EMD-9760
Cryo-EM Structure of an Extracellular Contractile Injection System, PVC sheath-tube complex in extended state
EMD-9760
Helical reconstruction2.9 Å
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Map released: 10/04/2019
Last modified: 27/03/2024
Sample Organism:
Photorhabdus asymbiotica subsp. asymbiotica (strain ATCC 43949 / 3105-77),
Photorhabdus asymbiotica
Sample: sheath and tube in extended state
Fitted models: 6j0b (Avg. Q-score: 0.552)
Deposition Authors: Jiang F, Li N
Sample: sheath and tube in extended state
Fitted models: 6j0b (Avg. Q-score: 0.552)
Deposition Authors: Jiang F, Li N
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Cryo-EM Structure and Assembly of an Extracellular Contractile Injection System.
Jiang F,
Li N
,
Wang X,
Cheng J
,
Huang Y,
Yang Y,
Yang J,
Cai B,
Wang YP,
Jin Q,
Gao N
(2019) Cell , 177 , 370 - 383.e15
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(2019) Cell , 177 , 370 - 383.e15
Abstract:
Contractile injection systems (CISs) are cell-puncturing nanodevices that share ancestry with contractile tail bacteriophages. Photorhabdus virulence cassette (PVC) represents one group of extracellular CISs that are present in both bacteria and archaea. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of an intact PVC from P. asymbiotica. This over 10-MDa device resembles a simplified T4 phage tail, containing a hexagonal baseplate complex with six fibers and a capped 117-nanometer sheath-tube trunk. One distinct feature of the PVC is the presence of three variants for both tube and sheath proteins, indicating a functional specialization of them during evolution. The terminal hexameric cap docks onto the topmost layer of the inner tube and locks the outer sheath in pre-contraction state with six stretching arms. Our results on the PVC provide a framework for understanding the general mechanism of widespread CISs and pave the way for using them as delivery tools in biological or therapeutic applications.
Contractile injection systems (CISs) are cell-puncturing nanodevices that share ancestry with contractile tail bacteriophages. Photorhabdus virulence cassette (PVC) represents one group of extracellular CISs that are present in both bacteria and archaea. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of an intact PVC from P. asymbiotica. This over 10-MDa device resembles a simplified T4 phage tail, containing a hexagonal baseplate complex with six fibers and a capped 117-nanometer sheath-tube trunk. One distinct feature of the PVC is the presence of three variants for both tube and sheath proteins, indicating a functional specialization of them during evolution. The terminal hexameric cap docks onto the topmost layer of the inner tube and locks the outer sheath in pre-contraction state with six stretching arms. Our results on the PVC provide a framework for understanding the general mechanism of widespread CISs and pave the way for using them as delivery tools in biological or therapeutic applications.