The survival and virulence of Gram-negative bacteria require proper biogenesis and maintenance of the outer membrane (OM), which is densely packed with à-barrel OM proteins (OMPs). Before reaching the OM, precursor unfolded OMPs (uOMPs) must cross the whole cell envelope. A network of periplasmic chaperones and proteases maintains unfolded but folding-competent conformations of these membrane proteins in the aqueous periplasm while simultaneously preventing off-pathway aggregation. These periplasmic proteins utilize different strategies, including conformational heterogeneity, oligomerization, multivalency, and ki- netic partitioning, to perform and regulate their functions. Redundant and unique characteristics of the individual periplasmic players synergize to create a protein quality control team capable responding to changing environmental stresses.
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Mechanism of outer membrane destabilization by global reduction of protein content
The outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria such as
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10463119
- Publisher / Repository:
- Nature Publishing Group
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Nature Communications
- Volume:
- 14
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2041-1723
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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