Here, Anger et al. report the structure of the type 4 pilus (T4P) from Streptococcus sanguinis. They show that the T4P architecture seen in diderm bacteria – where the N-terminal α-helices of pilin subunits are partially unfolded upon polymerisation – is conserved in distant monoderm species.
- Robin Anger
- Laetitia Pieulle
- Rémi Fronzes
