Umeå University's logo

umu.sePublications
Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
The structural basis of hyperpromiscuity in a core combinatorial network of type II toxin-antitoxin and related phage defense systems
Department of Experimental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Department of Experimental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Department of Experimental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Show others and affiliations
2023 (English)In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, ISSN 0027-8424, E-ISSN 1091-6490, Vol. 120, no 33, article id e2305393120Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are a large group of small genetic modules found in prokaryotes and their mobile genetic elements. Type II TAs are encoded as bicistronic (two-gene) operons that encode two proteins: a toxin and a neutralizing antitoxin. Using our tool NetFlax (standing for Network-FlaGs for toxins and antitoxins), we have performed a large-scale bioinformatic analysis of proteinaceous TAs, revealing interconnected clusters constituting a core network of TA-like gene pairs. To understand the structural basis of toxin neutralization by antitoxins, we have predicted the structures of 3,419 complexes with AlphaFold2. Together with mutagenesis and functional assays, our structural predictions provide insights into the neutralizing mechanism of the hyperpromiscuous Panacea antitoxin domain. In antitoxins composed of standalone Panacea, the domain mediates direct toxin neutralization, while in multidomain antitoxins the neutralization is mediated by other domains, such as PAD1, Phd-C, and ZFD. We hypothesize that Panacea acts as a sensor that regulates TA activation. We have experimentally validated 16 NetFlax TA systems and used domain annotations and metabolic labeling assays to predict their potential mechanisms of toxicity (such as membrane disruption, and inhibition of cell division or protein synthesis) as well as biological functions (such as antiphage defense). We have validated the antiphage activity of a RosmerTA system encoded by Gordonia phage Kita, and used fluorescence microscopy to confirm its predicted membrane-depolarizing activity. The interactive version of the NetFlax TA network that includes structural predictions can be accessed at http://netflax.webflags.se/.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2023. Vol. 120, no 33, article id e2305393120
Keywords [en]
AlphaFold, antitoxin, Panacea, phage, toxin
National Category
Biochemistry Molecular Biology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-213038DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305393120ISI: 001291135200001PubMedID: 37556498Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85167528527OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-213038DiVA, id: diva2:1789728
Funder
Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, 2020.0037Swedish Research Council, 2019-01085Swedish Research Council, 2022-01603The Crafoord Foundation, 20220562Swedish Cancer Society, 20 0872Carl Tryggers foundation , CTS19:24The Kempe Foundations, SMK-2061Available from: 2023-08-21 Created: 2023-08-21 Last updated: 2025-04-24Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

fulltext(2302 kB)80 downloads
File information
File name FULLTEXT01.pdfFile size 2302 kBChecksum SHA-512
ee3971d7f43d3c5e1a74443f972688d810165bfafa8e8354891f9df4d71096fa55f25f9085e3c68f2fea7070d00e3e6215711a53863dd3c575ad178bb5726af0
Type fulltextMimetype application/pdf

Other links

Publisher's full textPubMedScopus

Authority records

Chouhan, Bhanu

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Chouhan, Bhanu
By organisation
Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine)
In the same journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
BiochemistryMolecular Biology

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar
Total: 88 downloads
The number of downloads is the sum of all downloads of full texts. It may include eg previous versions that are now no longer available

doi
pubmed
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

doi
pubmed
urn-nbn
Total: 178 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf