Patricia L. Clark » Image Gallery

Fluorescent Labeling of Pertactin at the Outer Surface of E. coli

The pertactin virulence factor must pass through two membranes before folding at the outer surface of the cell, yet all components required for pertactin secretion are located within the pertactin polypeptide sequence. This is shown in the confocal microscopy image above; expression of the pertactin polypeptide in the heterologous gram-negative host E. coli results in correct targeting and folding of the virulence factor, as detected by binding of a fluorescent-labeled antibody. We are using this approach to identify mutations important for pertactin secretion and/or folding