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Bacterial physiology

Vibrio uptake apparatus

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 11, page 821 (2013)Cite this article

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the first visualization and detailed characterization of the DNA-uptake apparatus that is involved in natural transformation in Vibrio cholerae

Natural transformation (also known as competence) in bacteria involves the uptake of DNA from the environment and its integration into the recipient genome, and is thus an important mode of horizontal gene transfer. Although the regulatory networks involved are likely to differ in the wide range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive species that are naturally transformable, it is thought that the basic mechanism of DNA uptake is conserved. This mechanism involves a competence-associated type IV pilus (Tfp), a DNA receptor protein (ComEA), a transmembrane channel (ComEC) and numerous associated proteins. Writing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, Patrick Seitz and Melanie Blokesch now report the first visualization and detailed characterization of the DNA-uptake apparatus that is involved in natural transformation in Vibrio cholerae.

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References

  1. Seitz, P. & Blokesch, M. DNA-uptake machinery of naturally competent Vibrio cholerae. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1315647110 (2013)

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  1. Sheilagh Molloy
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Molloy, S. Vibrio uptake apparatus. Nat Rev Microbiol 11, 821 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3165

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