title: Use of colicin-based genetic tools for studying bacterial protein transport.
abstract: Transport of proteins across the envelope of Gram-negative bacteria is a very challenging domain of investigation, which involves membrane-embedded proteinaceous complexes at which specific targeting occurs. These transporters (translocon or secreton) have been studied both with genetics and biochemistry. In this review we report recent developments that should help to identify novel interactions that exist within these complexes, and to decipher the signals that specifically direct transported proteins to the cognate system. These developments are exclusively based on the re-routing of colicins to these molecular machineries. The re-routing induces a lethal situation in the case of efficient or inefficient transport, depending on the system, thus creating a genetic tool for selection of mutations that correct or generate a transport default.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie Structurale et Microbiologie/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 31, chemin Joseph-Aiguier, 13402 cedex 20, Marseille, France. filloux@ibsm.cnrs-mrs.fr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filloux
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voulhoux
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ize
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gérard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D003087:Colicins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000502:physiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003087:Colicins; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C043859:pseudolysin, Pseudomonas aeruginosa