The Proline/Glycine-Rich Region of the Biofilm Adhesion Protein Aap Forms an Extended Stalk that Resists Compaction.

ABSTRACT: Staphylococcus epidermidis is one of the primary bacterial species responsible for healthcare-associated infections. The most significant virulence factor for S. epidermidis is its ability to form a biofilm, which renders the bacteria highly resistant to host immune responses and antibiotic action. Intercellular adhesion within the biofilm is mediated by the accumulation-associated protein (Aap), a cell wall-anchored protein that self-assembles in a zinc-dependent manner. The C-terminal portion of Aap contains a 135-aa-long, proline/glycine-rich region (PGR) that has not yet been characterized. The region contains a set of 18 nearly identical AEPGKP repeats. Analysis of the PGR using biophysical techniques demonstrated the region is a highly extended, intrinsically disordered polypeptide w

SUBMITTER: Yarawsky AE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5363081 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature