Research Article | Molecular Biology and Physiology Xiaofeng Zhou, Michael R. Eckart, Lucy Shapiro Martin J. Blaser, Editor DOI: 10.1128/mBio.03020-20 ABSTRACT Bacterial cells utilize toxin-antitoxin systems to inhibit self-reproduction, while maintaining viability, when faced with environmental challenges. The activation of the toxin is often coupled to the induction of cellular response pathways, such as the stringent response, in response to multiple stress conditions.
