The type VI secretion system: a tubular story

The molecular mechanism by which proteins are secreted in gram-negative bacteria is supported by nanomachines called type I to type VI secretion systems (T1SS to T6SS). Previous data suggested that the ClpV ATPase energizes the transport of Hcp and VgrG proteins through the T6SS secretion channel. The identification of a yet unknown tubular structure, which interacts with ClpV, adds another level of complexity and challenges our vision of the T6SS working model.