The Agrobacterium tumefaciens T pilus composed of cyclic T pilin is highly resilient to extreme environments |
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Authors: | Lai Erh-Min Kado Clarence I |
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Institution: | Davis Crown Gall Group, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis 95616, USA. |
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Abstract: | Agrobacterium tumefaciens T pili are long semi-rigid, flexuous filaments of 10 nm diameter that are primarily composed of T pilin cyclized protein subunits. The cyclic character of T pilin apparently confers a high level of structural stability on the T pilus. Purified T pili subjected to extreme environmental conditions such as acid and alkali, including glycerol remained relatively unaffected morphologically. T pili lost their semi-rigidity when subjected to high temperatures and high pH, and dissociated into donut shaped subunits when exposed to Triton X-100. Sodium dodecyl sulfate increased the uptake of uranyl acetate exposing a 2 nm wide lumen running the length of the T pilus filament. |
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Keywords: | T pilus T pilin VirB2 gene Cyclic peptide Agrobacterium tumefaciens |
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