Colicin A

From Proteopedia

Colicin A is a type of Colicin, a bacteriocin made by E. Coli which acts against other nearby E. Coli to kill them by forming a pore in the membrane, leading to depolarisation of the membrane which kills the cell.

Synthesis and release

Mechanism of uptake

Colicin A binds to the BtuB Vitamin B12 outer membrane receptor of the target cell, and uses the Tol system to translocate across the membrane, specifically TolQRAB, alongside the OmpF protein.

Killing Activities

Colicin A is a pore-forming colicin, which means that its cytotoxic domain inserts into the membrane of the target cell, resulting in the depolarisation of the cell membrane. E. coli uses the polarisation of its cell membrane to generate energy, so without this it is unable to generate energy, and the cell ultimately dies.