The physical basis of type 4 pilus-mediated microcolony formation by Vibrio cholerae O1.

ABSTRACT: The Vibrio cholerae toxin co-regulated pilus (TCP) is a type 4b pilus that mediates bacterial microcolony formation, which is essential for intestinal colonization. Structural analyses have defined a surface domain of the TcpA pilin subunit that is displayed repeatedly around the pilus filament surface and forms the molecular basis for pilus-pilus interactions required for microcolony formation. The physical attributes of this domain that lead to pilus-pilus association between bacteria are not known. Mutational analysis has revealed alterations within this domain that allow pilus-pilus interactions among pili expressed by individual bacteria, but do not allow pilus-pilus mediated association between bacteria. We characterized these altered strains using conventional microscopy, as well as

SUBMITTER: Jude BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3102138 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature