Diversity of archaeal type IV pilin-like structures.
Bacterial type IV pili perform important functions in such disparate biological processes as surface adhesion, cell-cell interactions, autoaggregation, conjugation, and twitching motility. Unlike bacteria, archaea use a type IV pilus related structure to drive swimming motility. While this unique flagellum is the best-studied example of an archaeal IV pilus-like structure, recent in silico, in vivo and structural analyses have revealed a highly diverse set of archaeal non-flagellar type IV pilus-like structures. Accumulating evidence suggests that these structures play important diverse roles in archaea.
Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse, 35043, Marburg, Germany. albers@mpi-marburg.mpg.de
Sonja-Verena
SV
Albers
Mecky
M
Pohlschröder
D001105:Archaea; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification*; D011487:Protein Conformation
D036781:Fimbriae Proteins