The Structure of Treponema pallidum Tp0624 Reveals a Modular Assembly of Divergently Functionalized and Previously Uncharacterized Domains.

ABSTRACT: Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum is the causative agent of syphilis, a chronic, multistage, systemic infection that remains a major global health concern. The molecular mechanisms underlying T. pallidum pathogenesis are incompletely understood, partially due to the phylogenetic divergence of T. pallidum. One aspect of T. pallidum that differentiates it from conventional Gram-negative bacteria, and is believed to play an important role in pathogenesis, is its unusual cell envelope ultrastructure; in particular, the T. pallidum peptidoglycan layer is chemically distinct, thinner and more distal to the outer membrane. Established functional roles for peptidoglycan include contributing to the structural integrity of the cell envelope and stabilization of the flagellar motor complex, whic

SUBMITTER: Parker ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5104382 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature