Gram-Positive Type IV Pili and Competence.

摘要: Type IV pili (T4P) are remarkable bacterial surface appendages that carry out a range of functions. Various types T4P have been identified in bacteria and archaea, making them almost universal structures prokaryotes. best characterized Gram-negative bacteria, which pilus biogenesis T4P-mediated functions studied for decades. Recent advances microbial whole-genome sequencing provided ample evidence the existence also many Gram-positive species. However, comparatively little is known, just beginning to be dissected. So far, they mainly Clostridium Streptococcus spp. involved diverse cellular processes such as adhesion, motility, horizontal gene transfer. Here we summarize current understanding species their functions, with particular focus on type competence produced by human pathogen pneumoniae its role natural transformation.