Structure and assembly of a bacterial gasdermin pore. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38509367/)

These scientists wanted to understand how certain proteins in our bodies work when our cells are infected by harmful germs. They studied a protein called gasdermin that forms tiny holes in the cell membrane, causing the cell to die in a process called pyroptosis. They already knew how this protein works in humans and mice, but they were curious about how it works in bacteria.

To figure this out, the scientists looked at the structure of a gasdermin protein from a type of bacteria. They found that this bacterial protein could also form holes in the cell membrane, just like the human and mouse proteins. By making changes to the bacterial protein in the lab, they discovered that different versions of the protein could create holes of different sizes.

Using special imaging techniques, the scientists were able to see the exact shape of the bacterial protein when it was forming these holes in the cell membrane. They also studied how these holes interacted with the cell's outer layer. By combining all this information, they were able to create a detailed model showing how the bacterial gasdermin protein forms these holes and causes the cell to die.

Overall, this study helped the scientists understand more about how these proteins work in different organisms and how they play a role in protecting our bodies from harmful germs.

Johnson AG., Mayer ML., Schaefer SL., McNamara-Bordewick NK., Hummer G., Kranzusch PJ. Structure and assembly of a bacterial gasdermin pore. Nature. 2024 Mar 20. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07216-3.