Full-length TprK of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum in lipid nanodiscs is a monomeric porin.

ABSTRACT: TprK is a key virulence factor of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (T. pallidum) due to its ability to undergo intra-strain antigenic variation through gene conversion. This mechanism can generate millions of tprK gene and protein variants to allow immune evasion and pathogen persistence during infection. In silico structural modeling supports that TprK is an outer membrane β-barrel with porin function and with several surface-exposed loops, seven of which corresponding to the variable regions. No definitive structural of functional data, however, exist for this protein aside from its role in immune evasion. Studies to elucidate TprK biological function as a porin, are hindered by the evidence that TprK is not abundant on T. pallidum outer membrane, and by the fragility of T. pallidum en

SUBMITTER: Lian T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10929906 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature