ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal
This is a page describing data taken during an experiment at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Information about the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source can be found at https://www.isis.stfc.ac.uk.
Probing phospholipid transport by the Pqi pathway
Abstract: Phospholipid transport between the inner (IM) and outer (OM) membranes of Gram-negative bacteria remains poorly understood. The Pqi (paraquat inducible) pathway, comprising PqiA, PqiB, and PqiC, is a strong candidate for mediating this process. PqiA is an IM protein, PqiB forms a hexameric periplasm-spanning tunnel, and PqiC is an OM lipoprotein that collars the distal end of PqiB, together forming a putative lipid transport channel. Building on previous quartz crystal microbalance and neutron reflectometry (NR) studies reconstructing PqiABC on silicon-supported bilayers, we will develop an improved system on Ni-NTA functionalised gold. His-tagged PqiAB will be tethered to form a floating proximal bilayer, followed by incorporation of PqiC to generate a complete double-membrane mimetic. Differential deuteration and NR contrast variation will enable characterisation of system architecture and direct monitoring of phospholipid transfer. Comparison with a non-functional mutant will confirm whether mixing occurs through the Pqi channel. These experiments will elucidate the molecular mechanism of Pqi-mediated phospholipid transport, providing new insight into how Gram-negative bacteria maintain membrane integrity.
Principal Investigator: Professor Tim Knowles
Experimenter: Miss Charlotte Wilson
Experimenter: Miss Hannah Johnston
Local Contact: Dr Luke Clifton
Experimenter: Dr Stephen Hall
Experimenter: Mr Abdulaziz Alzahrani
Experimenter: Mrs Pooja Sridhar
DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610416
ISIS Experiment Number: RB2610416
| Part DOI | Instrument | Public release date | Download Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610416-1 | OFFSPEC | 20 May 2029 | Download |
Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source
Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation
The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research
publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher],
[doi]
For Example:
Professor Tim Knowles et al; (2026): Probing phospholipid transport by the Pqi pathway, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610416
Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.
