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1: Science. 2003 Dec 5;302(5651):1757-60.
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The needle length of bacterial injectisomes is determined by a molecular ruler.

Journet L, Agrain C, Broz P, Cornelis GR.

Biozentrum, Universität Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.

Size determination represents a fundamental requirement for multicomponent biological structures. Some pathogenic bacteria possess a weapon derived from the flagellum. Like the flagellum, this type-III secretion apparatus, called the injectisome, has a transmembrane basal body, but the external component is a needle-like structure instead of a hook and a filament. Here, we provide evidence that the length of this needle is determined by the size of a protein, YscP, acting as a molecular ruler.

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PMID: 14657497 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]