Effect of chaperone-adhesin complex on plug release by the PapC usher.
The P pilus of uropathogenic Escherichia coli is a multisubunit fiber assembled at the outer membrane in a defined sequence by a chaperone/usher secretion system, comprising a periplasmic chaperone and a beta-barrel outer membrane protein, the PapC usher. To gain insight into the pilus biogenesis mechanism, we used patch clamp electrophysiology to investigate the effect of the initiating adhesin subunit, as it is delivered to PapC in a complex with the chaperone. We show that the chaperone-adhesin complex facilitates opening of the PapC pore and appears to engage within the PapC lumen, in agreement with prior biochemical and structural data.
Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, TX, USA.
Thieng
T
Pham
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Stony Brook University, NY, USA.
Glenn T
GT
Werneburg
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Stony Brook University, NY, USA.
Nadine S
NS
Henderson
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Stony Brook University, NY, USA.
David G
DG
Thanassi
Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, TX, USA.
Anne H
AH
Delcour
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D033903:Periplasmic Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018272:Porins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D056689:Uropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D033903:Periplasmic Proteins; D018272:Porins; C111243:atpG protein, E coli
E. coli; P pilus; outer membrane; patch clamp; secretion