DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0402305101. A force-dependent switch reverses type IV pilus retraction

A force-dependent switch reverses type IV pilus retraction

10.1073/pnas.0402305101

Crossref journal-article

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (341)

Abstract

Type IV pilus dynamics is important for virulence, motility, and DNA transfer in a wide variety of prokaryotes. The type IV pilus system constitutes a very robust and powerful molecular machine that transports pilus polymers as well as DNA through the bacterial cell envelope. In Neisseria gonorrhoeae , pilus retraction is a highly irreversible process that depends on PilT, an AAA ATPase family member. However, when levels of PilT are reduced, the application of high external forces ( F = 110 ± 10 pN) induces processive pilus elongation. At forces of >50 pN, single pili elongate at a rate of v = 350 ± 50 nm/s. For forces of <50 pN, elongation velocity depends strongly on force and relaxation causes immediate retraction. Both pilus retraction and force-induced elongation can be modeled by chemical kinetics with same step length for the rate-limiting translocation step. The model implies that a force-dependent molecular switch can induce pilus elongation by reversing the retraction mechanism.

Bibliography

Maier, B., Koomey, M., & Sheetz, M. P. (2004). A force-dependent switch reverses type IV pilus retraction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101(30), 10961â10966.

Authors 3

Berenike Maier (first)
Michael Koomey (additional)
Michael P. Sheetz (additional)

References 32 Referenced 94

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Dates

Type	When
Created	21 years, 1 month ago (July 15, 2004, 8:26 p.m.)
Deposited	3 years, 4 months ago (April 12, 2022, 9:19 a.m.)
Indexed	4 days, 8 hours ago (Aug. 29, 2025, 6:05 a.m.)
Issued	21 years, 1 month ago (July 15, 2004)
Published	21 years, 1 month ago (July 15, 2004)
Published Online	21 years, 1 month ago (July 15, 2004)
Published Print	21 years, 1 month ago (July 27, 2004)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Maier_2004, title={A force-dependent switch reverses type IV pilus retraction}, volume={101}, ISSN={1091-6490}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0402305101}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.0402305101}, number={30}, journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, publisher={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, author={Maier, Berenike and Koomey, Michael and Sheetz, Michael P.}, year={2004}, month=jul, pages={10961–10966} }

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