3-D molecular syringes: Scientists solve structure of infection tool used by Yersinia bacterium
Wednesday, July 31, 2013 - 15:00
in Biology & Nature
Abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea -- these symptoms could point to an infection with the bacterium Yersinia. Its pathogenic potential is based on a syringe-like injection apparatus called injectisome. Scientists have now unraveled this molecular syringe's spatial conformation. The researchers demonstrated that the length of Yersinia's injectisome's basal body, which crosses the bacterial cell wall, is adjustable -- very likely an adaptation to physical stress.