A noncanonical chaperone interacts with drug efflux pumps during their assembly into bacterial outer membranes.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria have membrane-spanning efflux pumps to secrete toxic compounds ranging from heavy metal ions to organic chemicals, including antibiotic drugs. The overall architecture of these efflux pumps is highly conserved: with an inner membrane energy-transducing subunit coupled via an adaptor protein to an outer membrane conduit subunit that enables toxic compounds to be expelled into the environment. Here, we map the distribution of efflux pumps across bacterial lineages to show these proteins are more widespread than previously recognised. Complex phylogenetics support the concept that gene cassettes encoding the subunits for these pumps are commonly acquired by horizontal gene transfer. Using TolC as a model protein, we demonstrate that assembly of conduit subunits into the outer membran

SUBMITTER: Stubenrauch CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8809574 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature