Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40595649›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Cryo-EM structures of the E. coli Ton and Tol motor complexes.

Herve Celia, Istvan Botos, Rodolfo Ghirlando, Denis Duché, Bridgette M Beach, Roland Lloubes, Susan K Buchanan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Multiple TonB-dependent transport systems inInfection and immunity · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Advances in understanding Ton and Tol system motor proteins.Biochemical Society transactions · 2026
    Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Herve CeliaLaboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1203-8586
Istvan BotosLaboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7702-6749
Rodolfo GhirlandoLaboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
Denis DuchéLaboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires, UMR7255 CNRS/Aix-Marseille Université, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, 13402, Marseille, France.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4208-6661
Bridgette M BeachLaboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-6672-1120
Roland LloubesLaboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires, UMR7255 CNRS/Aix-Marseille Université, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, 13402, Marseille, France.
Susan K BuchananLaboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA. susan.buchanan2@nih.gov.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9657-7119

Funding

Structural characterization of outer membrane proteins from Yersinia pestisZIADK011011 · NIDDK · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES · PI BUCHANAN, SUSAN · 2009 to 2025
$19.1M
Intramural NIH HHS ZIA DK011011U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH) ZIA DK011011-17 LMB
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The Ton and Tol motor proteins use the proton gradient at the inner membrane of Gram-negative bacteria as an energy source. The generated force is transmitted through the periplasmic space to protein components associated with the outer membrane, either to maintain the outer membrane integrity for the Tol system, or to allow essential nutrients to enter the cell for Ton. We have solved the high-resolution structures of the E. coli TonB-ExbB-ExbD and TolA-TolQ-TolR complexes, revealing the inner membrane embedded engine parts of the Ton and Tol systems, and showing how TonB and TolA interact with the ExbBD and TolQR subcomplexes. Structural similarities between the two motor complexes suggest a common mechanism for the opening of the proton channel and the propagation of the proton motive force into movement of the TonB and TolA subunits. Because TonB and TolA bind at preferential ExbB or TolQ subunits, we propose a new mechanism of assembly of TonB and TolA with their respective ExbBD and TolQR subcomplexes and discuss its impact on the mechanism of action for the Ton and Tol systems.

Indexed as

Bacterial Outer Membrane ProteinsEscherichia coliEscherichia coli ProteinsMembrane ProteinsMembrane Transport ProteinsCryoelectron MicroscopyModels, MolecularProtein BindingBacterial Outer Membrane ProteinsEscherichia coli ProteinsExbB protein, E coliexbD protein, E coliMembrane ProteinsMembrane Transport ProteinstolA protein, E colitolR protein, E colitonB protein, E coli

Identifiers

PMID40595649
PMCPMC12215075

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.