How E. Coli Attaches To Host: One Catalyst Protein Greatly Accelerates Activity

For the first time ever, the thread-like adhesive attachment organs of the bacterium Escherichia coli have been copied in a test tube. Biologists did this using purified proteins extracted from the bacteria and from which the pili are composed. The most important discoveries include a catalyst protein that greatly accelerates the assembly of the modules of the pili.