Cell Surface Shaving-Based Proteomic Profiling of the Surfaceome in Pathogenic Microorganisms

The microbial cell wall is a dynamic structure responsible for maintaining the shape and integrity of the cell. It is involved in the processes of cell growth, reproduction and division, protection against environmental stress factors, bidirectional selective transport of various molecules, and interactions with other microorganisms inhabiting a particular ecological niche. The cell surface of microorganisms pathogenic to humans is also responsible for constant and direct contact with the host during the initiation and further development of the infection, and proteins exposed on the surface play a key role in this phenomenon. The set of proteins exposed on the cell surface is collectively referred to as the surfaceome. In surfaceome studies, the cell surface shaving technique is increasingly used while maintaining cell integrity, which, in addition to providing insight into the composition of surface proteins, also makes it possible to track the interactions of pathogen molecules with host molecules. This experimental approach will be described in this review with examples of the most relevant groups of identified microbial proteins involved in the host-pathogen interactions.