Roll out the barrel! Outer membrane tension resolves an unexpected folding intermediate

How do bacteria assemble transmembrane β-barrels into their outer membrane in the absence of an energy source? New structures and experiments from Doyle et al. suggest that the β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) co-opts the power of membrane elastic tension to help complete the folding of β-barrel outer membrane proteins. How do bacteria assemble transmembrane β-barrels into their outer membrane in the absence of an energy source? New structures and experiments from Doyle et al. suggest that the β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) co-opts the power of membrane elastic tension to help complete the folding of β-barrel outer membrane proteins.