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Title architecture of the Tad pilus machine in .
Journal, issue, pagesmBio, Vol. 17, Issue 5, Page e0011126, Year 2026
Publish dateMay 13, 2026
AuthorsJames Iarocci / Gregory B Whitfield / Ryu F Williston / Michael R Wozny / Kaustuv Basu / John F Presley / Courtney K Ellison / Yves V Brun / Shuaiqi Guo /
PubMed AbstractThe tight adherence (Tad) pilus is a broadly distributed and evolutionarily distinct subclass of type IV pili that mediate cell adhesion, biofilm formation, predation, and surface sensing in many ...The tight adherence (Tad) pilus is a broadly distributed and evolutionarily distinct subclass of type IV pili that mediate cell adhesion, biofilm formation, predation, and surface sensing in many bacteria, including , , , and . Tad pili undergo cycles of extension and retraction powered by a cell-envelope-embedded nanomachine. Despite their biological importance, the architecture and assembly mechanism of the Tad pilus system remain poorly understood. Although cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) has elucidated the architectures of other type IV pilus systems, no intact Tad machine structure has previously been reported. Here, we use cryo-ET and subtomogram averaging to resolve the architecture of the Tad pilus within the bacterial cell envelope. A three-dimensional classification further reveals multiple assembly intermediates, and integrative modeling incorporating AlphaFold3 predictions helps define the spatial arrangement of all core components. The resulting structural framework gives insight into the stepwise assembly process of the Tad pilus machine. Altogether, our results provide an architectural model of the Tad pilus machine, establishing a foundation for understanding homologous systems across a broad range of bacteria.
IMPORTANCE: Investigating the Tad pilus nanomachine in a genetically tractable, non-pathogenic organism like provides a powerful model for elucidating the architecture and functional dynamics of this widespread system. Insights gained from studying the Tad machinery can improve our understanding of related Tad pilus systems in pathogenic bacteria such as , where Tad pili are a key determinant of biofilm formation and chronic infection. Additionally, the remarkable functional diversity of Tad systems, ranging from surface sensing in to bacterial predation in , highlights their broad biological relevance. By revealing the architecture of the Tad pilus biosynthetic machinery, this study advances our understanding of a major class of bacterial nanomachines and may thus provide structural insights that could inform the development of new therapeutic strategies targeting pilus-mediated virulence.
External linksmBio / PubMed:41879311 / PubMed Central
MethodsEM (subtomogram averaging)
Resolution38.91 - 56.82 Å
Structure data

EMDB-73615: Sub-tomogram averaged structure of the non-piliated Tad machine in Caulobacter crescentus
Method: EM (subtomogram averaging) / Resolution: 42.02 Å

EMDB-73632: Sub-tomogram averaged structure of the piliated Tad machine in Caulobacter crescentus
Method: EM (subtomogram averaging) / Resolution: 56.82 Å

EMDB-73646: Sub-tomogram averaged structure of the Tad pilus secretin in Caulobacter crescentus
Method: EM (subtomogram averaging) / Resolution: 38.91 Å

Source
  • Caulobacter vibrioides (bacteria)

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