Recent advances in the structural biology of encapsulin bacterial nanocompartments

Abstract

Large capsid-like nanocompartments called encapsulins are common in bacteria and archaea and contain cargo proteins with diverse functions. Advances in cryo-electron microscopy have enabled structure determination of many encapsulins in recent years. Here we summarize findings from recent encapsulin structures that have significant implications for their biological roles. We also compare important features such as the E-loop, cargo-peptide binding site, and the fivefold axis channel in different structures. In addition, we describe the discovery of a flavin-binding pocket within the encapsulin shell that may reveal a role for this nanocompartment in iron metabolism.

Keywords

• Encapsulin
• Nanocompartments
• Compartmentalization
• X-ray crystallography
• Cryo-electron microscopy
• Structural biology