<i>In situ</i> structures of the contractile nanomachine myophage Mu in both its extended and contracted states.

ABSTRACT: Myophage Mu is a representative of contractile nanomachines with a simple tail baseplate. It has the capacity to infect a range of intestinal bacteria and has extensive applications in genetic engineering research. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of the entire structure and contractile mechanisms of Mu remains elusive. Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we resolved the asymmetric structures of Mu in both its extended and contracted states, the latter of which lacked the tail baseplate, at near-atomic resolutions. We built the atomic models for the extended Mu, encompassing the head, the connector complex, the tail, and the simple baseplate. It is noteworthy that we identified the position and structure of the tail tube initiator protein gp43 (referred to as the DNA circu

SUBMITTER: Zhou J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11915804 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature