How do bacteria avoid killing their own siblings while using contact-dependent weapons? In this work, a conserved DUF4189 protein (Xac2611/Tpf) blocks X-T4SS mediated killing, likely via interaction with VirB5. Great work led by my friend @okagu.bsky.social at the @chuckfarah.bsky.social lab
Diorge Souza
Happy to share our new bioRxiv preprint:
“To Kill or not to Kill: A Conserved Trans-Intoxication Protection Factor Blocks X-T4SS-Mediated Fratricide through Interaction with VirB5”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...