@article{PAR00010404,
  title = {{C}onnection of toxin-antitoxin modules to inoculation eschar and arthropod vertical transmission in {R}ickettsiales},
  author = {{S}ocolovschi, {C}. and {A}udoly, {G}. and {R}aoult, {D}idier},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he biological role of toxin-antitoxin systems ({TAS}) in pathogenicity and cell addiction of {R}ickettsia was recently reported. {W}e realized a comparative genomic analysis onto 33 rickettsial genomes and correlated the presence of {TAS} encoding genes with vertical transmission ({VT}) in arthropod hosts, the presence of inoculation eschar in humans and experimental animals, and the mortality in humans. {T}here is a significant statistical link between {TAS} and the presence of an eschar (p <= 0.0001). {T}he presence of {TAS} is also significantly inversely correlated with mortality. {T}he toxic effect of {TAS} may increase the local reaction, thus inhibiting the spread of rickettsiae associated with fatal outcome of the disease. {T}he {TAS} were also linked to {VT} (p <= 0.0001). {T}ogether with our previous findings we speculate that this is the first addiction system evidenced in intracellular bacteria. {T}hus, the {TAS}, as selfish genetic elements, might be essential to the evolutionary strategy of intracellular bacteria.},
  keywords = {{T}oxin-antitoxin ; {R}ickettsiae ; {T}icks ; {V}ertical transmission ; {I}noculation ; eschar},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}omparative {I}mmunology {M}icrobiology and {I}nfectious {D}iseases},
  volume = {36},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {199--209},
  ISSN = {0147-9571},
  year = {2013},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.cimid.2013.01.001},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00010404},
}