Bacterial microcompartment

The first structure of a bacterial microcompartment shell, determined by X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy contains representatives of each of the shell protein types:  BMC-P, BMC-H and BMC-T, in both its trimer  (upper right) and dimer of trimer (lower right), forms.

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are organelle-like structures found in bacteria. They consist of a protein shell that encloses enzymes and other proteins. BMCs are typically about 40–200 nanometers in diameter and are made entirely of proteins. The shell functions like a membrane, as it is selectively permeable. Other protein-based compartments found in bacteria and archaea include encapsulin nanocompartments and gas vesicles.

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