Ton Motor Conformational Switch and Peptidoglycan Role in Bacterial Nutrient Uptake.

ABSTRACT: Active nutrient uptake is fundamental for survival and pathogenicity of Gram-negative bacteria, which operate a multi-protein Ton system to transport essential nutrients like metals and vitamins. This system harnesses the proton motive force at the inner membrane to energize the import through the outer membrane, but the mechanism of energy transfer remains enigmatic. Here, we study the periplasmic domain of ExbD, a crucial component of the proton channel of the Ton system. We show that this domain is a dynamic dimer switching between two conformations representing the proton channel's open and closed states. By in vivo phenotypic assays we demonstrate that this conformational switch is essential for the nutrient uptake by bacteria. The open state of ExbD triggers a disorder to orde

SUBMITTER: Zinke M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10441417 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature