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Cytokeratin 8 interacts with clumping factor B: a new possible virulence factor target
M Haim1,2, A Trost2, C J Maier3,2
1Procomcure Biotech GmbH, Hafenstrasse 47-51, A-4020 Linz, Austria.
Microbiology (Reading, England)
|September 7, 2010
Summary
Staphylococcus aureus uses clumping factor B to bind human cytokeratin 8 (CK8), a newly identified interaction. This discovery offers a potential new target for combating S. aureus infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a significant pathogen with increasing antibiotic resistance.
- Bacterial adherence to host cells is crucial for infection establishment.
- Clumping factor B is a surface protein involved in S. aureus adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify novel binding targets of Staphylococcus aureus clumping factor B in human keratinocytes.
- To investigate the interaction between clumping factor B and cytokeratin 8 (CK8).
Main Methods:
- Genome-wide yeast two-hybrid screening of a human keratinocyte cDNA library.
- Domain-mapping to pinpoint the interaction site.
- Pull-down assays with recombinant protein fragments.
- Analysis of S. aureus strains deficient in clumping factor B.
Main Results:
- Clumping factor B binds to human cytokeratin 8 (CK8), a type II cytokeratin.
- Amino acids 437-464 of CK8 are essential for the interaction.
- Pull-down experiments confirmed the binding.
- The interaction is dependent on clumping factor B in S. aureus Newman strain.
Conclusions:
- A novel interaction between Staphylococcus aureus clumping factor B and human cytokeratin 8 has been identified.
- This clumping factor B-CK8 interaction may play a role in S. aureus pathogenesis.
- Targeting this interaction could offer new therapeutic strategies against S. aureus infections.
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