title: The biology of Gram-positive sortase enzymes.
abstract: Surface proteins of Gram-positive pathogens play various key roles in pathogenicity. Therefore, these proteins are of great interest in terms of understanding the infection process and have potential as targets for therapy. A major mechanism for the surface display of proteins by Gram-positive bacteria is sortase-mediated covalent attachment to the cell wall. The importance of sortase enzymes in the virulence of several pathogens is now becoming apparent, as are some of the more detailed workings of the enzyme and anchoring pathway. These recent advances are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection and Immunity, The Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK G12 8QQ.
authors.forename: Gavin K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs / Q000502:physiology; D019881:Aminoacyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D019881:Aminoacyltransferases; C120542:sortase A; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases