BIROn - Birkbeck Institutional Research Online

    Translocation through the Conjugative Type IV Secretion System requires unfolding of its protein substrate

    Trokter, Martina and Waksman, Gabriel (2018) Translocation through the Conjugative Type IV Secretion System requires unfolding of its protein substrate. Journal of Bacteriology 200 (20), ISSN 0021-9193.

    [img]
    Preview
    Text
    24558.pdf - Published Version of Record
    Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

    Download (472kB) | Preview

    Abstract

    Bacterial conjugation, a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer, is the major means by which antibiotic resistance spreads among bacteria (1, 2). Conjugative plasmids are transferred from one bacterium to another through a type IV secretion system (T4SS) in the form of single-stranded DNA covalently attached to a protein called relaxase. The relaxase is fully functional both in a donor cell (prior to conjugation) and recipient cell (after conjugation). Here, we demonstrate that the protein substrate has to unfold for efficient translocation through the conjugative T4SS. Furthermore, we present various relaxase modifications that preserve the function of the relaxase but block substrate translocation. This study brings us a step closer to deciphering the complete mechanism of T4SS substrate translocation, which is vital for the development of new therapies against multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    Keyword(s) / Subject(s): T4SS, transport, conjugation, secretion systems, type 4 secretion systems, unfolding
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Natural Sciences
    SWORD Depositor: Mr Joe Tenant
    Depositing User: Mr Joe Tenant
    Date Deposited: 07 Nov 2018 14:42
    Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 17:44
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/24558

    Statistics

    Activity Overview
    6 month trend
    205Downloads
    6 month trend
    184Hits

    Additional statistics are available via IRStats2.

    Archive Staff Only (login required)

    Edit/View Item Edit/View Item