M. Herfurth

A deterministic, c-di-GMP-dependent genetic program ensures the generation of phenotypically similar, symmetric daughter cells during cytokinesis

Large pilin subunits provide distinct structural and mechanical properties for the Myxococcus xanthus type IV pilus

This study solves the structure of Myxococcus xanthus type IV pilus and shows its increased rigidity due to a large C-terminal domain in PilA, enhancing motility on varied surfaces.

The mechanism for polar localization of the type IVa pilus machine

This paper investigates how the T4aP machine is polarly localized in M. xanthus, showing that PilQ's AMIN domains bind peptidoglycan to enable Tgl recruitment, which drives secretin multimerization.

Evidence for a widespread third system for bacterial polysaccharide export across the outer membrane comprising a composite OPX/β-barrel translocon

The paper identifies a novel composite translocon for polysaccharide export in Gram-negative bacteria, composed of EpsX and EpsY, and shows its widespread presence across species.

A repurposed, non-canonical cytochrome c, chaperones calcium binding by PilY1 for type IVa pili formation

The paper identifies a non-canonical cytochrome c, TfcP, that binds calcium to stabilize PilY1.1, enabling T4aP function across a broader range of calcium concentrations.