title: Structural organisation of the type IV secretion systems.
abstract: Type IV secretion (T4S) systems are large dynamic nanomachines that transport DNAs and/or proteins through the membranes of bacteria. Because of their complexity and multi-protein organisation, T4S systems have been extremely challenging to study structurally. However in the past five years significant milestones have been achieved by X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. This review describes some of the more recent advances: the structures of some of the protein components of the T4S systems and the complete core complex structure that was determined using electron microscopy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, UCL and Birkbeck College, Malet Street, WC1E 7HX London, UK. Electronic address: g.waksman@mail.cryst.bbk.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waksman
authors.affiliation: Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, UCL and Birkbeck College, Malet Street, WC1E 7HX London, UK. Electronic address: e.orlova@mail.cryst.bbk.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Elena V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Orlova
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D058947:Bacterial Secretion Systems; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008958:Models, Molecular
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D058947:Bacterial Secretion Systems; D004269:DNA, Bacterial