A bacterial toxin-antitoxin system as a native defence element against RNA phages
A bacterial toxin-antitoxin system as a native defence element against RNA phages
Bacteria have evolved a wide range of defence strategies to protect themselves against bacterial viruses (phages). Most known bacterial antiphage defence systems target phages with DNA genomes, which raises the question of how bacteria defend against phages with RNA genomes. Bacterial toxin-antitoxin systems that cleave intracellular RNA could potentially protect bacteria against RNA phages, but this has not been explored experimentally. In this study, we investigated the role of a model toxin-antitoxin system, MazEF, in protecting Escherichia coli against two RNA phage species. When challenged with these phages, the native presence of mazEF moderately reduced population susceptibility and increased the survival of individual E. coli cells. Genomic analysis further revealed an underrepresentation of the MazF cleavage site in genomes of RNA phages infecting E. coli, indicating selection against cleavage. These results show that, in addition to other physiological roles, RNA-degrading toxin-antitoxin systems may also help defend against RNA phages.
Escherichia coli, RNA phage, antiphage defence, bacteria-phage interactions, phenotypic heterogeneity, toxin-antitoxin system
Nikolic, Nela
88a8f576-d9e2-4eb6-9219-39b7065963d3
Pleška, Maroš
ad60b4a4-c6f6-467b-9249-6671560ca5f1
Bergmiller, Tobias
8ee4d67b-d760-48b6-804d-040c3eadff99
Guet, Călin C
1f017767-caea-4caa-bb57-7de79baa05d2
11 June 2025
Nikolic, Nela
88a8f576-d9e2-4eb6-9219-39b7065963d3
Pleška, Maroš
ad60b4a4-c6f6-467b-9249-6671560ca5f1
Bergmiller, Tobias
8ee4d67b-d760-48b6-804d-040c3eadff99
Guet, Călin C
1f017767-caea-4caa-bb57-7de79baa05d2
Nikolic, Nela, Pleška, Maroš, Bergmiller, Tobias and Guet, Călin C
(2025)
A bacterial toxin-antitoxin system as a native defence element against RNA phages.
Biology Letters, 21 (6), [20250080].
(doi:10.1098/rsbl.2025.0080).
Abstract
Bacteria have evolved a wide range of defence strategies to protect themselves against bacterial viruses (phages). Most known bacterial antiphage defence systems target phages with DNA genomes, which raises the question of how bacteria defend against phages with RNA genomes. Bacterial toxin-antitoxin systems that cleave intracellular RNA could potentially protect bacteria against RNA phages, but this has not been explored experimentally. In this study, we investigated the role of a model toxin-antitoxin system, MazEF, in protecting Escherichia coli against two RNA phage species. When challenged with these phages, the native presence of mazEF moderately reduced population susceptibility and increased the survival of individual E. coli cells. Genomic analysis further revealed an underrepresentation of the MazF cleavage site in genomes of RNA phages infecting E. coli, indicating selection against cleavage. These results show that, in addition to other physiological roles, RNA-degrading toxin-antitoxin systems may also help defend against RNA phages.
Text
nikolic-et-al-a-bacterial-toxin-antitoxin-system-as-a-native-defence-element-against-rna-phages
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Accepted/In Press date: 16 April 2025
Published date: 11 June 2025
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Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Authors.
Keywords:
Escherichia coli, RNA phage, antiphage defence, bacteria-phage interactions, phenotypic heterogeneity, toxin-antitoxin system
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 503041
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/503041
ISSN: 1744-9561
PURE UUID: 5e8ebbee-cc70-48b5-8fd7-873168ccb7f7
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Date deposited: 17 Jul 2025 16:47
Last modified: 22 Aug 2025 02:42
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Contributors
Author:
Nela Nikolic
Author:
Maroš Pleška
Author:
Tobias Bergmiller
Author:
Călin C Guet
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