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-Structure paper
Title | Cryo-EM structure of the R388 plasmid conjugative pilus reveals a helical polymer characterized by an unusual pilin/phospholipid binary complex. |
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Journal, issue, pages | Structure, Vol. 32, Issue 9, Page 1335-11347.e5, Year 2024 |
Publish date | Sep 5, 2024 |
Authors | Abhinav K Vadakkepat / Songlin Xue / Adam Redzej / Terry K Smith / Brian T Ho / Gabriel Waksman / |
PubMed Abstract | Bacterial conjugation is a process by which DNA is transferred unidirectionally from a donor cell to a recipient cell. It is the main means by which antibiotic resistance genes spread among bacterial ...Bacterial conjugation is a process by which DNA is transferred unidirectionally from a donor cell to a recipient cell. It is the main means by which antibiotic resistance genes spread among bacterial populations. It is crucially dependent upon the elaboration of an extracellular appendage, termed "pilus," by a large double-membrane-spanning secretion system termed conjugative "type IV secretion system." Here we present the structure of the conjugative pilus encoded by the R388 plasmid. We demonstrate that, as opposed to all conjugative pili produced so far for cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure determination, the conjugative pilus encoded by the R388 plasmid is greatly stimulated by the presence of recipient cells. Comparison of its cryo-EM structure with existing conjugative pilus structures highlights a number of important differences between the R388 pilus structure and that of its homologs, the most prominent being the highly distinctive conformation of its bound lipid. |
External links | Structure / PubMed:39002540 |
Methods | EM (helical sym.) |
Resolution | 3.39 Å |
Structure data | EMDB-19758, PDB-8s6h: |
Chemicals | ChemComp-LHG: |
Source |
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Keywords | PROTEIN FIBRIL / Conjugal transfer protein / VirB2 / Conjugative pilus / Type-4 secretion system fibre / Conduit for horizontal gene transfer / anti-microbial resistance |