Nanopods: a new bacterial structure and mechanism for deployment of outer membrane vesicles.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMV) are packets of periplasmic material that, via the proteins and other molecules they contain, project metabolic function into the environment. While OMV production is widespread in proteobacteria, they have been extensively studied only in pathogens, which inhabit fully hydrated environments. However, many (arguably most) bacterial habitats, such as soil, are only partially hydrated. In the latter, water is characteristically distributed as films on soil particles that are, on average thinner, than are typical OMV (ca. ≤10 nm water film vs. 20 to >200 nm OMV;).

Methodology/principal findings

We have identified a new bacterial surface structure, termed a "nanopod", that is a conduit for projecting OMV significant distances (e.

SUBMITTER: Shetty A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3110197 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature