A 21-kDa surface protein of Mycobacterium leprae binds peripheral nerve laminin-2 and mediates Schwann cell invasion.

ABSTRACT: Nerve damage is the hallmark of Mycobacterium leprae infection, which results from M. leprae invasion of the Schwann cell of the peripheral nervous system. We have recently shown that the laminin-2 isoform, specially the G domain of laminin alpha2 chain, on the Schwann cell-axon unit serves as an initial neural target for M. leprae. However, M. leprae surface molecules that mediate bacterial invasion of peripheral nerves are entirely unknown. By using human alpha2 laminins as a probe, a major 28-kDa protein in the M. leprae cell wall fraction that binds alpha2 laminins was identified. After N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis, PCR-based strategy was used to clone the gene that encodes this protein. Deduced amino acid sequence of this M. leprae laminin-binding protein predicts a 21-kDa

SUBMITTER: Shimoji Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC22300 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature