Distressing bacteria: structure of a prokaryotic detox program.
MazF and MazE are components of a chromosomal toxin-antitoxin system of Escherichia coli. In this issue of Molecular Cell, Kamada et al. describe the crystal structure of a MazE/MazF heterohexamer and propose that the mechanism of toxin-antidote recognition is common to other homologous chromosomal and plasmid-borne systems.
de la Cueva-Méndez
Guillermo
G
MRC Cancer Cell Unit, Hutchison-MRC Research Centre, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2XZ, United Kingdom.
D000992:Antitoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004722:Endoribonucleases; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011387:Prokaryotic Cells / Q000378:metabolism*
D000992:Antitoxins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C422954:MazE protein, E coli; C422955:MazF protein, E coli; D004722:Endoribonucleases