Scientists at IMBA are passionate about discovery and advancing our understanding of biology. They are recognized leaders in their fields, regularly publishing in the top research journals. Contributions from IMBA research groups are of interest to everyone – including scientists, clinicians, and the public. The Research Highlights below summarize some of the most significant discoveries made by IMBA scientists.
Three-Dimensional Model of Salmonella’s Needle Complex at Subnanometer Resolution
Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are essential pathogenic factors used by many Gram-negative bacteria like EHEC, Salmonella, Shigella or Cholera to inject proteins that make eukaryotic host cells accessible to invasion. In this study we were able to generate a cryo electron microscopy density map of the core structure of the T3SS, the needle complex (NC), a ~3.5 megadalton-sized, membrane-embedded injection machine with subnanomter resolution. Showing secondary structural elements like ?-helices this highly resolved density map allowed for confident docking of atomic structures. The resulting atomic model revealed insights into the NC’s overall organization and into the structural requirements during assembly. We thereby provide a framework that will strongly promote further structural and functional studies of the T3SS and hopefully will also assist in generating new antibacterial strategies.