Bacteria can exchange DNA through extracellular appendages (‘mating pili’) in a process known as conjugation. Here, Beltran et al. determine atomic structures by cryo-electron microscopy of a bacterial conjugative pilus and two archaeal pili, showing that the archaeal pili are homologous to bacterial mating pili.
- Leticia C. Beltran
- Virginija Cvirkaite-Krupovic
- Mart Krupovic
