Abstract
Toxin-antitoxin systems encoded by bacterial plasmids and chromosomes specify two proteins, a cytotoxin and an antitoxin. The antitoxins neutralize the cognate toxins by forming tight complexes with them. The antitoxins are unstable due to degradation by cellular proteases (Lon or Clp), whereas the toxins are stable. Here we show that orf7 (denoted relB(P307)) and orf6 (denoted relE(P307)) of Escherichia coli plasmid P307 are homologous to the relBE genes of E. coli and constitute a two-component toxin-antitoxin system: (i) relE(P307) encodes a cytotoxin lethal or inhibitory to host cells; (ii) relB(P307) encodes an antitoxin that prevents the lethal action of the relE-encoded toxin; (iii) RelB(P307) antitoxin is degraded by Lon protease; (iv) RelB(P307) antitoxin autoregulates the relBE operon of P307 at the level of transcription; (v) RelE(P307) toxin acts as a co-repressor of transcription; and (vi) the relBE system stabilizes a mini-P307 replicon by the killing of plasmid-free cells. Using database searching, we found relBE homologues on the chromosomes of many Gram-negative and Grampositive bacteria. Even more surprising, numerous relBE-homologous gene systems are present on the chromosomes of Archae. Thus, toxin-antitoxin systems homologous with relBE of E. coli are ubiquitous in prokaryotic organisms. (C) 1999 Academic Press.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Molecular Biology |
| Volume | 285 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1401-1415 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| ISSN | 0022-2836 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1999 |
| Externally published | Yes |