suggest a potential pulsating delayed detonation mechanism. The absence of intermediate-mass elements in the early phase and the high photospheric temperature, as inferred from the line-strength ratio of Si IIλ5972 to Si IIλ6355 (named asR(Si II)), further support this classification. 

Positive-sense single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) bacteriophages (phages) were first isolated six decades ago. Since then, extensive research has been conducted on these ssRNA phages, particularly those infecting E. coli. With small genomes of typically 3–4 kb that usually encode four essential proteins, ssRNA phages employ a straightforward infectious cycle involving host adsorption, genome entry, genome replication, phage assembly, and host lysis. Recent advancements in metagenomics and transcriptomics have led to the identification of ~65,000 sequences from ssRNA phages, expanding our understanding of their prevalence and potential hosts. This review article illuminates significant investigations into ssRNA phages, with a focal point on their structural aspects, providing insights into the various stages of their infectious cycle. 

The retractile type IV pilus (T4P) is important for virulence of the opportunistic human pathogenPseudomonas aeruginosa. The single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) phage PP7 binds to T4P and is brought to the cell surface through pilus retraction. Using fluorescence microscopy, we discovered that PP7 detaches T4P, which impairs cell motility and restricts the pathogen’s virulence. Using cryo–electron microscopy, mutagenesis, optical trapping, and Langevin dynamics simulation, we resolved the structure of PP7, T4P, and the PP7/T4P complex and showed that T4P detachment is driven by the affinity between the phage maturation protein and its bound pilin, plus the pilus retraction force and speed, and pilus bending. Pilus detachment may be widespread among other ssRNA phages and their retractile pilus systems and offers new prospects for antibacterial prophylaxis and therapeutics.