The type three secretion system (T3SS) is a membrane-anchored nano-machine utilized by many pathogenic bacteria to inject effector proteins and thus take control of host cells. In a recent article, Kaval et al. reveal a striking colocalization of a T3SS-encoding locus, its transcriptional activators, protein products, and the complete structure at the cell membrane, which they claim provides evidence for a mechanism known as ‘transertion’.
- Itzhak Fishov
- Sharanya Namboodiri