The connection established by the F-pilus is extremely mechanically and thermochemically resistant thanks to the robust properties of the F-pilus, which ensures successful gene transfer in a variety of environments.

Apr 5, 2023 · Here, we show that the F-pilus is highly flexible but robust at the same time, properties that increase its resistance to thermochemical and mechanical stresses.

In this study, we use live-cell microscopy to show that while most transfer events occur between cells in direct contact, the F pilus can indeed serve as a conduit for the DNA during transfer between physically distant cells.

Jun 25, 2019 · We visualized F-encoded structures in the native bacterial cell envelope by in situ cryoelectron tomography (CryoET). Remarkably, F plasmids encode four distinct structures, not just the translocation channel or channel-pilus complex predicted by prevailing models.

F-pili are thin, flexible filaments elaborated by F(+) cells of Escherichia coli. They belong to the class of Gram-negative pili that function in horizontal gene transfer. F-pili are initially required to establish contacts between DNA donor and recipient cells.

Jan 1, 2009 · We show that the F-pilus has an entirely different symmetry from any of the known bacterial pili as well as any of the filamentous bacteriophages, which have been suggested to be structural homologs.

Jul 1, 2013 · The F-pilus has provided the most detailed information about pilus-specific phages. F-like pili bind RNA phages (f2/MS2/R17 and Qβ) with different avidities, based on the sequence of their pilins ( Willetts and Maule, 1986 ).

F-pili are thin, flexible filaments elaborated by F + cells of Escherichia coli. They belong to the class of Gram-negative pili that function in horizontal gene transfer. F-pili are initially required to establish contacts between DNA donor and recipient cells.

Sep 8, 2016 · Here, we present atomic models of two F family pili, the F and pED208 pili, generated from cryoelectron microscopy reconstructions at 5.0 and 3.6 Å resolution, respectively. These structures reveal that conjugative pili are assemblies of stoichiometric protein-phospholipid units.

Nov 21, 2023 · Horizontal transfer of F-like plasmids by bacterial conjugation is responsible for disseminating antibiotic resistance and virulence determinants among pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae species, a growing health concern worldwide. Central to this process is the conjugative F pilus, a long extracellular …