Assigned NMR backbone resonances of the ligand-binding region domain of the pneumococcal serine-rich repeat protein (PsrP-BR) reveal a rigid monomer in solution

The pneumococcal serine rich repeat protein (PsrP) is displayed on the surface of Streptococcus pneumoniae with a suggested role in colonization in the human upper respiratory tract. Full-length PsrP is a 4000 residue-long multi-domain protein comprising a positively charged functional binding region (BR) domain for interaction with keratin and extracellular DNA during pneumococcal adhesion and biofilm formation, respectively. The previously determined crystal structure of the BR domain revealed a flat compressed barrel comprising two sides with an extended beta-sheet on one side, and another beta-sheet that is distorted by loops and beta-turns on the other side. Crystallographic B-factors indicated a relatively high mobility of loop regions that were hypothesized to be important for binding. Furthermore, the crystal structure revealed an inter-molecular beta-sheet formed between edge strands of two symmetry-related molecules, which could promote bacterial aggregation during biofilm formation. Here we report the near complete N-15/C-13/H-1 backbone resonance assignment of the BR domain of PsrP, revealing a secondary structure profile that is almost identical to the X-ray structure. Dynamic N-15-T-1, T-2 and NOE data suggest a monomeric and rigid structure of BR with disordered residues only at the N- and C-termini. The presented peak assignment will allow us to identify BR residues that are crucial for ligand binding

Pneumolysin binds to the mannose receptor C type 1 (MRC-1) leading to anti-inflammatory responses and enhanced pneumococcal survival

Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally, and the leading cause of death in children under 5 years old. The pneumococcal cytolysin pneumolysin (PLY) is a major virulence determinant known to induce pore-dependent pro-inflammatory responses. These inflammatory responses are driven by PLY–host cell membrane cholesterol interactions, but binding to a host cell receptor has not been previously demonstrated. Here, we discovered a receptor for PLY, whereby pro-inflammatory cytokine responses and Toll-like receptor signalling are inhibited following PLY binding to the mannose receptor C type 1 (MRC-1) in human dendritic cells and mouse alveolar macrophages. The cytokine suppressor SOCS1 is also upregulated. Moreover, PLY–MRC-1 interactions mediate pneumococcal internalization into non-lysosomal compartments and polarize naive T cells into an interferon-γlow, interleukin-4high and FoxP3+ immunoregulatory phenotype. In mice, PLY-expressing pneumococci colocalize with MRC-1 in alveolar macrophages, induce lower pro-inflammatory cytokine responses and reduce neutrophil infiltration compared with a PLY mutant. In vivo, reduced bacterial loads occur in the airways of MRC-1-deficient mice and in mice in which MRC-1 is inhibited using blocking antibodies. In conclusion, we show that pneumococci use PLY–MRC-1 interactions to downregulate inflammation and enhance bacterial survival in the airways. These findings have important implications for future vaccine design

Affibody-mediated retention of the epidermal growth factor receptor in the secretory compartments leads to inhibition of phosphorylation in the kinase domain

Vernet E, Lundberg E, Friedman M, et al. Affibody-mediated retention of the epidermal growth factor receptor in the secretory compartments leads to inhibition of phosphorylation in the kinase domain. New Biotechnology. 2009;25(6):417-423.Abnormal activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is associated with various cancer-related processes and motivates the search for strategies that can selectively block EGFR signalling. In this study, functional knockdown of EGFR was achieved through expression of an affibody construct, (ZEGFR:1907)(2-)KDEL, with high affinity for EGFR and extended with the amino acids KDEL to make it resident in the secretory compartments. Expression of (ZEGFR:1907)(2-)KDEL resulted in 80% reduction ofthe cell surface level of EGFR, and fluorescent staining for EGFR and the (ZEGFR:1907)(2-)KDEL construct showed overlapping intracellular localisation. Immunocapture of EGFR from cell lysates showed that an intracellular complex between EGFR and the affibody construct had been formed, further indicating aspecific interaction between the affibody construct and EGFR. Surface depletion of EGFR led to a dramatic decrease in the amount of kinase domain phosphorylated EGFR, coincident with a significant decrease in the proliferation rate

Structure, specificity, and mode of interaction for bacterial albumin-binding modules.

We have determined the solution structure of an albumin binding domain of protein G, a surface protein of group C and G streptococci. We find that it folds into a left handed three-helix bundle similar to the albumin binding domain of protein PAB from Peptostreptococcus magnus. The two domains share 59% sequence identity, are thermally very stable, and bind to the same site on human serum albumin. The albumin binding site, the first determined for this structural motif known as the GA module, comprises residues spanning the first loop to the beginning of the third helix and includes the most conserved region of GA modules. The two GA modules have different affinities for albumin from different species, and their albumin binding patterns correspond directly to the host specificity of C/G streptococci and P. magnus, respectively. These studies of the evolution, structure, and binding properties of the GA module emphasize the power of bacterial adaptation and underline ecological and medical problems connected with the use of antibiotics