Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2025

Porphyromonas gingivalis as a Model Organism for Assessing Interaction of Anaerobic Bacteria with Host Cells
12:16

Porphyromonas gingivalis as a Model Organism for Assessing Interaction of Anaerobic Bacteria with Host Cells

Published on: December 17, 2015

26.3K

An outer membrane vesicle specific lipoprotein promotes Porphyromonas gingivalis aggregation on red blood cells

Christina M Rothenberger1,2, Manda Yu1, Hey-Min Kim1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, ADA Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.

Current Research in Microbial Sciences
|July 8, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Porphyromonas gingivalis uses PG1881, an outer membrane vesicle lipoprotein, to aggregate red blood cells (RBCs) for nutrient acquisition. This mechanism aids pathogen survival and dissemination.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Oral Health
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Porphyromonas gingivalis is a key pathogen in periodontal disease.
  • Red blood cell (RBC) hydrolysis is crucial for P. gingivalis iron acquisition.
  • Lipoprotein PG1881 is upregulated during subsurface growth and found on outer membrane vesicles (OMVs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of lipoprotein PG1881 in P. gingivalis interactions with RBCs.
  • To determine the role of PG1881 in P. gingivalis aggregation and extracellular matrix formation.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of wildtype P. gingivalis W83 and a PG1881 deletion mutant.
  • Microscopy to observe bacterial-RBC interactions and aggregation.
  • Immunofluorescence using a PG1881 antibody to detect its localization.

Main Results:

  • Wildtype P. gingivalis W83 formed large aggregates with RBCs, while the PG1881 mutant did not.
  • Immunofluorescence confirmed PG1881 enrichment in the extracellular matrix associated with RBC aggregation.
  • RBCs were shown to induce cell aggregation and matrix formation by P. gingivalis.

Conclusions:

  • PG1881, an OMV-specific lipoprotein, promotes P. gingivalis aggregation with RBCs.
  • This aggregation facilitates nutrient acquisition (heme) and potentially aids pathogen dissemination and survival.
  • The findings reveal a novel mechanism for P. gingivalis pathogenesis and host interaction.
Keywords:
Cell aggregationFimbriaeLipoproteinOMVsP. gingivalisRed blood cell

More Related Videos

Visualization of HIV-1 Gag Binding to Giant Unilamellar Vesicle GUV Membranes08:21

Visualization of HIV-1 Gag Binding to Giant Unilamellar Vesicle GUV Membranes

Published on: July 28, 2016

8.9K
Construction of Model Lipid Membranes Incorporating G-protein Coupled Receptors GPCRs09:45

Construction of Model Lipid Membranes Incorporating G-protein Coupled Receptors GPCRs

Published on: February 5, 2022

3.5K

Related Concept Videos

Receptor-mediated Endocytosis01:39

Receptor-mediated Endocytosis

Overview
104.3K
Coat Assembly and GTPases01:33

Coat Assembly and GTPases

Vesicles incorporate different coat protein subunits in different cell locations, which changes the properties of the coat, such as the shape and geometry of the transport vesicles. Thus, vesicle coat proteins also play a significant role in cargo selection.
Coat assembly depends on the local availability of phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs and GTP-binding proteins. Adaptor proteins, which link the coat proteins to the membrane, bind to these PIPs and play a crucial role in controlling...
3.5K
Rab Proteins01:14

Rab Proteins

Rab proteins constitute the largest family of monomeric GTPases, of which 70 members are present in humans. Rab proteins and their effectors regulate consecutive stages of vesicle transport such as vesicle transport, docking, and fusion to the correct recipient membrane.
Rab proteins switch between a cytosolic, GDP-bound inactive state and a membrane-anchored, GTP-bound active state. By themselves, Rabs show slow rates of GDP/GTP exchange and GTP hydrolysis. Thus, Rab proteins are considered...
3.9K
COP Coated Vesicles00:59

COP Coated Vesicles

Membrane-enclosed structures called vesicles transport proteins and lipids across the cell. The vesicles derive their cargo from the plasma membrane, Golgi, ER, or endosome. Coated vesicles are spherical, protein-coated carriers with a 50–100 nm diameter that mediate bidirectional transport between the ER and the Golgi. The distribution of proteins between the ER and Golgi complex is dynamic and is maintained by different coated vesicles. Their formation is driven by the assembly of...
7.8K
Intralumenal Vesicles and Multivesicular Bodies01:38

Intralumenal Vesicles and Multivesicular Bodies

Intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) are small vesicles 50-80 nm in diameter formed during the maturation of early endosomes. A specialized endosome containing numerous ILVs is called a multivesicular body (MVB). ILVs contain internalized molecules such as antigens, nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites. Some of these molecules are released from the MVBs inside exosomes and are transported to other cells. Other MVBs contain molecules that are retained in the ILVs and are later degraded within the...
3.4K
Structure of Porins01:21

Structure of Porins

Mitochondria, chloroplasts, and gram-negative bacteria have transmembrane, beta-barrel proteins called porins to mediate the free diffusion of ions and metabolites across the membrane. Mitochondrial porin precursors contain conserved amino acid sequences called beta signals at their C-terminal. Beta signals have a  motif of PoXGXXHyXHy (Po-Polar, X-Any amino acid, G-Glycine, Hy-LargeHydrophobic), which are crucial for precursor recognition to initiate precursor assembly. Beta-barrel...
2.9K