Bacterial protein secreting sticky appendages: Atomic-level images suggest new targets for antibacterial drugs
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 - 13:30
in Biology & Nature
New atomic-level "snapshots" reveal details of how bacteria such as E. coli produce and secrete sticky appendages called pili, which help the microbes attach to and infect human cells. These crystal structures unravel a complex choreography of protein-protein interactions that will aid in the design of new antibacterial drugs.