Bacterial secretion system - Escherichia coli O127:H6 E2348/69 (EPEC)

Gram-negative bacteria secrete a wide range of proteins whose functions include biogenesis of organelles, such as pilli and flagella, nutrient acquisition, virulence, and efflux of drugs and other toxins. Six distinct secretion systems have been shown to mediate protein export through the inner and outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. These pathways are highly conserved throughout the Gram-negative bacterial species. In Gram-positive bacteria, secreted proteins are commonly translocated across the single membrane by the Sec pathway or the two-arginine (Tat) pathway.