Artificial synthesis of bacteria's molecular syringe. The type III secretion system

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The type III secretion system is an impressive protein superstructure consisting of hundreds of subunits that act cooperatively to specifically inject virulence factors directly into the cytoplasm of host cells. Its size and complexity make it a formidable challenge to understand at a molecular level with conventional methods. This project adopts a fundamentally new approach that will put Australian science in the spotlight of a highly active research field. Artificial synthesis of bacteria's molecular syringe using DNA nanotechnology will revolutionise its study by providing unprecedented dexterity in its manipulation and, for the first time, allow the isolation of functional subcomplexes for high-resolution structural studies.