In vivo oligomerization of the F conjugative coupling protein TraD.

ABSTRACT: Type IV secretory systems are a group of bacterial transporters responsible for the transport of proteins and nucleic acids directly into recipient cells. Such systems play key roles in the virulence of some pathogenic organisms and in conjugation-mediated horizontal gene transfer. Many type IV systems require conserved "coupling proteins," transmembrane polypeptides that are critical for transporting secreted substrates across the cytoplasmic membrane of the bacterium. In vitro evidence suggests that the functional form of coupling proteins is a homohexameric, ring-shaped complex. Using a library of tagged mutants, we investigated the structural and functional organization of the F plasmid conjugative coupling protein TraD by coimmunoprecipitation, cross-linking, and genetic means. We pre

SUBMITTER: Haft RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2045173 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature