title: Structural snapshots of the β-barrel assembly machinery.
abstract: The β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) is a multicomponent complex responsible for the biogenesis of β-barrel outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in Gram-negative bacteria, with conserved systems in both mitochondria and chloroplasts. Given its importance in the integrity of the outer membrane and in the assembly of surface exposed virulence factors, BAM is an attractive therapeutic target against pathogenic bacteria, particularly multidrug-resistant strains. While the mechanism for how BAM functions remains elusive, previous structural studies have described each of the individual components of BAM, offering only a few clues to how the complex functions. Recently, a number of structures have been reported of complexes, including that of fully assembled BAM in differing conformational states. These studies have provided the molecular blueprint detailing the atomic interactions between the components and have revealed new details about BAM, which suggest a dynamic mechanism that may use conformational changes to assist in the biogenesis of new OMPs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Markey Center for Structural Biology, Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bakelar
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Buchanan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Markey Center for Structural Biology, Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Noinaj
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
keywords: BAM complex; MD simulations; X-ray crystallography; lateral gate; membrane biogenesis; membrane protein; outer membrane protein; protein folding; β-barrel assembly machinery; β-barrel membrane proteins