TrwB: An F1-ATPase-like molecular motor involved in DNA transport during bacterial conjugation

The mechanism by which TrwB acts as a DNA transporter in bacterial conjugation is analyzed. Based on a parallelism between TrwB and F1-ATPase, TrwB would use the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to pump DNA through its central channel, in a manner similar to that used by F1-ATPase to produce a rotary movement of the central γ-subunit.