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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Apr 1.
Published in final edited form as: Curr Opin Microbiol. 2021 Feb 6;60:16–23. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.01.009

Figure 3. Current model for β-barrel assembly.

Figure 3.

(a) The substrate is recruited to the Bam complex. (b) Opening of the seam of the BamA β-barrel allows interactions with the unfolded substrate. (c) Folding proceeds in a C- to N-terminal direction as β-strands are added within the interior of BamA to form a β-barrel. (d) Full membrane integration occurs at a late stage of folding, and the remaining β-strands are added to complete the β-barrel. (e) Release of the substrate occurs by a hydrogen bond exchange mechanism. For simplicity, only BamA (containing N-terminal soluble domains and a C-terminal β-barrel transmembrane domain) and BamD are shown.