Objective Bacterial adhesins play a crucial role in pathogen-host interactions, initiating infections by adhesion to the extracellular matrix and to cell surface proteins prior to invasion. A family of non-fimbrial adhesins, the trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs), has recently been described in gram-negative pathogens. The common biological role of all these TAAs is to mediate the interaction of pathogenic bacteria with their hosts. There is an increasing body of evidence that TAAs represent highly important bacterial pathogenicity factors. Typically TAAs are long, fibrous proteins. They are constructed of a set of repetitive modules or domains that are combined in a fashion of building blocks to meet the individual needs of the pathogen. There is detailed structural and functional information for only a few TAA domains at present. The head domain structure of YadA from Yersinia enterocolitica was solved in Goldman group and motifs were identified that contribute to collagen binding. YadA is an autotransporter, with a globular head, a coiled coil stalk and a C-terminal membrane anchor/translocator. The aim of the proposed project is to: 1. Understand how the β-barrel translolates the passenger domain. 2. Understand the folding mechanism of the β-barrel. 3. Determine the structure of the YadA transmembrane domain in complex with with a collagen peptides. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins Keywords Biochemistry YadA adhesins autotransporter crystallography folding outer membrane protein Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) PEOPLE-2007-2-1.IEF - Marie Curie Action: "Intra-European Fellowships for Career Development" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF) Coordinator HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO EU contribution € 172 507,22 Address YLIOPISTONKATU 3 00014 Helsingin Yliopisto Finland See on map Region Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Sanna-Maija Miettinen (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data