SNAP output for PDB entry 2xdd [SNAP web server]

PDB-id

2xdd; SNAP-derived features in text and JSON formats; DNAproDB

Class

toxin-RNA

Method

X-ray (3.2 Å)

Summary

A processed non-coding RNA regulates a bacterial antiviral system

Reference

Fineran PC, Blower TR, Foulds IJ, Humphreys DP, Lilley KS, Salmond GPC (2009): "The Phage Abortive Infection System, Toxin, Functions as a Protein-RNA Toxin-Antitoxin Pair." Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci.USA, 106, 894. doi: 10.1073/PNAS.0808832106.

Abstract

Various mechanisms exist that enable bacteria to resist bacteriophage infection. Resistance strategies include the abortive infection (Abi) systems, which promote cell death and limit phage replication within a bacterial population. A highly effective 2-gene Abi system from the phytopathogen Erwinia carotovora subspecies atroseptica, designated ToxIN, is described. The ToxIN Abi system also functions as a toxin-antitoxin (TA) pair, with ToxN inhibiting bacterial growth and the tandemly repeated ToxI RNA antitoxin counteracting the toxicity. TA modules are currently divided into 2 classes, protein and RNA antisense. We provide evidence that ToxIN defines an entirely new TA class that functions via a novel protein-RNA mechanism, with analogous systems present in diverse bacteria. Despite the debated role of TA systems, we demonstrate that ToxIN provides viral resistance in a range of bacterial genera against multiple phages. This is the first demonstration of a novel mechanistic class of TA systems and of an Abi system functioning in different bacterial genera, both with implications for the dynamics of phage-bacterial interactions.