Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 5, 2026

Introducing Shear Stress in the Study of Bacterial Adhesion
13:28

Introducing Shear Stress in the Study of Bacterial Adhesion

Published on: September 2, 2011

16.2K

Sialic acid mediated mechanical activation of β2 adrenergic receptors by bacterial pili

Zoe Virion1, Stéphane Doly2, Kusumika Saha2

  • 1Inserm, U1151, CNRS UMR 8253, Institut-Necker-Enfants-Malades, Université de Paris, Paris, France.

Nature Communications
|October 20, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Meningococcus bacteria activate human β2 adrenergic receptors (β2AR) through mechanical forces on its sugar chains, not amino acids. This glycan-dependent activation explains pathogen species selectivity in humans.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) causes meningitis by activating human endothelial cell β2 adrenergic receptors (β2AR).
  • The precise molecular mechanisms of this pathogen-induced receptor activation and its species selectivity were previously unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which meningococcus activates β2AR.
  • To understand the basis of meningococcal species selectivity in host infection.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated the role of N-terminal glycan chains and mechanical forces in β2AR activation by meningococcus.
  • Utilized beads coated with N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (Neu5Ac)-binding lectins to mimic pathogen-induced mechanical stimulation.

Main Results:

  • β2AR activation by meningococcus depends on two specific N-terminal glycan chains with terminal N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) residues, independent of surrounding amino acids.
  • Meningococcus triggers β2AR signaling via direct and hemodynamic-promoted traction forces on these glycans.
  • Mechanical stimulation of Neu5Ac-coated beads recapitulated this activation mechanism.

Conclusions:

  • Discovered a novel, glycan-dependent, allosteric mechanical mode of G protein-coupled receptor activation.
  • This mechanism explains meningococcal species selectivity, as abundant human Neu5Ac contrasts with its lower levels in other mammals due to CMAH enzyme loss.
  • Identified a new pathway for pathogen adaptation to its host environment.

More Related Videos

Biomimetic Materials to Characterize Bacteria-host Interactions12:22

Biomimetic Materials to Characterize Bacteria-host Interactions

Published on: November 16, 2015

9.9K
Humanized Mouse Model to Study Bacterial Infections Targeting the Microvasculature11:40

Humanized Mouse Model to Study Bacterial Infections Targeting the Microvasculature

Published on: April 1, 2014

15.3K

Related Concept Videos

Fimbriae, Pili, and Axial Filaments01:28

Fimbriae, Pili, and Axial Filaments

Fimbriae and pili are specialized bacterial surface structures that play pivotal roles in adhesion, genetic exchange, and motility. Composed primarily of pilin protein, these hairlike appendages are crucial for bacterial survival and pathogenicity in various environments.Fimbriae: Adhesion and PathogenicityFimbriae are fine, filamentous structures measuring 2–10 nanometers in diameter and are densely distributed on the bacterial cell surface. They facilitate bacterial adhesion to abiotic...
1.4K
GPCRs Regulate Adenylyl Cylase Activity01:09

GPCRs Regulate Adenylyl Cylase Activity

Some GPCRs transmit signals through adenylyl cyclase (AC), a transmembrane enzyme. AC helps synthesize second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). AC catalyzes cyclization reaction and converts ATP to cAMP by releasing a pyrophosphate. The pyrophosphate is further hydrolyzed to phosphate by the enzyme pyrophosphatase, which drives cAMP synthesis to completion. However, cAMP is rapidly degraded to 5′ AMP by the enzymes phosphodiesterase (PDE), preventing overstimulation of...
7.2K
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
6.0K
Formation of Lipopolysaccharides01:19

Formation of Lipopolysaccharides

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are crucial components of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, serving both structural and functional roles. It contributes to membrane stability and protects bacteria from host immune responses. LPS is composed of three major regions—lipid A, a core oligosaccharide, and an O antigen. The biosynthesis and assembly of LPS involve a highly coordinated set of enzymatic reactions and transport mechanisms. Additionally, LPS is recognized as an endotoxin,...
467
Sympathetic Signaling01:31

Sympathetic Signaling

Sympathetic signaling, a vital part of the autonomic nervous system, plays a crucial role in mobilizing the body's resources in response to stress or emergencies. It involves the transmission of nerve impulses from sympathetic preganglionic fibers to postganglionic fibers. This results in the release of specific neurotransmitters and activation of adrenergic receptors.
Sympathetic preganglionic fibers release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) onto the ganglionic neurons in the...
2.1K
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin...
3.4K