TONB Antibody – Rabbit Polyclonal

Periplasmic TonB is attached to the cytoplasmic membrane by a signal anchor and interacts with outer membrane proteins, thus TonB spans the periplasmic space. [More information is available at EcoGene: EG11012]. TonB is a cytoplasmic membrane protein which transduces the proton motive force (pmf) of the cytoplasmic membrane to the outer membrane active transporters thus providing the energy source required for the import of iron-siderophore complexes and vitamin B12 across the outer membrane . [More information is available at EcoCyc: EG11012].

Interacts with outer membrane receptor proteins that carry out high-affinity binding and energy dependent uptake into the periplasmic space of specific substrates such as cobalamin, and various iron compounds (such as iron dicitrate, enterochelin, aerobactin, etc.). In the absence of TonB these receptors bind their substrates but do not carry out active transport. TonB also interacts with some colicins and is involved in the energy-dependent, irreversible steps of bacteriophages phi 80 and T1 infection. It could act to transduce energy from the cytoplasmic membrane to specific energy-requiring processes in the outer membrane, resulting in the release into the periplasm of ligands bound by these outer membrane proteins. Implicated in hydroxy radical-mediated cell death induced by hydroxyurea treatment (PubMed:20005847).