{
  "id": 5006084,
  "title": "Structures of LolB bound to LolA or lipoprotein resolve the final steps of bacterial lipoprotein trafficking",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/structures-of-lolb-bound-to-lola-or-lipoprotein-resolve-the-final",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-01T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.01.748475v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gram-negative bacteria rely on lipoproteins for constructing and maintaining their outer membrane. The Lol system plays a crucial role in transporting these lipoproteins from the inner membrane to the outer membrane, making it a prime target for developing new antimicrobials. In the concluding stages of this process, the outer membrane receptor LolB binds to the triacylated lipoproteins delivered by the periplasmic chaperone LolA. A newly resolved structure of LolB in complex with LolA provides insights into the molecular mechanisms behind this process. The positively charged residues on the convex face of the LolB beta-barrel are crucial for complex formation. A key feature of the LolB structure is a protruding loop that inserts into the LolA cavity, ready to initiate the transfer of the substrate lipoprotein from LolA to LolB. The structural resolution of a lipoprotein-bound LolB complex, along with biophysical assays, reveals how a molecular latch releases the lid of the cavity, allowing the lipoprotein acyl chains to be accommodated. By modeling these structures onto predicted orientations of LolB on the outer membrane, researchers can better understand the release of LolA and the subsequent insertion of the lipoprotein triacyl groups into the bacterial membrane. Overall, this research offers a detailed look at two critical intermediates in lipoprotein trafficking, shedding light on the final steps of this essential cellular process.",
  "summary": "In Gram-negative bacteria, lipoproteins are structural elements of the outer membrane and essential components of machineries responsible for its construction and maintenance. The Lol system, responsible for the trafficking of lipoproteins from the site of maturation on the inner membrane to the outer membrane, is therefore crucial to the function of the cell envelope and a key target of efforts…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}