| Full text | |
| Author(s): |
Wong, Steve G.
[1, 2, 3]
;
Dessen, Andrea
[1, 2, 3, 4]
Total Authors: 2
|
| Affiliation: | [1] Univ Grenoble Alpes, Inst Biol Struct, F-38044 Grenoble - France
[2] CNRS, IBS, F-38044 Grenoble - France
[3] CEA, IBS, F-38044 Grenoble - France
[4] Brazilian Natl Lab Biosci LNBio, CNPEM, BR-13083100 Campinas, SP - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 4
|
| Document type: | Journal article |
| Source: | NATURE COMMUNICATIONS; v. 5, SEP 2014. |
| Web of Science Citations: | 17 |
| Abstract | |
Alpha-2-macroglobulins (A2Ms) are plasma proteins that trap and inhibit a broad range of proteases and are major components of the eukaryotic innate immune system. Surprisingly, A2M-like proteins were identified in pathogenically invasive bacteria and species that colonize higher eukaryotes. Bacterial A2Ms are located in the periplasm where they are believed to provide protection to the cell by trapping external proteases through a covalent interaction with an activated thioester. Here we report the crystal structures and characterization of Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium A2M in different states of thioester activation. The structures reveal thirteen domains whose arrangement displays high similarity to proteins involved in eukaryotic immune defence. A structural lock mechanism maintains the stability of the buried thioester, a requirement for its protease-trapping activity. These findings indicate that bacteria have developed a rudimentary innate immune system whose mechanism mimics that of eukaryotes. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 11/52067-6 - Assembly and structure of macromolecular complexes involved in bacterial cell wall: biosynthesis and virulence |
| Grantee: | Andrea Dessen de Souza e Silva |
| Support Opportunities: | Research Projects - SPEC Program |