title: Trimeric autotransporters: a distinct subfamily of autotransporter proteins.
abstract: Autotransporter proteins are a large family of gram-negative bacterial extracellular proteins. These proteins have a characteristic arrangement of functional domains, including an N-terminal signal peptide, an internal passenger domain, and a C-terminal translocator domain. Recent studies have identified a novel subfamily of autotransporters, defined by a short trimeric C-terminal translocator domain and known as trimeric autotransporters. In this article, we review our current knowledge of the structural and functional characteristics of trimeric autotransporters, highlighting the distinctions between this subfamily and conventional autotransporters. We speculate that trimeric autotransporters evolved to enable high-affinity multivalent adhesive interactions with host surfaces and circulating host molecules to take place.
authors.affiliation: Edward Mallinckrodt Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Shane E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.forename: Neeraj K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Surana
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: St Geme
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; C429644:Hia adhesin; C064832:YadA protein, Yersinia