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CryoEM of bacterial secretion systems: A primer for microbiologists
Author(s) -
Umrekar Trishant R.,
Cohen Eli,
Drobnič Tina,
GonzalezRodriguez Nayim,
Beeby Morgan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/mmi.14637
Subject(s) - biology , secretion , computational biology , primer (cosmetics) , bacterial protein , structural biology , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , genetics , physics , thermodynamics
Abstract “CryoEM” has come of age, enabling considerable structural insights into many facets of molecular biology. Here, we present a primer for microbiologists to understand the capabilities and limitations of two complementary cryoEM techniques for studying bacterial secretion systems. The first, single particle analysis, determines the structures of purified protein complexes to resolutions sufficient for molecular modeling, while the second, electron cryotomography and subtomogram averaging, tends to determine more modest resolution structures of protein complexes in intact cells. We illustrate these abilities with examples of insights provided into how secretion systems work by cryoEM, with a focus on type III secretion systems.