A force-dependent switch reverses type IV pilus retraction
AUTOR(ES)
Maier, Berenike
FONTE
National Academy of Sciences
RESUMO
Type IV pilus dynamics is important for virulence, motility, and DNA transfer in a wide variety of prokaryotes. The type IV pilus system constitutes a very robust and powerful molecular machine that transports pilus polymers as well as DNA through the bacterial cell envelope. In Neisseria gonorrhoeae, pilus retraction is a highly irreversible process that depends on PilT, an AAA ATPase family member. However, when levels of PilT are reduced, the application of high external forces (F = 110 ± 10 pN) induces processive pilus elongation. At forces of >50 pN, single pili elongate at a rate of v = 350 ± 50 nm/s. For forces of <50 pN, elongation velocity depends strongly on force and relaxation causes immediate retraction. Both pilus retraction and force-induced elongation can be modeled by chemical kinetics with same step length for the rate-limiting translocation step. The model implies that a force-dependent molecular switch can induce pilus elongation by reversing the retraction mechanism.
ACESSO AO ARTIGO
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=503726Documentos Relacionados
- A force-dependent state controls the coordination of processive myosin V
- Direct and Model Free Calculation of Force-Dependent Dissociation Rates from Force Spectroscopic Data
- Force-dependent integrin–cytoskeleton linkage formation requires downregulation of focal complex dynamics by Shp2
- Force-dependent and force-independent heat production in single slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibres from Xenopus laevis.
- Changes in Thermodynamic Stability of von Willebrand Factor Differentially Affect the Force-Dependent Binding to Platelet GPIbα
