Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
Microbiol Res. 2022 Nov;264:127159. doi: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.127159. Epub 2022 Aug 6.
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems, composed of a stable toxin and a cognate unstable antitoxin, are ubiquitous in the genomes of bacteria and archaea. Under suitable growth conditions, an antitoxin prevents its cognate toxin from inducing toxicity; nonetheless, under stress or plasmid loss, it is either rapidly degraded or downregulated, thereby freeing the toxin to exert its activity toward various targets. Currently, TA systems are classified into eight types based on the nature and mode of action of antitoxins. TA expression is tightly regulated at multiple levels. These systems have various biological roles, including genetic element maintenance, virulence, stress resistance, and phage inhibition. Because of the toxic property of toxins, TA systems have been exploited for biotechnological (e.g., DNA cloning, plasmid maintenance, and counterselection) and medical (e.g., antibacterial drugs, antivirals, and anticancer therapies) applications. Herein, we provided an updated overview of TA systems by focusing on their classification, biological roles, and applications. We also described recent advances in research on TA systems and discussed research perspectives in this field.
毒素-抗毒素 (TA) 系统由稳定的毒素和同源不稳定的抗毒素组成，广泛存在于细菌和古菌的基因组中。在适宜的生长条件下，抗毒素可防止其同源毒素诱导毒性；然而，在应激或质粒丢失的情况下，它要么迅速降解，要么下调，从而使毒素能够针对各种靶标发挥其活性。目前，TA 系统根据抗毒素的性质和作用模式分为 8 种类型。TA 的表达在多个水平受到严格调控。这些系统具有多种生物学作用，包括遗传元件的维持、毒力、应激抗性和噬菌体抑制。由于毒素的毒性特性，TA 系统已被用于生物技术（例如 DNA 克隆、质粒维持和反选择）和医学（例如抗菌药物、抗病毒药物和抗癌疗法）应用。本文通过关注 TA 系统的分类、生物学作用和应用，对 TA 系统进行了更新概述。我们还描述了 TA 系统研究的最新进展，并讨论了该领域的研究前景。
