Twelve pil Genes Are Required for Biogenesis of the R64 Thin Pilus

摘要: The IncI1 plasmid R64 produces two kinds of sex pili: a thin pilus and thick pilus. pilus, which belongs to the type IV family, is required only for liquid matings. Fourteen genes, pilI -V, were found in DNA region responsible biogenesis (S.-R. Kim T. Komano, J. Bacteriol. 179:3594-3603, 1997). In this study, we introduced frameshift mutations into each 14 pil genes test their requirement biogenesis. From analyses extracellular secretion pili transfer frequency matings, that 12 pilK are formation Complementation experiments excluded possible polar effects mutation on expression downstream genes. Two traBC, previously shown be addition, rci gene modulating structure function via rearrangement shufflon. Altogether, 15 through pilV, rci, essential function.