Polymerization of C9 enhances bacterial cell envelope damage and killing by membrane attack complex pores
Fig 7
Assembly of MAC pores enhances OM damage and bacterial killing.
Schematic overview how MAC pores assemble on E. coli and their effect on outer membrane damage and bacterial killing. I) C8 (orange) binds to membrane-anchored C5b-7 (grey) and subsequently inserts transmembrane β-hairpins into the bacterial outer membrane (OM), which causes small lesions in the OM. II) Binding of C9 (blue) to C5b-8 without polymerization of C9 slightly increases the OM damage and bacterial killing. III) C9 polymerizes and forms a transmembrane polymer, which drastically increases OM damage and rapidly kills bacteria.