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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Detection of Toxin Translocation into the Host Cytosol by Surface Plasmon Resonance

Detection of Toxin Translocation into the Host Cytosol by Surface Plasmon Resonance

Published on: January 3, 2012

Within-host competition selects for plasmid-encoded toxin-antitoxin systems.

Tim F Cooper¹, Tiago Paixão, Jack A Heinemann

¹Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA.

Proceedings. Biological Sciences

|May 28, 2010

Summary

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems on bacterial plasmids offer a competitive edge. Plasmid competition drives the biased accumulation of TA systems, especially when cells are sensitive to their effects.

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A Visual Assay to Monitor T6SS-mediated Bacterial Competition

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Published on: March 20, 2013

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Bacterial Genetics
Molecular Biology

Background:

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are prevalent on bacterial plasmids, regulating toxin activity via antitoxins.
Previous models suggested TA systems prevent plasmid loss, but this explains their success only under limited conditions.
An alternative model proposes plasmid competition during co-infection drives TA system success.

Purpose of the Study:

To test the prediction that plasmid competition leads to biased accumulation of TA systems on plasmids versus chromosomes.
To investigate if TA systems confer a competitive advantage to plasmids in environments with varying levels of within-host competition.

Main Methods:

Transposon-encoded TA systems were introduced into bacterial populations containing plasmids.
TA systems were allowed to integrate into either plasmids or chromosomes.
Populations were incubated in conditions promoting or limiting within-host plasmid competition, and TA system ratios were monitored.

Main Results:

Plasmid-encoded TA systems showed a competitive advantage over chromosomal TA systems.
This advantage was observed only when host cells were sensitive to the effects of TA systems.
The findings support the model of within-host plasmid competition selecting for TA systems.

Conclusions:

Within-host competition between plasmids is a significant factor driving the evolution and maintenance of TA systems.
TA systems provide a selective advantage to plasmids under specific conditions, particularly when host sensitivity is present.
This study elucidates a key mechanism for the widespread distribution of TA systems in bacterial populations.