ArticleThe EMBO journal2024
Complement-mediated killing of Escherichia coli by mechanical destabilization of the cell envelope.
Article in The EMBO journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Complement Inhibition in the Clinic: Are We Doing Enough to Protect Patients From Infection?European journal of immunology · 2026Review
- Complement C9 deficiency as a novel risk factor for invasive Candida esophagitis in children: a single case in-depth analysis.BMC pediatrics · 2026Article
- The resistance to Toxoplasma gondii in Microtus fortis is associated with the activation of the complement lectin pathway.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Article
- Bactericidal membrane attack complex formation initiates at the new pole of E. coli.EMBO reports · 2026Article
- Isotype conversion of Staphylococcal-specific IgG into IgM broadens the reactivity to other bacterial pathogens.Cell reports. Medicine · 2025Article
- Terminal complement complexes with or without C9 potentiate antimicrobial activity againstmBio · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Complement proteins eliminate Gram-negative bacteria in the blood via the formation of membrane attack complex (MAC) pores in the outer membrane. However, it remains unclear how outer membrane poration leads to inner membrane permeation and cell lysis. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) on living Escherichia coli (E. coli), we probed MAC-induced changes in the cell envelope and correlated these with subsequent cell death. Initially, bacteria survived despite the formation of hundreds of MACs that were randomly distributed over the cell surface. This was followed by larger-scale disruption of the outer membrane, including propagating defects and fractures, and by an overall swelling and stiffening of the bacterial surface, which precede inner membrane permeation. We conclude that bacterial cell lysis is only an indirect effect of MAC formation; outer membrane poration leads to mechanical destabilization of the cell envelope, reducing its ability to contain the turgor pressure, leading to inner membrane permeation and cell death.
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Registered trials
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