Toxin–antitoxin systems are composed of a toxin that inhibits an essential cellular process and an antitoxin that counteracts its cognate toxin. In this Review, Van Melderen and colleagues summarize the recent progress in understanding the biology and evolution of these small genetic elements, and discuss how genomic conflicts could shape the diversification of toxin–antitoxin systems.
- Dukas Jurėnas
- Nathan Fraikin
- Laurence Van Melderen