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. 2019 Mar 15;38(10):e100886. doi: 10.15252/embj.2018100886

Figure 6. Summary of the Type 6 secretion system cycle of action.

Figure 6

The T6SS assembly begins first with the recruitment of the membrane complex (MC) in its resting state (1). The MC recruits the baseplate (BP) and the tail tip complex (TTC) is assembled (2). The recently solved structures of the BP (Cherrak et al, 2018) and MC (this paper) in the membrane context are shown in the inset. A conformational change leads to the channel opening (3) and release of the toxin onto the VgrG spike by contraction of the TTC (4). Once the secretion has occurred, the TTC is recycled (5) and the MC can return to its resting state (6).