type IV pilus
A dynamic bacterial surface filament assembled from type IV pilins by an inner-membrane ATPase machinery. Reversible extension and retraction can generate force for twitching motility, adhesion, surface sensing, and DNA uptake. [DOI:10.1038/nrmicro.2017.40]
Synonyms: type 4 pilus; T4P
Components
| Component | Type | Grounding | Genes | Stoichiometry | Essential | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| major type IV pilin | PROTEIN | ESSENTIAL | Polymerizes into the extracellular pilus filament.
| |||
| PilB-family extension ATPase | PROTEIN | ESSENTIAL | Powers pilin polymerization and filament extension.
| |||
| PilT-family retraction ATPase | PROTEIN | CONDITIONAL | Powers retraction in retractile type IV pilus systems.
|
Taxonomic distribution
NCBITaxon:2Bacteria — VARIABLE: Widely distributed but absent from many lineages and strains. [DOI:10.1038/nrmicro.2017.40]
Canonical examples
NCBITaxon:287Pseudomonas aeruginosa — Canonical retractile T4P model for twitching motility. [DOI:10.1038/nrmicro.2017.40]
Functions
- type IV pilus-dependent motility
GO:0043107— Repeated extension, surface attachment, and retraction pull the cell across a surface.DOI:10.1038/nrmicro.2017.40T4P dynamics generate motility and adhesion forces.
Evidence
DOI:10.1038/nrmicro.2017.40A comprehensive guide to pilus biogenesis in Gram-negative bacteria.
Curation history
2026-08-30T19:30:00Zcodex · CREATED_RECORD — Added as a literature-backed foundational seed. Identity checked against the 2026-07-01 Gene Ontology release; requires human review.2026-08-30T20:30:00Zcodex · CORRECTED_GROUNDING — Corrected the type IV pilus motility grounding from GO:0009290 (DNA import during transformation) to current GO:0043107 (type IV pilus-dependent motility), verified in QuickGO.