The toxin-antitoxin (TA) system is composed of a stable toxin and an unstable antitoxin that neutralizes the toxin.Being perhaps the most studied among the different TA types,type Ⅱ TA systems are widely distributed and often exist in multiple copies within chromosomes of eubacteria and archaea.Exhibiting diverse molecular activities such as RNases,kinases,and acetyltransferases,type Ⅱ TA systems have been confirmed to be involved in diverse biological processes including plasmid maintenance,phage inhibition,persistence,stress response,and biofilm formation.In this review,we summarize the current state of the research in the type Ⅱ TA field,emphasizing the activation mechanism,structure-function relationship,and biological functions of type Ⅱ TA systems.