Gas vesicle
uniprot_keyword
KW-0304
canonical
name
Gas vesicle
uniprot
definition
Protein of, or involved in synthesis of, gas vesicles. Gas vesicles (GV) are hollow, watertight, gas-permeable proteinaceous nanostructures found in some microorganisms. During planktonic growth they allow positioning of the organism at a favorable depth for light or nutrient acquisition. By regulating their relative GV content, aquatic microbes can perform vertical migrations. The GV is impermeable to liquid water but is highly permeable to gases and is normally filled with air. As they scatter light, they may also protect against UV light. Two main proteins are present in the gas vesicle: GvpA, an extremely hydrophobic protein which makes the ribs that form the structure, and GvpC, which binds to the outside of the ribs, helps shape GVs and stiffens the structure against collapse.
uniprot
keywords
is_obsolete
false
uniprot
keywords
ontology_id
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uniprot
keywords