Structure of the minor pseudopilin XcpW from the Pseudomonas aeruginosa type II secretion system
- CNRS-UMR
Pseudomonas aeruginosa utilizes the type II secretion machinery to transport virulence factors through the outer membrane into the extracellular space. Five proteins in the type II secretion system share sequence homology with pilin subunits of type IV pili and are called the pseudopilins. The major pseudopilin X{sub cp}T{sub G} assembles into an intraperiplasmic pilus and is thought to act in a piston-like manner to push substrates through an outer membrane secretin. The other four minor pseudopilins, X{sub cp}U{sub H}, X{sub cp}V{sub I}, X{sub cp}W{sub J} and X{sub cp}X{sub K}, play less well defined roles in pseudopilus formation. It was recently discovered that these four minor pseudopilins form a quaternary complex that is presumed to initiate the formation of the pseudopilus and to localize to its tip. Here, the structure of X{sub cp}W{sub J} was refined to 1.85 {angstrom} resolution. The structure revealed the type IVa pilin fold with an embellished variable antiparallel {beta}-sheet as also found in the X{sub cp}W{sub J} homologue enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli G{sub sp}J{sub W} and the X{sub cp}U{sub H} homologue Vibrio cholerae E{sub ps}U{sub H}. It is proposed that the exposed surface of this sheet may cradle the long N-terminal 1 helix of another pseudopilin. The final 31 amino acids of the X{sub cp}W{sub J} structure are instrinsically disordered. Deletion of this unstructured region of X{sub cp}W{sub J} did not prevent type II secretion in vivo.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- FOREIGNNIH
- OSTI ID:
- 1032998
- Journal Information:
- Acta Crystallographica Section D: Biological Crystallography, Vol. 67, Issue 2; ISSN 0907-4449
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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