Infection-derived Enterococcus faecalis strains are enriched in esp, a gene encoding a novel surface protein

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Protein Structure

Background:

• Enterococcus faecalis is an opportunistic pathogen.
• Cell wall-associated proteins play roles in bacterial virulence and host interaction.
• Understanding novel surface proteins can elucidate mechanisms of infection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize a novel cell wall-associated protein in Enterococcus faecalis.
• To investigate the distribution and potential role of this protein in E. faecalis infections.
• To analyze the structural features and evolutionary conservation of the protein.

Main Methods:

• Gene distribution analysis across various enterococcal isolates.
• Structural analysis of the Esp protein using deduced primary structure.
• Comparative analysis with related proteins from other bacterial species.

Main Results:

• A new cell wall protein, Esp, was identified in Enterococcus faecalis.
• The gene encoding Esp was significantly enriched in clinical E. faecalis isolates compared to other species.
• Esp shares conserved structural features, including a 13-amino acid stretch, with Rib and C alpha proteins of group B streptococci.

Conclusions:

• The Esp protein is a potential virulence factor in Enterococcus faecalis infections.
• The conserved sequence suggests a functional importance and potential role in natural selection for infection-associated traits.
• Esp represents a novel target for understanding and potentially combating E. faecalis pathogenesis.