gas vesicle shell

GO:0033172 · Inclusion · Multiprotein complex · Proposed

The proteinaceous structure surrounding a gas vesicle. [GO:0033172]

Synonyms: gas vesicle wall; gas vesicle membrane

Part of: gas vesicle (GO:0031411)

UniProt location names: UniProt Consortium, CC BY 4.0. Reference label and route sources.

Components

Component	Type	Part of / acts on	Grounding	Genes	Stoichiometry	Essential	Role
major gas vesicle protein GvpA	Protein	part of		gvpA		ESSENTIAL	Polymerizes into the conserved, ribbed wall that forms the proteinaceous gas vesicle shell. `PMID:22147705` Bayro et al. 2012 used solid-state NMR to support a cross-beta assembly model for GvpA in the gas vesicle shell. `DOI:10.1016/j.str.2023.03.011` Dutka et al. 2023 resolved the Dolichospermum gas-vesicle shell as a wall built from a helical GvpA filament.
gas vesicle strengthening protein GvpC	Protein	part of		gvpC		CONDITIONAL	Binds the outside of the GvpA shell in characterized cyanobacterial gas vesicles and increases resistance to pressure collapse. `PMID:8177173` Walsby 1994 reviews biochemical and mechanical evidence that GvpC decorates the exterior of cyanobacterial gas vesicle shells and strengthens them against collapse. `PMID:1510555` Hayes et al. 1992 showed that recombinant GvpC binds urea-stripped Anabaena flos-aquae gas vesicles after dialysis and restores most of their critical collapse pressure.

Taxonomic distribution

NCBITaxon:2 Bacteria — VARIABLE: Gas vesicle shells occur in several bacterial phyla, especially aquatic phototrophs, but are restricted to lineages that carry gas-vesicle gene clusters. [PMID:8177173]
NCBITaxon:2157 Archaea — VARIABLE: Gas vesicle shells also occur in multiple archaeal groups, including haloarchaea. [PMID:8177173]

Canonical examples

NCBITaxon:315271 Dolichospermum flos-aquae CCAP 1403/13F — Cyanobacterial strain used for the cryo-electron tomography study that resolved intact GvpA shells. [DOI:10.1016/j.str.2023.03.011]

Functions

gas-permeable water exclusion — The protein shell excludes liquid water from the gas vesicle lumen while allowing gases to diffuse across the wall.
- PMID:8177173 Walsby 1994 reviews the gas permeability and liquid water impermeability of the gas vesicle wall.
- DOI:10.1016/j.str.2023.03.011 Dutka et al. 2023 resolved the GvpA shell geometry that surrounds the hollow lumen.
- DOI:10.1099/00221287-138-4-837 Walsby, Revsbech and Griffel 1992 directly measured oxygen movement to quantify the gas permeability coefficient of cyanobacterial gas vesicle walls.
pressure collapse resistance — GvpC-coated shells withstand higher turgor or hydrostatic pressure before collapsing.
- PMID:8177173 Walsby 1994 reviews evidence that GvpC is released by urea, binds back to stripped shells and raises the pressure needed to collapse them.
- PMID:1510555 Hayes et al. 1992 showed that recombinant GvpC binds urea-stripped Anabaena flos-aquae gas vesicles after dialysis and restores most of their critical collapse pressure.

Mechanism graphs

GvpA and GvpC build a water-excluding shell (FUNCTION)

GvpA polymerizes into helical ribs that form the continuous gas vesicle wall. GvpC can coat the outside of that wall to increase collapse pressure, while the assembled shell excludes liquid water and allows gases to cross into the hollow lumen.

Subject	Predicate	Object	Evidence
major gas vesicle protein GvpA	polymerizes into	helical GvpA filament	`PMID:22147705` Bayro et al. 2012 used solid-state NMR to support a cross-beta assembly model for GvpA in gas-vesicle shells. `DOI:10.1016/j.str.2023.03.011` Dutka et al. 2023 resolved a helical GvpA filament in the Dolichospermum gas-vesicle wall.
helical GvpA filament	forms wall of	gas vesicle shell	`DOI:10.1016/j.str.2023.03.011` Dutka et al. 2023 traced GvpA filaments through the intact Dolichospermum shell by cryo-ET.
gas vesicle strengthening protein GvpC	coats outside of	gas vesicle shell	`PMID:8177173` Walsby 1994 reviews evidence that GvpC is located on the outer surface of cyanobacterial gas vesicle shells. `PMID:1510555` Hayes et al. 1992 showed that recombinant GvpC binds urea-stripped Anabaena flos-aquae gas vesicles after dialysis and restores most of their critical collapse pressure.
gas vesicle strengthening protein GvpC	strengthens	gas vesicle shell	`PMID:8177173` Walsby 1994 reviews pressure-collapse assays showing that GvpC strengthens shells. `PMID:1510555` Hayes et al. 1992 showed that recombinant GvpC binds urea-stripped Anabaena flos-aquae gas vesicles after dialysis and restores most of their critical collapse pressure.
gas vesicle shell	maintains	water-excluding gas-filled lumen	`PMID:8177173` Walsby 1994 reviews the wall properties that keep the vesicle lumen gas filled. `DOI:10.1099/00221287-138-4-837` Walsby, Revsbech and Griffel 1992 directly measured oxygen movement to quantify the gas permeability coefficient of cyanobacterial gas vesicle walls.
water-excluding gas-filled lumen	supports	buoyancy regulation	`PMID:8177173` Walsby 1994 describes how gas vesicles lower cell density and support vertical migration.

Discussions

CURATION_TODO (RESOLVED): Should GvpF/GvpL-family accessory assembly proteins be modeled as gas vesicle shell components? The shell record is scoped to persistent shell material. Accessory Gvps contact GvpA during gas-vesicle biogenesis, but current interaction evidence supports an upstream assembly role that is represented on the whole gas_vesicle record rather than persistent membership in the mature shell.

Evidence

PMID:8177173 Walsby AE 1994, Gas vesicles, Microbiological Reviews.
PMID:22147705 Bayro MJ, Daviso E, Belenky M, Griffin RG and Herzfeld J 2012, An amyloid organelle, solid-state NMR evidence for cross-beta assembly of GvpA.
DOI:10.1016/j.str.2023.03.011 Dutka P et al. 2023, Structure of Anabaena flos-aquae gas vesicles revealed by cryo-ET, Structure.
PMID:1510555 Hayes PK, Buchholz B and Walsby AE 1992, Gas vesicles are strengthened by the outer-surface protein, GvpC.
DOI:10.1099/00221287-138-4-837 Walsby AE, Revsbech NP and Griffel DH 1992, The gas permeability coefficient of the cyanobacterial gas vesicle wall.

Curation history

2026-09-07T02:17:12Z claude · CREATED_RECORD — Scaffolded by scripts/new_record.py
2026-09-07T02:18:29Z claude · EXPANDED_RECORD — Added GO shell synonymy, gas-vesicle parthood, GvpA/GvpC shell components, bacterial and archaeal taxonomic scope, a Dolichospermum canonical example, gas-permeable water exclusion and pressure-resistance functions, core evidence, a GvpA/GvpC shell graph, and a boundary discussion excluding transient accessory Gvps.
2026-09-07T02:29:41Z claude · FIX_REVIEW_ISSUES — Resolved #227 by adding Hayes et al. 1992 primary GvpC reconstitution and collapse-pressure evidence; resolved #228 by adding Walsby, Revsbech and Griffel 1992 primary gas-vesicle-wall permeability evidence.

Source: data/structures/inclusion/gas_vesicle_shell.yaml