title: Mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery?
abstract: The WxxxE family of bacterial effector proteins is thought to manipulate host signaling pathways by directly mimicking activated cellular GTPases. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Ohlson et al. (2008) reveal that the structure of one such effector, Salmonella SifA, closely resembles that of an activator of endogenous GTPases.
authors.affiliation: University of Cambridge, Department of Pathology, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hume
authors.forename: Vassilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Koronakis
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; C421862:SifA protein, Salmonella; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins