Structural and functional characterization of the VirB5 protein from the type IV secretion system encoded by the conjugative plasmid pKM101.
Type IV secretion systems mediate intercellular transfer of macro-molecules via a mechanism ancestrally related to that of bacterial conjugation machineries. TraC of the IncN plasmid pKM101 belongs to the VirB5 family of proteins, an essential component of most type IV secretion systems. Here, we present the structure of TraC. VirB5/TraC is a single domain protein, which consists of a three helix bundle and a loose globular appendage. Structure-based site-directed mutagenesis followed by functional studies indicates that VirB5 proteins participate in protein-protein interactions important for pilus assembly and function.
Yeo
Hye-Jeong
HJ
Institute of Structural Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom.
Yuan
Qing
Q
Beck
Moriah R
MR
Baron
Christian
C
Waksman
Gabriel
G
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018933:Pili, Sex / Q000235:genetics; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary
C074790:traC protein, Plasmid F; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins