Open AccessType II secretion: from structure to function
Author(s) -
Johnson Tanya L.,
Abendroth Jan,
Hol Wim G.J.,
Sandkvist Maria
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00102.x
Subject(s) - periplasmic space , secretion , cell envelope , bacterial outer membrane , secretory protein , microbiology and biotechnology , virulence , inner membrane , extracellular , transport protein , biology , function (biology) , membrane transport protein , bacteria , membrane protein , chemistry , biochemistry , escherichia coli , membrane , gene , genetics , mitochondrion
Abstract Gram‐negative bacteria use the type II secretion system to transport a large number of secreted proteins from the periplasmic space into the extracellular environment. Many of the secreted proteins are major virulence factors in plants and animals. The components of the type II secretion system are located in both the inner and outer membranes where they assemble into a multi‐protein, cell‐envelope spanning, complex. This review discusses recent progress, particularly newly published structures obtained by X‐ray crystallography and electron microscopy that have increased our understanding of how the type II secretion apparatus functions and the role that individual proteins play in this complex system.