title: Toxin-Antitoxin Systems in Clinical Pathogens.
abstract: Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are prevalent in bacteria and archaea. Although not essential for normal cell growth, TA systems are implicated in multiple cellular functions associated with survival under stress conditions. Clinical strains of bacteria are currently causing major human health problems as a result of their multidrug resistance, persistence and strong pathogenicity. Here, we present a review of the TA systems described to date and their biological role in human pathogens belonging to the ESKAPE group (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter spp.) and others of clinical relevance (Escherichia coli, Burkholderia spp., Streptococcus spp. and Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Better understanding of the mechanisms of action of TA systems will enable the development of new lines of treatment for infections caused by the above-mentioned pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiolog&#237;a, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coru&#241;a-INIBIC, A Coru&#241;a 15006, Spain. laugemis@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fernández-García
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiolog&#237;a, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coru&#241;a-INIBIC, A Coru&#241;a 15006, Spain. lucia.blasco@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blasco
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiolog&#237;a, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coru&#241;a-INIBIC, A Coru&#241;a 15006, Spain. maria.lopez.diaz@sergas.es.|Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI), Seville 41071, Spain. maria.lopez.diaz@sergas.es.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiolog&#237;a, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coru&#241;a-INIBIC, A Coru&#241;a 15006, Spain. german.bou.arevalo@sergas.es.|Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI), Seville 41071, Spain. german.bou.arevalo@sergas.es.
authors.forename: German
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bou
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiolog&#237;a y Parasitolog&#237;a, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Aut&#243;noma de M&#233;xico, Ciudad de M&#233;xico 04510, M&#233;xico. rgarc@bq.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Contreras
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802 PA, USA. tuw14@psu.edu.|Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802 PA, USA. tuw14@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiolog&#237;a, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coru&#241;a-INIBIC, A Coru&#241;a 15006, Spain. ma.del.mar.tomas.carmona@sergas.es.|Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI), Seville 41071, Spain. ma.del.mar.tomas.carmona@sergas.es.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000992:Antitoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000992:Antitoxins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins
keywords: Toxin-Antitoxin; chromosome; clinical; pathogens; persistance; plasmids; resistance; virulence