Stabilizing Effect of a Bacterial Lipid Membrane on Type IV Pilin Subunits

Abstract

Type IV pili are thin, long, strong, flexible filaments that are found in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. They stretch out from pores in the membrane of the bacteria. These filaments are very important for many of the functions of the bacteria such as movement, colonization for infection, virulence of the bacteria, and the formation of bacterial biofilms. T4P are made of protein subunits known as pilin. The bacteria assembles and dissembles the pilin as needed in its inner membrane using an ATP powered motor. In this study we will be looking at the properties of the pilin subunits in water and in a lipid membrane. Molecular dynamics simulation will be our method to study the systems. In this study we will be examining the stabilizing effect of a membrane Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) pilin , and the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAK) pilin.