Antisense RNA: A modern solution to a traditional problem?

Bacteriophage (phage) attack of starter bacterial cultures is responsible for the majority of disrupted dairy fermentations, resulting in considerable economic losses due to product downgrading or complete fermentation failures. A number of strategies have been developed to overcome phage attack, including exploiting spontaneously resistant bacteria and the conjugal transfer between bacteria of plasmids that confer resistance. A recent suggestion has been to employ antisense RNA targeted against genes encoding essential phage proteins. Depending on the length and amount of the antisense RNA molecule produced, varying degrees of resistance have been conferred against phage.