Key diffusion mechanisms involved in regulating bidirectional water permeation across E. coli outer membrane lectin.

ABSTRACT: Capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) are major bacterial virulent determinants that facilitate host immune evasion. E. coli group1 K30CPS is noncovalently attached to bacterial surface by Wzi, a lectin. Intriguingly, structure based phylogenetic analysis indicates that Wzi falls into porin superfamily. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations further shed light on dual role of Wzi as it also functions as a bidirectional passive water specific porin. Such a functional role of Wzi was not realized earlier, due to the occluded pore. While five water specific entry points distributed across extracellular &periplasmic faces regulate the water diffusion involving different mechanisms, a luminal hydrophobic plug governs water permeation across the channel. Coincidently, MD observed open state structure of

SUBMITTER: Sachdeva S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4913347 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature