title: Nucleotide sequence of the gene for a fibronectin-binding protein from Staphylococcus aureus: use of this peptide sequence in the synthesis of biologically active peptides.
abstract: Binding of cells of Staphylococcus aureus to fibronectin, which may represent a mechanism of host tissue adherence, involves a fibronectin-receptor protein present on the bacterial surface. Cloning of a gene coding for a staphylococcal fibronectin-binding protein and construction of a fusion protein with fibronectin-binding properties was previously reported from our laboratory. We have now sequenced the gene and deduced a primary sequence of the fibronectin-binding protein. The protein resembles other cell-wall-associated proteins on Gram-positive bacteria in that it (i) appears to be anchored in the cell membrane via its C-terminal end, (ii) contains a proline-rich repeating unit outside the membrane anchor, and (iii) contains a long (36-amino acid) signal sequence at the N terminus. The fibronectin-binding activity has been localized to a domain composed of a 38-amino acid unit repeated completely three times and partially a fourth time; the identity between the three 38-amino acid sequences varies from 42 to 87%. Three synthetic peptides mimicking the structure of each 38-amino acid unit were constructed. All three peptides interacted with fibronectin, as indicated by their ability to inhibit binding of fibronectin to staphylococcal cells, whereas an unrelated 37-amino acid peptide showed no inhibitory activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Signäs
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raucci
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jönsson
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lindgren
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Anantharamaiah
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Höök
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lindberg
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D017469:Receptors, Fibronectin; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005353:Fibronectins; D010455:Peptides; D017469:Receptors, Fibronectin; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic