Capsular polysaccharides (CPS) enclose many pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, protecting the bacteria from the host. Here, an extracellular blocker of Wza, a pore-forming protein that transports CPS to the cell surface, has been discovered by single-channel electrical recording. Treatment with the blocker exposes the bacterial cell surface and thereby facilitates killing by the human immune system.
- Lingbing Kong
- Leon Harrington
- Hagan Bayley
