The Structural Basis of Perforin and Perforin-2 Oligomerisation

The immune systems of humans and other mammals deploy pore-forming proteins to punch holes in harmful cells and microbes. Two such proteins, perforin and perforin-2, assemble into ring-shaped structures that form nanoscopic pores in membranes. Using powerful imaging techniques at near-atomic resolution, we captured detailed snapshots of how perforin and perforin-2 assemble into multi-subunit structures before inserting into membranes, revealing the subtle mechanisms by which each protein is primed for pore formation.