The type VI secretion system sheath assembles at the end distal from the membrane anchor

Abstract

The bacterial Type VI secretion system (T6SS) delivers proteins into target cells using fast contraction of a long sheath anchored to the cell envelope. Here, Vettigeret al. study sheath dynamics in Vibrio choleraespheroplasts, and show that the sheath assembles by addition of subunits at the distal end.