title: Cell-cell interactions in conjugating Escherichia coli: purification of F pili with biological activity.
abstract: A mutant of the F sex factor has been isolated that produces more F pili per cell than does the wild-type F factor. F pili have been purified in milligram amounts from cells carrying either the mutant or the wild-type sex factor. The technique described yields F pili of up to 99% purity that can specifically bind to Escherichia coli cells and that bind to and reversibly inactivate male-specific bacteriophages. The F pilin subunit has a molecular weight of 10,750 and purified F pili have a buoyant density of 1,200 g/cm3.
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D003090:Coliphages / Q000378:metabolism; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005144:F Factor; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008970:Molecular Weight
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins