title: Role of fibronectin in curli-mediated internalization.
abstract: Curli fibers of Escherichia coli mediate internalization of bacteria by eukaryotic cells. As curli fibers bind fibronectin with high affinity, the role of fibronectin in the uptake process was studied. The experiments presented here support the involvement of fibronectin in internalization of bacteria. Furthermore, a peptide containing the RGD motif, responsible for interaction of fibronectin with cellular integrins, can strongly inhibit curli-mediated internalization. The ability of curli fibers to bind fibronectin can therefore be linked to virulence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gophna
authors.forename: Tobias A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Oelschlaeger
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hacker
authors.forename: Eliora Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Ron
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005353:Fibronectins; D009842:Oligopeptides; C489688:csgA protein, E coli; C077481:Crl protein, Bacteria; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid