Phage tail-like particles are versatile bacterial nanomachines - A mini-review.

ABSTRACT: Type VI secretion systems and tailocins, two bacterial phage tail-like particles, have been reported to foster interbacterial competition. Both nanostructures enable their producer to kill other bacteria competing for the same ecological niche. Previously, type VI secretion systems and particularly R-type tailocins were considered highly specific, attacking a rather small range of competitors. Their specificity is conferred by cell surface receptors of the target bacterium and receptor-binding proteins on tailocin tail fibers and tail fiber-like appendages of T6SS. Since many R-type tailocin gene clusters contain only one tail fiber gene it was appropriate to expect small R-type tailocin target ranges. However, recently up to three tail fiber genes and broader target ranges have been repor

SUBMITTER: Patz S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6629978 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature