Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 16, 2025
11:32
Following in Real Time the Impact of Pneumococcal Virulence Factors in an Acute Mouse Pneumonia Model Using Bioluminescent Bacteria
Published on: February 23, 2014
15.3K
Streptococcus pneumoniae Type 1 Pilus - A Multifunctional Tool for Optimized Host Interaction
Stefan Ness1, Markus Hilleringmann1
1FG Protein Biochemistry & Cellular Microbiology, Department of Applied Sciences and Mechatronics, Munich University of Applied Sciences, Munich, Germany.
Frontiers in Microbiology
|February 26, 2021
Summary
Streptococcus pneumoniae pili (P1) are hair-like virulence factors crucial for bacterial infection. This review details P1
Area of Science:
- Microbiology and Molecular Pathogenesis
Background:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant human pathogen responsible for pneumonia, meningitis, and other invasive diseases.
- Increasing antibiotic resistance in S. pneumoniae necessitates understanding its virulence factors.
- Pili are critical surface structures involved in host-pathogen interactions and disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the molecular architecture of Streptococcus pneumoniae TIGR4 pilus-1 (P1).
- To elucidate the sortase-mediated assembly process of P1.
- To summarize P1's role in host-pathogen interactions and pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on Streptococcus pneumoniae pilus-1 structure and assembly.
- Analysis of P1 subunit composition and sortase-mediated covalent assembly.
- Examination of P1's role in host colonization, invasion, and spreading.
Main Results:
- Pilus-1 exhibits a complex architecture comprising anchor, backbone, and tip subunits.
- Sortase enzymes are essential for the covalent assembly and peptidoglycan anchoring of P1.
- Intramolecular isopeptide bonds within pilins enhance the stability of the pilus structure.
- P1's specific subunit interactions facilitate host cell targeting and infection.
Conclusions:
- The intricate molecular architecture and assembly of P1 are vital for Streptococcus pneumoniae pathogenesis.
- Understanding P1 mechanobiology offers insights into host-pathogen interplay and potential therapeutic targets.
- P1's role in colonization, invasion, and spreading highlights its importance in disease development.
Keywords:
Streptococcus pneumoniaearchitecturebacteriahost-interactionmechanobiologypilussortasevirulenceMore Related Videos
06:06Constructing Mutants in Serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae strain 519/43
Published on: September 11, 2020
1.9K
12:21A Mouse Model for the Transition of Streptococcus pneumoniae from Colonizer to Pathogen upon Viral Co-Infection Recapitulates Age-Exacerbated Illness
Published on: September 28, 2022
2.8K
Related Concept Videos
01:28Fimbriae, Pili, and Axial Filaments
984
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...
984
01:23Surface Appendages of Archaea
386
Archaeal surface appendages are highly specialized structures essential for environmental adaptation, encompassing roles in adhesion, biofilm formation, and motility. Among these appendages, pili and archaella stand out for their distinct morphologies and functionalities, enabling archaea to thrive in diverse and often extreme environments.Pili: Adhesion and Biofilm FormationPili are filamentous structures assembled from pilin protein subunits, primarily contributing to adhesion and biofilm...
386
01:19Mechanism of Conjugation
400
Bacterial conjugation is a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer that enables the exchange of genetic material between bacterial cells through direct contact. This process is facilitated by a donor cell carrying a conjugative plasmid, which encodes genes necessary for pilus formation, DNA replication, and transfer. The conjugative plasmid plays a central role in initiating and executing the transfer of genetic material.The tra region of the conjugative plasmid encodes proteins responsible for...
400
01:18Outer Layers of the Cell Envelope
645
The outermost layers of prokaryotic cells play a critical role in their survival, virulence, and interaction with the environment. These layers, often composed of polysaccharides, polypeptides, or proteins, form protective and adhesive structures that vary in organization and function.Capsules and Slime LayersCapsules are highly organized, tightly bound layers that firmly attach to the bacterial cell wall. Capsules are usually made of polysaccharides, though some are made of polypeptides. These...
645
02:04Protein-protein Interfaces
14.2K
Many proteins form complexes to carry out their functions, making protein-protein interactions (PPIs) essential for an organism's survival. Most PPIs are stabilized by numerous weak noncovalent chemical forces. The physical shape of the interfaces determines the way two proteins interact. Many globular proteins have closely-matching shapes on their surfaces, which form a large number of weak bonds. Additionally, many PPIs occur between two helices or between a surface cleft and a...
14.2K
01:29Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria
3.9K
Bacterial cells were initially considered simple, randomly organized structures lacking a cytoskeleton. However, the discovery of cytoskeleton homologs in bacteria led to the change of this opinion. Bacterial cytoskeletal filaments regulate the cell shape, cell polarity, cell division, and partitioning of plasmids during cell division. It was later discovered that bacterial cytoskeletal proteins, mainly actin and tubulin homologs, are diverse compared to their eukaryotic counterparts. On the...
3.9K