Insertion of folded proteins into the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is mediated by the essential β-barrel assembly machine (Bam). Here, we report the native structure and mechanism of a core component of this complex, BamE, and show that it is exclusively monomeric in its native environment of the periplasm, but is able to adopt a distinct dimeric conformation in the cytoplasm. BamE is shown to bind specifically to phosphatidylglycerol, and comprehensive mutagenesis and interaction studies have mapped key determinants for complex binding, outer membrane integrity and cell viability, as well as revealing the role of BamE within the Bam complex.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/embor.2010.202 | DOI Listing |
Our current understanding of protein folding is based predominantly on studies of small (<150 aa) proteins that refold reversibly from a chemically denatured state. As protein length increases, the competition between off-pathway misfolding and on-pathway folding likewise increases, creating a more complex energy landscape. Little is known about how intermediates populated during the folding of larger proteins affect navigation of this more complex landscape.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: The complement cascade is a front-line defense against pathogens. Complement activation generates the membrane attack complex (MAC), a 10-11 nm diameter pore formed by complement proteins C5b through C8 and polymerized C9. The MAC embeds within the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and displays bactericidal activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Healthc Mater
January 2025
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, P. R. China.
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) results from prolonged exposure to intense noise, causing damage to sensory outer hair cells (OHCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). The blood labyrinth barrier (BLB) hinders systemic drug delivery to the inner ear. This study applied a retro-auricular round window membrane (RWM) method to bypass the BLB, enabling the transport of macromolecular proteins into the inner ear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProtein Sci
February 2025
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Polymyxins are last-resort antimicrobial peptides administered clinically against multi-drug resistant bacteria, specifically in the case of Gram-negative species. However, an increasing number of these pathogens employ a defense strategy that involves a relay of enzymes encoded by the pmrE (ugd) loci and the arnBCDTEF operon. The pathway modifies the lipid-A component of the outer membrane (OM) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by adding a 4-amino-4-deoxy-l-arabinose (L-Ara4N) headgroup, which renders polymyxins ineffective.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFood Chem
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address:
The bioactive peptides in Jinhua ham could be released into the broth during cooking. After comparing peptide antibacterial activity from Jinhua ham broth with varying cooking durations, the cooking-2-h broths were selected for further analysis using cation-exchange and reverse-phase-liquid chromatography. The purified peptide sequences were subsequently synthesized and tested for their antibacterial activity.
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