Abstract
The type IV secretion system (T4SS) is a major virulence determinant in pathogenic bacteria affecting both the plant and animal kingdom by secreting nucleoprotein effectors. Understanding molecular details of this nanomachine is essential to combat antimicrobial resistance due to horizontal gene transfer and pathogenicity by effector proteins. We aim to use computational-method guided structural biology to understand the gating mechanism employed by the T4SS in the outer membrane (OM) complex, especially the scaffold protein VirB10 and the role of unique α-helical barrel in contrast to all other secretion system with β-barrel secretins.
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