2024
Bacterial flagella hijack type IV pili proteins to control motility
Liu X, Tachiyama S, Zhou X, Mathias R, Bonny S, Khan M, Xin Y, Roujeinikova A, Liu J, Ottemann K. Bacterial flagella hijack type IV pili proteins to control motility. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2024, 121: e2317452121. PMID: 38236729, PMCID: PMC10823254, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317452121.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Bacteria require phase separation for fitness in the mammalian gut
Krypotou E, Townsend G, Gao X, Tachiyama S, Liu J, Pokorzynski N, Goodman A, Groisman E. Bacteria require phase separation for fitness in the mammalian gut. Science 2023, 379: 1149-1156. PMID: 36927025, PMCID: PMC10148683, DOI: 10.1126/science.abn7229.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMammalian gutTranscription termination factor RhoTermination factor RhoGene regulationTranscription terminationMechanisms bacteriaBacteria interactionsHuman commensalValuable targetBacteriaRhoGut microbiotaFitnessNovel clinical applicationsTherapeutic manipulationGutHuman healthCommensalRegulation
2022
The Bacterial Flagellar Motor: Insights Into Torque Generation, Rotational Switching, and Mechanosensing
Guo S, Liu J. The Bacterial Flagellar Motor: Insights Into Torque Generation, Rotational Switching, and Mechanosensing. Frontiers In Microbiology 2022, 13: 911114. PMID: 35711788, PMCID: PMC9195833, DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.911114.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchStator complexStator unitsFlagellar motorStructural biology perspectiveBacterial flagellar motorRotary nanomachineBiology perspectiveAccessory proteinsStructural insightsBacterial motilitySpecific nichesMechanistic basisHost cellsDistinct conformationsC-ringRotational switchingBacteriaAccessory moleculesMotilityFliLMechanosensingComplexesNicheStructural remodelingCytoplasm
2021
Role of the major determinant of polar flagellation FlhG in the endoflagella‐containing spirochete Leptospira
Fule L, Halifa R, Fontana C, Sismeiro O, Legendre R, Varet H, Coppée J, Murray GL, Adler B, Hendrixson DR, Buschiazzo A, Guo S, Liu J, Picardeau M. Role of the major determinant of polar flagellation FlhG in the endoflagella‐containing spirochete Leptospira. Molecular Microbiology 2021, 116: 1392-1406. PMID: 34657338, DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14831.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWild-type strainSaprophyte L. biflexaCross-species complementationComparative transcriptome analysisPathogen L. interrogansFlagellar basal bodyCryo-electron tomographySpirochete LeptospiraSpiral-shaped morphologyFlagellar genesFlhGNumerical regulationTranscriptome analysisPeriplasmic flagellaFlhFCell motilityNegative regulatorBasal bodiesBacterial speciesL. biflexaMutantsGel-like environmentL. interrogansFlagellaBacteria
2020
An asymmetric sheath controls flagellar supercoiling and motility in the leptospira spirochete
Gibson KH, Trajtenberg F, Wunder EA, Brady MR, San Martin F, Mechaly A, Shang Z, Liu J, Picardeau M, Ko A, Buschiazzo A, Sindelar CV. An asymmetric sheath controls flagellar supercoiling and motility in the leptospira spirochete. ELife 2020, 9: e53672. PMID: 32157997, PMCID: PMC7065911, DOI: 10.7554/elife.53672.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCryo-electron tomographyKey functional attributesNative flagellar filamentsHigh-resolution cryo-electron tomographyPeriplasmic spaceSheath proteinStructural basisFlagellar filamentsLeptospira spirochetesSpirochete bacteriaEntire cellFunctional attributesX-ray crystallographyImportant pathogenSupercoilingMotilityBacteriaFilamentsCell bodiesFlagellaSpirochetesProteinFlagellinDistinctive meansEndoflagellaFlhF regulates the number and configuration of periplasmic flagella in Borrelia burgdorferi
Zhang K, He J, Catalano C, Guo Y, Liu J, Li C. FlhF regulates the number and configuration of periplasmic flagella in Borrelia burgdorferi. Molecular Microbiology 2020, 113: 1122-1139. PMID: 32039533, PMCID: PMC8085991, DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14482.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPeriplasmic flagellaCell polesM-ring proteinLyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferiCryo-electron tomography studiesSignal recognition particlePolar localizationB. burgdorferiFlagellar assemblyRecognition particleMutant cellsFlagellar numberProtein stabilityFlagellar patternBorrelia burgdorferiFlhFEnzymatic activityBiochemical analysisMechanistic insightsBacterium Borrelia burgdorferiFlagellaPF numberBacteriaMidcellDetailed characterization
2018
Visualization of the type III secretion mediated Salmonella–host cell interface using cryo-electron tomography
Park D, Lara-Tejero M, Waxham MN, Li W, Hu B, Galán JE, Liu J. Visualization of the type III secretion mediated Salmonella–host cell interface using cryo-electron tomography. ELife 2018, 7: e39514. PMID: 30281019, PMCID: PMC6175578, DOI: 10.7554/elife.39514.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCryo-electron tomographyEffector translocationBacterial-host cell contactType III protein secretion systemProtein secretion systemHost cell interfaceProtein secretion machinesCell membraneComplex host-pathogen interactionsType III secretionHost-pathogen interactionsHost cell membraneTarget cell membraneNegative bacterial pathogensTranslocon poreSecretion machineEffector proteinsSecretion systemHost cellsBacterial pathogensCell contactCell interfaceIntimate associationTranslocationBacteria
2017
In Situ Structural Analysis of the Spirochetal Flagellar Motor by Cryo-Electron Tomography
Zhu S, Qin Z, Wang J, Morado DR, Liu J. In Situ Structural Analysis of the Spirochetal Flagellar Motor by Cryo-Electron Tomography. Methods In Molecular Biology 2017, 1593: 229-242. PMID: 28389958, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6927-2_18.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCryo-electron tomographyFlagellar motorIntact flagellar motorBacterial flagellar motorMolecular machinerySitu structural analysisExtensive structural analysisMolecular machinesLarge complexesStructural analysisUnprecedented detailBorrelia burgdorferiStructural determinationMachineryOrganismsBacteriaPowerful techniqueCellsComplexesBurgdorferi