Allister Crow

Happy to finally share the amazing results of our long-term collaboration with Karin Reinisch’s lab on how bridge lipid-transfer proteins (BLTPs) cooperate with partner proteins to orchestrate lipid delivery. A quick thread (1/7)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

I'm really excited to break up the holiday relaxation time with a new preprint that benchmarks AlphaFold3 (AF3)/“co-folding” methods with 2 new stringent performance tests.

Thread below - but first some links:
A longer take:
fraserlab.com/2025/12/29/k...

Preprint:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Bidirectional communication between nucleotide and substrate binding sites in a type IV multidrug ABC transporter - Nature Communications The communication hinge, found in type IV ABC transporters, forms a bidirectional communication between ATP- and substrate-binding sites. This is an unexplored allosteric pathway critical for function...

Super nice to wake up to the news that our paper on bidirectional communication in an ABC transporter has been selected as a Nature Communications Editors’ Highlight in “Structural biology, biochemistry and biophysics"! 🥳 🥳 🥳
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

@microverse.bsky.social

Top left: CryoEM map for the ATP-bound YbbAP at 3.6 Å resolution, and (below)ATP-bound YbbAP-TesA complex contoured to visualize the detergent belt. Maps are shown at two contour levels—a partially transparent low contour map is shown in white (4.5 σ), and a high contour map is shown colored by nearest protein chain (7 σ). Top right: Structures of apo YbbAP, ATP analogue-bound YbbAP, and ATP analogue-bound YbbAP-TesA. Proteins are shown in cartoon representation (YbbA green, YbbP teal, and TesA pink), and the non-hydrolyzable ATP analogue (AMP-PNP) is shown in blue atomic spheres. Bottom: Biological functions of the four Type VII ABC transporters in Escherichia coli. From left to right: YbbAP-TesA forms a novel type VII ABC transporter involved in extraction of hydrophobic compounds from the inner membrane and enzymatic hydrolysis in the periplasm; FtsEX-EnvC uses transmembrane conformational changes to regulate the activity of peptidoglycan amidases in the periplasm; MacAB-TolC drive efflux of antibiotics and small toxins across the outer membrane; and LolCDE extracts lipoproteins from the inner membrane and delivers them to the outer membrane via the LolA shuttle.

Structures of 3 of the 4 #Ecoli Type VII #ABCtransporter systems are known. @allistercrow.bsky.social &co use #cryoEM structures to show that the 4th, YbbAP, may extract hydrophobic compounds from the inner membrane & present them to periplasmic TesA for hydrolysis @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/49EhNHD

Our review is now available #OpenAccess online and as formatted PDF doi.org/10.1093/fems...

A tripartite protein complex promotes DNA transport during natural transformation in Firmicutes | PNAS Natural genetic transformation is a conserved mechanism of bacterial horizontal gene transfer, which is directed entirely by the recipient cell and...

Pleased to share our recent article in PNAS - a collaboration with @jessicaandreani.bsky.social & Pablo Radicella, with important roles played by many members of each team.

A tripartite protein complex promotes DNA transport during natural transformation in Firmicutes www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Structural characterization of the YbbAP-TesA ABC transporter identifies it as a lipid hydrolase complex that extracts hydrophobic compounds from the bacterial inner membrane In E.coli, three of the four Type VII ABC transporter systems have been structurally characterized. This study solves cryo-EM structures of the fourth Type VII ABC system, YbbAP-TesA, and suggests tha...

Type VII ABC transporters underpin many core activities in the bacterial cell envelope - including efflux, cell division and lipoprotein trafficking.

A new paper in PLOS Biology reveals YbbAP-TesA as a novel Type VII system in E. coli.

dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...

So happy to announce our new preprint, “A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes.” We cultured a novel amoeba from Lassen Volcanic NP (CA, USA) that divides at 63°C (145°F) 🔥 - a new record for euk growth!
#protistsonsky 🧵

Structural basis of lipopolysaccharide assembly by the outer membrane translocon holo-complex Nature Communications - The asymmetric distribution of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the surface of the bacterial outer membrane is essential and crucial for antibiotic resistance. Here, authors...

rdcu.be/eRxNf here our new study on the characterization of the lipopolysaccharide holotranslocon, LptDE and the newly identified subunits LptM and LptY. Great collaboration with @fronzeslab.bsky.social @pstansfeld.bsky.social @JulienMarcoux @YvesQuentin

Biochemical Society's Membrane Protein Conference
7–9 April 2026
Birmingham, UK | Leonardo Royal Hotel

- Abstracts welcome for talks & posters
- Bursaries available!
- Register & submit here:
www.eventsforce.net/biochemsoc/f...

#MembraneProteins #CallForAbstracts @biochemsoc.bsky.social

(BioRxiv All) Paenitracins, a novel family of bacitracin-type nonribosomal peptide antibiotics produced by plant-associated Paenibacillus species: The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance necessitates the discovery of novel antibiotics with activity against… #BioRxiv #MassSpecRSS

Bacterial cell envelope-targeting antibiotics www.nature.com/articles/s41... #jcampubs

A new #CryoET study shows that the protein ZapD helps organise FtsZ filaments into stable ring-like structures in building bacterial division machinery.
buff.ly/saLPqJM

A Protein Antibiotic Inhibits the BAM Complex to Kill Without Cell Entry Many antibiotics are ineffective against Gram-negative pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa because they cannot penetrate the bacterial outer membrane. Here, we show that protein antibiotics calle...

The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria blocks many antibiotics. Our latest work reveals that L-type pyocins bypass this barrier by inactivating the BAM complex, killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa without entering the cell, providing a new blueprint for beating antibiotic resistance.

How the twin-arginine translocase (Tat) system manages to transport folded proteins across membranes without any leaks? To answer this fundamental question we solved the first structure of TatB3C3 complex with bound cargo. Please check out new preprint!
t.co/962Kj9pt6F

Diagram of the FtsEX-EnvC mechanism. From Cook & Crow 2025 mBio.

Delighted that our FtsEX-EnvC paper is now live at mBio!

FtsEX-EnvC is a bacterial Type VII ABC transporter that activates key periplasmic enzymes during cell division.

We found mutations that disrupt FtsEX-EnvC activity and a disulfide that leaves it permanently active.

doi.org/10.1128/mbio...

A porin-like protein used by bacterial predators defines a wider lipid-trapping superfamily Nature Communications - This study reveals that an outer membrane protein from the predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus forms a pentameric assembly that traps a lipid monolayer within. This allows...

New paper out, with a contribution from Dom Gurvic and I; led by Andy Lovering and @lalouxlab.bsky.social:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Paper in Nature 150 years ago. Beats reading any single-cell experiment…

Check out our latest preprint! We show that the same antibacterial toxin requires different immunity proteins depending whether it’s intra or extracellular

Super excited to share our latest work revealing impt of protein-lipid interactions for the pri fn of the Tol-Pal complex in maintaining outer memb lipid homeostasis in E. coli! Huge discovery by Nadege Lim in collab @pstansfeld.bsky.social @robincorey.bsky.social 1/7
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Cell division protein CdpA organises and anchors the midcell ring in haloarchaea - Nature Communications Cell division in many archaea requires the coordinated activities of two distinct FtsZ proteins, which are part of the midcell division ring. Here, Liao et al. show that an additional protein, CdpA, o...

CdpA-an archaeal anchor for FtsZ! Excited to be part of this. (FtsZ is easily my favourite protein and the whole larger family in Archaea are intriguing).

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Structure and assembly of the MmpL5/MmpS5 efflux transporter from Mycobacterium tuberculosis - Nature Communications The MmpL5/MmpS5 efflux system is crucial for drug extrusion and siderophore export in M. tuberculosis. Here, the authors report its high-resolution cryo-EM structures, revealing a unique trimeric asse...

Really excited that our group was able to contribute to this awesome work from Bing Zhang and Zihe Rao solving the structure and assembly of the MmpS5L5 efflux pump from Mtb!!

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

High-affinity PQQ import is widespread in Gram-negative bacteria Diverse bacteria use the high-affinity membrane transport protein PqqU to scavenge the nutrient PQQ from the environment.

Why make a cofactor when you can get it for free?

Our work, led by @fabianmunder.bsky.social, shows that bacteria from 22 phyla use the high-affinity transporter PqqU to obtain the redox cofactor PQQ from the environment as an alternative to cofactor synthesis.

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Discovery and chemical optimisation of a potent, Bi-cyclic antimicrobial inhibitor of Escherichia coli PBP3 Communications Biology - Discovery of a bicyclic peptide inhibitor of cell wall biosynthesis in the Enterobacterales demonstrates applicability of a modified phage display platform to antibiotic...

Beta-lactams covalently bind to Penicillin Binding Proteins and have been the mainstay of antimicrobial chemotherapy for decades.
In this new paper with colleagues @Bicycle_tx we show a new way to hit old targets: rdcu.be/eoaRI

The nucleoid of rapidly growing Escherichia coli localizes close to the inner membrane and is organized by transcription, translation, and cell geometry - Nature Communications The mechanisms underlying bacterial chromosome configuration are not fully understood. Here, Spahn et al. show that the Escherichia coli nucleoid adopts a condensed, membrane-proximal configuration du...

I forgot to post about this recent paper - exciting work led by @michriscopy.bsky.social showing clearest evidence yet for transertion strongly tethering the bacterial nucleoid to the membrane during fast growth. It was a pleasure to contribute a little 🔬🦠🧫 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The interplay of membrane tension and FtsZ filament condensation on the initiation and progression of cell division in B. subtilis The first step of cell division is deforming the planar cell membrane inward towards the cytoplasm. As deforming membranes is energetically costly, biology has developed various protein systems to acc...

I’m excited that the work by Diego Ramirez and Lei Yin is out, where they gained several key insights into what provides the force underlying bacterial cell division doi.org/10.1101/2025....

To divide, cells must first bend the membrane inward, a process that’s energetically expensive

Third track model for coordination of septal peptidoglycan synthesis and degradation by FtsN in Escherichia coli - Nature Microbiology Partitioning of FtsN and the septal peptidoglycan synthesis complex between an active synthesis track and an inactive denuded glycan track coordinates opposing peptidoglycan synthesis and degradation ...

Our new paper on FtsN is out! Now there are three tracks for organized cell wall constriction-- the old, boring E. coli always manages to surprise us.

A special shout-out to all the people who made this work possible, especially Dr. Jason Lyu, and Dr. David Weiss.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Antibiotic 'Access' list updated for the UK UKHSA has published an updated antimicrobial stewardship tool

The UK Health Security Agency has released an updated antimicrobial stewardship tool to guide healthcare professionals in prescribing the most appropriate antimicrobial to patients to preserve antimicrobial efficacy. Find out more microb.io/452uTvL 👈 #KnockingOutAMR

Excited to learn that our story on characterizing an interbacterial protease toxin is finally out @plosbiology.org
"An interbacterial cysteine protease toxin inhibits cell growth by targeting type II DNA topoisomerases GyrB and ParE". Led by my wonderful team at Academia Sinica!

Wildlife camera footage. A European badger drinks from a pond in the foreground. There are four other badgers in the background.

Look at all of our badgers!