R bodies (from refractile bodies, also R-bodies) are polymeric protein inclusions formed inside the cytoplasm of bacteria. [1] Initially discovered in kappa particles, bacterial endosymbionts of the ciliate Paramecium , R bodies (and genes encoding them) have since been discovered in a variety of taxa. [2]
At neutral pH, type 51 R bodies resemble a coil of ribbon approximately 500 nm in diameter and approximately 400 nm deep. [1] Encoded by a single operon containing four open reading frames, [3] [4] R bodies are formed from two small structural proteins, RebA and RebB. [5] A third protein, RebC, is required for the covalent assembly of these two structural proteins into higher-molecular weight products, visualized as a ladder on an SDS-PAGE gel. [5]
At low pH, Type 51 R bodies undergo a dramatic structural rearrangement. Much like a paper yo-yo, the ribbon extends (from the center) to form hollow tube with pointed ends that can reach up to 20μm in length. [6]
Other types of R bodies from different bacterial species vary in their size, ribbon morphology, and triggers for extension. [1]
When kappa particles shed from a killer paramecium are ingested, R bodies extend within the acidic food vacuole of the predatory paramecium, distending and rupturing the membrane. [7] This liberates the contents of the food vacuole into the cytoplasm of the paramecium. [7] While feeding kappa particles to sensitive paramecium results in the death of paramecium, feeding purified R bodies or R bodies recombinantly expressed in E. coli is not toxic. [3] [8] Thus, R bodies are thought to function as a toxin delivery system.
R bodies are also capable of rupturing E. coli spheroplasts, demonstrating that they can rupture membranes in a foreign context, and they can be engineered to extend at a variety of different pH levels. [9]
Paramecium is a genus of eukaryotic, unicellular ciliates, commonly studied as a model organism of the ciliate group. Paramecia are widespread in freshwater, brackish, and marine environments and are often abundant in stagnant basins and ponds. Because some species are readily cultivated and easily induced to conjugate and divide, they have been widely used in classrooms and laboratories to study biological processes. The usefulness of Paramecium as a model organism has caused one ciliate researcher to characterize it as the "white rat" of the phylum Ciliophora.
Structural inheritance or cortical inheritance is the transmission of an epigenetic trait in a living organism by a self-perpetuating spatial structures. This is in contrast to the transmission of digital information such as is found in DNA sequences, which accounts for the vast majority of known genetic variation.
A contractile vacuole (CV) is a sub-cellular structure (organelle) involved in osmoregulation. It is found predominantly in protists and in unicellular algae. It was previously known as pulsatile or pulsating vacuole.
Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) is a species of DNA poxvirus that causes the human skin infection molluscum contagiosum. Molluscum contagiosum affects about 200,000 people a year, about 1% of all diagnosed skin diseases. Diagnosis is based on the size and shape of the skin lesions and can be confirmed with a biopsy, as the virus cannot be routinely cultured. Molluscum contagiosum virus is the only species in the genus Molluscipoxvirus. MCV is a member of the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae of family Poxviridae. Other commonly known viruses that reside in the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae are variola virus and monkeypox virus.
Virulence-related outer membrane proteins, or outer surface proteins (Osp) in some contexts, are expressed in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria and are essential to bacterial survival within macrophages and for eukaryotic cell invasion.
In biology, Kappa organism or Kappa particle refers to inheritable cytoplasmic symbionts, occurring in some strains of the ciliate Paramecium. Paramecium strains possessing the particles are known as "killer paramecia". They liberate a substance also known as paramecin into the culture medium that is lethal to Paramecium that do not contain kappa particles. Kappa particles are found in genotypes of Paramecium aurelia syngen 2 that carry the dominant gene K.
The ciliates are a group of alveolates characterized by the presence of hair-like organelles called cilia, which are identical in structure to eukaryotic flagella, but are in general shorter and present in much larger numbers, with a different undulating pattern than flagella. Cilia occur in all members of the group and are variously used in swimming, crawling, attachment, feeding, and sensation.
Paramecium aurelia are unicellular organisms belonging to the genus Paramecium of the phylum Ciliophora. They are covered in cilia which help in movement and feeding.Paramecium can reproduce sexually, asexually, or by the process of endomixis. Paramecium aurelia demonstrate a strong “sex reaction” whereby groups of individuals will cluster together, and emerge in conjugant pairs. This pairing can last up to 12 hours, during which the micronucleus of each organism will be exchanged. In Paramecium aurelia, a cryptic species complex was discovered by observation. Since then, some have tried to decode this complex using genetic data.
The RTX toxin superfamily is a group of cytolysins and cytotoxins produced by bacteria. There are over 1000 known members with a variety of functions. The RTX family is defined by two common features: characteristic repeats in the toxin protein sequences, and extracellular secretion by the type I secretion systems (T1SS). The name RTX refers to the glycine and aspartate-rich repeats located at the C-terminus of the toxin proteins, which facilitate export by a dedicated T1SS encoded within the rtx operon.
In molecular biology, copines is a name for the group of human proteins that includes members such as CPNE1, CPNE4, CPNE6, and CPNE8. These are highly conserved, calcium-dependent membrane proteins found in a variety of eukaryotes. The domain structure of these 55 kDa proteins suggests that they may have a role in membrane trafficking in some prokaryotes as well as eukaryotes. Copines contains two C2 domains which play a role in signal transduction by binding to calcium, phospholipids, or polyphosphates. Both domains are located at the N-terminal portion of the protein which is not the case for most other double C2 domain proteins, and their role is most similar to that carried out by proteins that exhibit a single C2 domain. The core domain located at the C-terminus part of the copine is found to have a unique and conserved primary sequence. The function of the core domain is still uncertain, however, researchers believe it has a similar function to the "A domain" in integrins. This similarity in function involves serving as a binding site for target proteins, and is supported by evidence that the copine core domain exhibits secondary and tertiary structures comparable to the integrin A domain.
The bacterial murein precursor exporter (MPE) family is a member of the cation diffusion facilitator (CDF) superfamily of membrane transporters. Members of the MPE family are found in a large variety of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and facilitate the translocation of lipid-linked murein precursors. A representative list of proteins belonging to the MPE family can be found in the Transporter Classification Database.
The Lambda Holin S Family is a group of integral membrane transporter proteins belonging to the Holin Superfamily III. Members of this family generally consist of the characteristic three transmembrane segments (TMSs) and are of 110 amino acyl residues (aas) in length, on average. A representative list of members belonging to this family can be found in the Transporter Classification Database.
The Bacillus subtilis φ29 Holin Family is a group of transporters belonging to the Holin Superfamily IV. A representative list of members belonging to the φ29 holin family can be found in the Transporter Classification Database.
The BlyA Holin Family is a group of holin proteins that are approximately 55-70 amino acyl residues (aas) in length and exhibit one transmembrane segment (TMS). A representative list of the proteins belonging to the BlyA holin family can be found in the Transporter Classification Database.
The PTS Lactose-N,N’-Diacetylchitobiose (Lac) Family includes several sequenced lactose porters of Gram-positive bacteria, as well as the Escherichia coli and Borrelia burgdorferi N,N'-diacetylchitobiose (Chb) porters. It is part of the PTS-GFL superfamily. The former can transport aromatic β-glucosides and cellobiose, as well as Chb. However, only Chb induces expression of the chb operon.
The divisome is a protein complex in bacteria that is responsible for cell division, constriction of inner and outer membranes during division, and peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis at the division site. The divisome is a membrane protein complex with proteins on both sides of the cytoplasmic membrane. In gram-negative cells it is located in the inner membrane. The divisome is nearly ubiquitous in bacteria although its composition may vary between species.
The Phosphate (Pho) regulon is a regulatory mechanism used for the conservation and management of inorganic phosphate within the cell. It was first discovered in Escherichia coli as an operating system for the bacterial strain, and was later identified in other species. The Pho system is composed of various components including extracellular enzymes and transporters that are capable of phosphate assimilation in addition to extracting inorganic phosphate from organic sources. This is an essential process since phosphate plays an important role in cellular membranes, genetic expression, and metabolism within the cell. Under low nutrient availability, the Pho regulon helps the cell survive and thrive despite a depletion of phosphate within the environment. When this occurs, phosphate starvation-inducible (psi) genes activate other proteins that aid in the transport of inorganic phosphate.
In bacteriology, minicells are bacterial cells that are smaller than usual. The first minicells reported were from a strain of Escherichia coli that had a mutation in the Min System that lead to mis-localization of the septum during cell division and the production of cells of random sizes.
Catherine Louise Kearney Squires was a microbiologist known for her work on ribosomal RNA using Escherichia coli as a model organism. She was an elected fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.