Structural and Functional Analysis of Cell Wall-anchored Polypeptide Adhesin BspA in Streptococcus agalactiae.

Abstract

Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus, GBS) is the predominant cause of early-onset infectious disease in neonates and is responsible for life-threatening infections in elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Clinical manifestations of GBS infection include sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis. Here, we describe BspA, a deviant antigen I/II family polypeptide that confers adhesive properties linked to pathogenesis in GBS. Heterologous expression of BspA on the surface of the non-adherent bacterium Lactococcus lactis confers adherence to scavenger receptor gp340, human vaginal epithelium, and to the fungus Candida albicans Complementary crystallographic and biophysical characterization of BspA reveal a novel β-sandwich adhesion domain and unique asparagine-dependent super-helical stalk. Collectively, these findings establish a new bacterial adhesin structure that has in effect been hijacked by a pathogenic Streptococcus species to provide competitive advantage in human mucosal infections.

• Authors: Sara Rego, Timothy J Heal, Grace R Pidwill, Marisa Till, Alice Robson, Richard J Lamont, Richard B Sessions, Howard F Jenkinson, Paul R Race, Angela H Nobbs
• Journal: The Journal of biological chemistry (J Biol Chem) Vol. 291 Issue 31 Pg. 15985-6000 (07 29 2016) ISSN: 1083-351X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 27311712 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Chemical References

• Adhesins, Bacterial
• Bacterial Proteins
• BspA protein, bacteria
• Membrane Proteins

Topics

• Adhesins, Bacterial (chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
• Bacterial Adhesion (physiology)
• Bacterial Proteins (chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
• Candida albicans (genetics, metabolism)
• Cell Wall (chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
• Female
• Humans
• Lactococcus lactis (chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
• Membrane Proteins (chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
• Protein Domains
• Protein Structure, Secondary
• Streptococcus agalactiae (chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
• Structure-Activity Relationship