S-layers at second glance? Altiarchaeal grappling hooks (hami) resemble archaeal S-layer proteins in structure and sequence.

ABSTRACT: The uncultivated "Candidatus Altiarchaeum hamiconexum" (formerly known as SM1 Euryarchaeon) carries highly specialized nano-grappling hooks ("hami") on its cell surface. Until now little is known about the major protein forming these structured fibrous cell surface appendages, the genes involved or membrane anchoring of these filaments. These aspects were analyzed in depth in this study using environmental transcriptomics combined with imaging methods. Since a laboratory culture of this archaeon is not yet available, natural biofilm samples with high Ca. A. hamiconexum abundance were used for the entire analyses. The filamentous surface appendages spanned both membranes of the cell, which are composed of glycosyl-archaeol. The hami consisted of multiple copies of the same protein, the corr

SUBMITTER: Perras AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4460559 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature