Type VI secretion systems: Weapons of bacterial destruction

Bacteria can be quite aggressive. Armed with an impressive array of mechanical and biochemical weapons, they don't mess around when it comes to combating their foes. Notable among these armaments is the Type VI Secretion System (T6SS), a membrane-embedded nanomachine found in many gram-negative bacteria. The needle-like system helps bacteria antagonize prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells by injecting them with harmful proteins (effectors), such as pore-forming toxins and nucleases.