Complement regulator-acquiring surface protein 1 of Borrelia burgdorferi binds to human bone morphogenic protein 2, several extracellular matrix proteins, and plasminogen.
Lyme disease-causing Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes express up to 5 complement regulator-acquiring surface proteins (CRASPs). To better define how CRASP-1 contributes to infection, we aimed to identify novel CRASP-1-binding host proteins. Here, we identified a number of novel human CRASP-1-binding proteins, including bone morphogenic protein 2, collagen I, collagen III, collagen IV, fibronectin, laminin, and plasminogen. The plasminogen-binding regions were located in 2 separate regions of CRASP-1. Our results demonstrated that plasminogen-bound CRASP-1 can be converted to plasmin by the urokinase-type plasminogen activator and that proteolytically active plasmin cleaves the synthetic chromogenic substrate S-2251 and the natural substrate fibrinogen. In conclusion, CRASP-1 is a multifunctional protein of B. burgdorferi that binds to several human extracellular matrix proteins and plasminogen. These interactions may contribute to adhesion, bacterial colonization, and organ tropism and may allow dissemination of B. burgdorferi in the host.
Hallström
Teresia
T
Department of Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Jena, Germany.
Haupt
Katrin
K
Kraiczy
Peter
P
Hortschansky
Peter
P
Wallich
Reinhard
R
Skerka
Christine
C
Zipfel
Peter F
PF
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D054730:Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
C525718:BMP2 protein, human; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C440651:complement regulator-acquiring surface proteins, Borrelia burgdorferi; D010958:Plasminogen