Unveiling molecular mechanisms of bacterial surface proteins: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptococcus pneumoniae</Emphasis> as a model organism for structural studies |
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Authors: | M J Jedrzejas |
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Institution: | (1) Center for Immunobiology and Vaccine Development, Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, 5700 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Oakland, CA 94609, USA |
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Abstract: | Bacteria present a variety of molecules either on their surface or in a cell-free form. These molecules take part in numerous
processes in the interactions with their host, with its tissues and other molecules. These molecules are essential to bacterial
pathogenesis either during colonization or the spread/invasion stages, and most are virulence factors. This review is focused
on such molecules using Streptococcus pneumoniae, a Gram-positive bacterium, as an example. Selected surface proteins are introduced, their structure described, and, whenever
available, their mechanisms of function on an atomic level are explained. Such mechanisms for hyaluronate lyase, pneumococcal
surface protein A, pneumolysin, histidine-triad and fibronectin-binding proteins are discussed. Elucidation of molecular mechanisms
of virulence factors is essential for the understanding of bacteria and their functional properties. Structural biology appears
pivotal for these studies, as structural and mechanistic insights facilitate rational approach to the development of new treatments.
Received 12 March 2007; received after revision 28 June 2007; accepted 18 July 2007 |
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Keywords: | Mechanism of action pathogenesis structure/function virulence |
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