title: From Chaperones to the Membrane with a BAM!
abstract: Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) play a central role in the integrity of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Unfolded OMPs (uOMPs) transit across the periplasm, and subsequent folding and assembly are crucial for biogenesis. Chaperones and the essential β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) complex facilitate these processes. In vitro studies suggest that some chaperones sequester uOMPs in internal cavities during their periplasmic transit to prevent deleterious aggregation. Upon reaching the outer membrane, the BAM complex acts catalytically to accelerate uOMP folding. Complementary in vivo experiments have revealed the localization and activity of the BAM complex in living cells. Completing an understanding of OMP biogenesis will require a holistic view of the interplay among the individual components discussed here.
authors.affiliation: Thomas C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
authors.forename: Ashlee M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Plummer
authors.affiliation: Thomas C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. Electronic address: Karen.Fleming@jhu.edu.
authors.forename: Karen G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Fleming
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D019897:Periplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011485:Protein Binding; D000072757:Protein Conformation, beta-Strand; D017510:Protein Folding; D054730:Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; D021381:Protein Transport; D058767:Protein Unfolding; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones
keywords: BAM complex; chaperones; outer membrane proteins