Polymerizing activity and regulation of group B Streptococcus pilus 2a sortase C1

Zerbini, Francesca (2014) Polymerizing activity and regulation of group B Streptococcus pilus 2a sortase C1 , [Dissertation thesis], Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna. Dottorato di ricerca in Biologia cellulare e molecolare, 26 Ciclo. DOI 10.6092/unibo/amsdottorato/6480.
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Abstract

Group B Streptococcus [GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae] is the leading cause of life-threatening diseases in newborn and is also becoming a common cause of invasive diseases in non-pregnant, elderly and immune-compromised adults. Pili, long filamentous fibers protruding from the bacterial surface, have been discovered in GBS, as important virulence factors and vaccine candidates. Gram-positive bacteria build pili on their cell surface via a class C sortase-catalyzed transpeptidation mechanism from pilin protein substrates. Despite the availability of several crystal structures, pilus-related C sortases remain poorly characterized to date and their mechanisms of transpeptidation and regulation need to be further investigated. The available three-dimensional structures of these enzymes reveal a typical sortase fold except for the presence of a unique feature represented by an N-terminal highly flexible loop, known as the “lid”. This region interacts with the residues composing the catalytic triad and covers the active site, thus maintaining the enzyme in an auto-inhibited state and preventing the accessibility to the substrate. It is believed that enzyme activation may occur only after lid displacement from the catalytic domain. In this work we provide the first direct evidence of the regulatory role of the lid, demonstrating that it is possible to obtain in vitro an efficient polymerization of pilin subunits using an active C sortase lid mutant carrying a single residue mutation in the lid region. Moreover, biochemical analyses of this recombinant mutant reveal that the lid confers thermodynamic and proteolytic stability to the enzyme. A further characterization of this sortase active mutant showed promiscuity in the substrate recognition, as it is able to polymerize different LPXTG-proteins in vitro.

Abstract
Tipologia del documento
Tesi di dottorato
Autore
Zerbini, Francesca
Supervisore
Co-supervisore
Dottorato di ricerca
Scuola di dottorato
Scienze biologiche, biomediche e biotecnologiche
Ciclo
26
Coordinatore
Settore disciplinare
Settore concorsuale
Parole chiave
transpeptidation - sortase enzymes - backbone protein - in vitro polymerization assay - limited proteolysis - thermal stability - NMR spectroscopy
URN:NBN
DOI
10.6092/unibo/amsdottorato/6480
Data di discussione
11 Aprile 2014
URI

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