
Sea Anemone CARDIB Protein Rewrites Viral Defense Strategy
Researchers found that the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis makes a CARDIB protein that normally suppresses certain immune signals, but is essential for mounting an effective antiviral response. CRISPR-edited anemones lacking CARDIB were more vulnerable, while CARDIB-expressing animals survived better in real estuary conditions, suggesting a 648-million-year-old, independently evolved antiviral mechanism with potential implications for medicine.













