Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41474020›Full record

ReviewFEMS microbiology reviews2026

Type IV secretion systems: reconciling diversity through a unified nomenclature.

Peter J Christie, Gabriel Waksman, Ronnie Per-Arne Berntsson, Nicolas Soler, Nathalie Leblond-Bourget, Badreddine Douzi

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in FEMS microbiology reviews, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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  4. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Peter J ChristieDepartment of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, United States.
Gabriel WaksmanInstitute of Structural and Molecular Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Birkbeck College, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom.
Ronnie Per-Arne BerntssonDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine & Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
Nicolas SolerUniversité de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000 Nancy, France.ORCID 0000-0002-4292-4020
Nathalie Leblond-BourgetUniversité de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000 Nancy, France.
Badreddine DouziUniversité de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000 Nancy, France.ORCID 0000-0003-3140-4713

Funding

Biological And Structural Diversity Of Bacterial Type IV Secretion SystemsR35GM131892 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI PETER j. CHRISTIE · 2019 to 2026
$3.8M
French National Research Agency ANR-15-IDEX-04-LUEFrench National Research Agency ANR-22-CE11-0022-01Medical Research Council 217089/Z/19/ZMedical Research Council MR/X01827X/1NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM131892NIH HHS R35 GM131892Swedish Research Council 2023-02423
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Type IV secretion systems (T4SS) are versatile nanomachines responsible for the transfer of DNA and proteins across cell envelopes. From their ancestral role in conjugation, these systems have diversified into a superfamily with functions ranging from horizontal gene transfer to the delivery of toxins to eukaryotic and prokaryotic hosts. Recent structural and functional studies have uncovered unexpected architectural variations not only among Gram-negative systems but also between Gram-negative and Gram-positive systems. Despite this diversity, a conserved set of core proteins is maintained across the superfamily. To facilitate cross-system comparisons, we propose in this review a unified nomenclature for conserved T4SS subunits found in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive systems. We further highlight conserved and divergent mechanistic and architectural principles across bacterial lineages, and we discuss the diversity of emerging T4SSs whose unique structures and functions expand our understanding of this highly adaptable secretion superfamily.

Indexed as

Gram-Negative BacteriaGram-Positive BacteriaType IV Secretion SystemsBacterial ProteinsTerminology as TopicBacterial ProteinsType IV Secretion Systemsconjugationeffectors secretionhorizontal gene transfernomenclaturerelaxosomeType IV secretion systems (T4SSs)

Identifiers

PMID41474020
PMCPMC12857230

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.