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Structure of a bacterial type III secretion system in contact with a host membrane in situ

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Item Type:Article
Title:Structure of a bacterial type III secretion system in contact with a host membrane in situ
Creators Name:Nans, A., Kudryashev, M., Saibil, H.R. and Hayward, R.D.
Abstract:Many bacterial pathogens of animals and plants use a conserved type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject virulence effector proteins directly into eukaryotic cells to subvert host functions. Contact with host membranes is critical for T3SS activation, yet little is known about T3SS architecture in this state or the conformational changes that drive effector translocation. Here we use cryo-electron tomography and sub-tomogram averaging to derive the intact structure of the primordial Chlamydia trachomatis T3SS in the presence and absence of host membrane contact. Comparison of the averaged structures demonstrates a marked compaction of the basal body (4 nm) occurs when the needle tip contacts the host cell membrane. This compaction is coupled to a stabilization of the cytosolic sorting platform-ATPase. Our findings reveal the first structure of a bacterial T3SS from a major human pathogen engaged with a eukaryotic host, and reveal striking 'pump-action' conformational changes that underpin effector injection.
Keywords:Cell Line, Cell Membrane, Chlamydia trachomatis, Cryoelectron Microscopy, Type III Secretion Systems
Source:Nature Communications
ISSN:2041-1723
Publisher:Nature Publishing Group
Volume:6
Page Range:10114
Date:11 December 2015
Official Publication:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10114
PubMed:View item in PubMed

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