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Dancing to another tune-adhesive moonlighting proteins in bacteria
Veera Kainulainen1, Timo K Korhonen2
1Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland. veera.kainulainen@helsinki.fi.
Biology
|May 17, 2014
Summary
Bacterial moonlighting proteins perform essential cellular roles and also bind to host cells, acting as key adhesins. Their surface localization in bacteria like lactobacilli is crucial for environmental interactions.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
Background:
- Biological moonlighting describes proteins with multiple functions, found across diverse bacteria.
- These proteins are involved in fundamental cellular processes like glycolysis and protein synthesis.
- Their secondary functions often involve interactions with host cells and immune components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the dual functions of bacterial moonlighting proteins.
- To investigate the mechanisms of their surface localization in bacteria.
- To understand their role as bacterial adhesins in host-microbe interactions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of protein sequences for surface export motifs.
- Investigation of protein localization mechanisms in bacterial species, including lactobacilli.
- Examination of protein interactions with host cells and environmental components.
Main Results:
- Moonlighting proteins possess canonical cellular functions and additional roles in binding host cells and immune proteins.
- Lack of known export motifs suggests alternative mechanisms for surface localization.
- Ionic interactions with lipoteichoic acids and cell division sites are key for surface localization in lactobacilli.
- Moonlighting proteins are abundant bacterial adhesins involved in environmental responses.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial moonlighting proteins are multifunctional, contributing to both cellular processes and host interactions.
- Their surface localization is essential for their role as adhesins and environmental sensors.
- Understanding moonlighting proteins offers insights into bacterial adhesion and pathogenesis.
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