Crystallization and preliminary structure determination of the transfer protein TraM from the Gram-positive conjugative plasmid pIP501.

ABSTRACT: The major means of horizontal gene spread (e.g. of antibiotic resistance) is conjugative plasmid transfer. It presents a serious threat especially for hospitalized and immuno-suppressed patients, as it can lead to the accelerated spread of bacteria with multiple antibiotic resistances. Detailed information about the process is available only for bacteria of Gram-negative (G-) origin and little is known about the corresponding mechanisms in Gram-positive (G+) bacteria. Here we present the purification, biophysical characterization, crystallization and preliminary structure determination of the TraM C-terminal domain (TraMΔ, comprising residues 190-322 of the full-length protein), a putative transfer protein from the G+ conjugative model plasmid pIP501. The crystals diffracted to 2.5 Å resol

SUBMITTER: Goessweiner-Mohr N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3564624 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature