title: Peptidoglycan recognition proteins of the innate immune system.
abstract: Peptidoglycan (PGN) is the major component of bacterial cell walls and one of the main microbial products recognized by the innate immune system. PGN recognition is mediated by several families of pattern recognition molecules, including Toll-like receptors, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing proteins, and peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs). However, only the interaction of PGN with PGRPs, which are highly conserved from insects to mammals, has so far been characterized at the molecular level. Here, we describe recent structural studies of PGRPs that reveal the basis for PGN recognition and provide insights into the signal transduction and antibacterial activities of these innate immune proteins.
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology, W.M. Keck Laboratory for Structural Biology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
authors.forename: Rongjin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Roy A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mariuzza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004330:Drosophila / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D010457:Peptidoglycan; C118897:peptidoglycan recognition protein