Type IV secretion systems (T4SS) are multiprotein complexes dedicated to the intercellular transport of proteins or protein-DNA complexes. T4SS translocate DNA and protein substrates across the cell envelope generally by a mechanism requiring direct contact with a recipient cell. Conjugative plasmid transfer is performed by a T4SS that transports DNA substrates to recipient cells in a contact-dependent process. My research group works on different research lines with the goal to understand and reduce the dissemination of antibiotic resistance via conjugative T4SS.
