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An archaellum filament composed of two alternating subunits

Author

Listed:
  • Lavinia Gambelli

    (University of Exeter
    University of Exeter)

  • Michail N. Isupov

    (University of Exeter)

  • Rebecca Conners

    (University of Exeter
    University of Exeter)

  • Mathew McLaren

    (University of Exeter
    University of Exeter)

  • Annett Bellack

    (University of Regensburg)

  • Vicki Gold

    (University of Exeter
    University of Exeter)

  • Reinhard Rachel

    (University of Regensburg)

  • Bertram Daum

    (University of Exeter
    University of Exeter)

Abstract

Archaea use a molecular machine, called the archaellum, to swim. The archaellum consists of an ATP-powered intracellular motor that drives the rotation of an extracellular filament composed of multiple copies of proteins named archaellins. In many species, several archaellin homologs are encoded in the same operon; however, previous structural studies indicated that archaellum filaments mainly consist of only one protein species. Here, we use electron cryo-microscopy to elucidate the structure of the archaellum from Methanocaldococcus villosus at 3.08 Å resolution. The filament is composed of two alternating archaellins, suggesting that the architecture and assembly of archaella is more complex than previously thought. Moreover, we identify structural elements that may contribute to the filament’s flexibility.

Suggested Citation

  • Lavinia Gambelli & Michail N. Isupov & Rebecca Conners & Mathew McLaren & Annett Bellack & Vicki Gold & Reinhard Rachel & Bertram Daum, 2022. "An archaellum filament composed of two alternating subunits," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-28337-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28337-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alexander Neuhaus & Muniyandi Selvaraj & Ralf Salzer & Julian D. Langer & Kerstin Kruse & Lennart Kirchner & Kelly Sanders & Bertram Daum & Beate Averhoff & Vicki A. M. Gold, 2020. "Cryo-electron microscopy reveals two distinct type IV pili assembled by the same bacterium," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Fengbin Wang & Diana P. Baquero & Zhangli Su & Leticia C. Beltran & David Prangishvili & Mart Krupovic & Edward H. Egelman, 2020. "The structures of two archaeal type IV pili illuminate evolutionary relationships," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Takayuki Kato & Fumiaki Makino & Tomoko Miyata & Péter Horváth & Keiichi Namba, 2019. "Structure of the native supercoiled flagellar hook as a universal joint," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8, December.
    4. Subramania Kolappan & Mathieu Coureuil & Xiong Yu & Xavier Nassif & Edward H. Egelman & Lisa Craig, 2016. "Structure of the Neisseria meningitidis Type IV pilus," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-12, December.
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