Figure 3.

Molecular models of the OmpC–MlaA complex depict how MlaA may interact with OmpC in the OM bilayer. A and B, representative MlaA structures bound to OmpC in two possible orientations selected from all-atomistic MD simulation trajectories. MlaA_D61–K124 and MlaA_F133–R205 peptides are highlighted in red and blue, respectively, as in Fig. 2D. Leu¹⁰⁹ is labeled and depicted as black spheres on MlaA. The OM boundaries are indicated as gray dashed lines. The figures were generated using the program VMD (55). C, immunoblots showing UV-dependent formation of a cross-link between MlaA and OmpC in ΔmlaA cells expressing MlaA_L109pBpa-His. As expected, the cross-linked product also exhibits heat-modifiable gel shift, indicative of the presence of OmpC.