What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to explore the structure and dynamics of TraW, a regulatory protein in bacterial gene transfer.

March 19, 2026Structural Dynamics0 citationsOpen Access

Solution characterization of TraW, a regulatory protein of the F plasmid type 4 secretion system

CRChristina RodriguezBloomberg (United States)GAGerald F. AudetteYork University

Key Points

The aim is to explore the structure and dynamics of TraW, a regulatory protein in bacterial gene transfer.
Utilized biophysical techniques including circular dichroism (CD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and native mass spectrometry.
Characterized full-length and truncated constructs of TraW for stability and conformational adaptability.
Employed AlphaFold modeling for structural predictions.
TraW is characterized as a modular protein with a stable C-terminal and flexible N-terminal domains.
The full-length TraW shows higher conformational adaptability and transient dimerization compared to truncated forms.
Flexibility in TraW enhances its ability to modulate inter-protein interactions crucial for T4SS assembly.

Abstract

Bacterial conjugation facilitates horizontal gene transfer through the Type IV Secretion System (T4SS), a complex nanomachine central to antibiotic resistance dissemination. This study investigates the structure and dynamics of TraW, a key F-plasmid conjugative protein. TraW, in conjugation with the protein TrbC, is critical for F-pilus biogenesis and mating pair stabilization. Using biophysical, computational, and structural methods, including CD, NMR, SAXS, and native mass spectrometry, we characterize TraW as a modular protein with a stable C-terminal domain and a flexible N-terminal region. The full-length construct exhibits higher conformational adaptability and transient dimerization, whereas truncation enhances compactness and monomeric stability. AlphaFold modeling and SAXS analyses reveal that this flexibility, rather than intrinsic disorder, enables TraW to modulate inter-protein interactions essential for T4SS assembly and function. These findings establish TraW as a dynamic adaptor protein and highlight how flexibility fine-tunes structural plasticity in conjugative machinery.

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