title: Structural insights into the biogenesis and biofilm formation by the Escherichia coli common pilus.
abstract: Bacteria have evolved a variety of mechanisms for developing community-based biofilms. These bacterial aggregates are of clinical importance, as they are a major source of recurrent disease. Bacterial surface fibers (pili) permit adherence to biotic and abiotic substrates, often in a highly specific manner. The Escherichia coli common pilus (ECP) represents a remarkable family of extracellular fibers that are associated with both disease-causing and commensal strains. ECP plays a dual role in early-stage biofilm development and host cell recognition. Despite being the most common fimbrial structure, relatively little is known regarding its biogenesis, architecture, and function. Here we report atomic-resolution insight into the biogenesis and architecture of ECP. We also derive a structural model for entwined ECP fibers that not only illuminates interbacteria communication during biofilm formation but also provides a useful foundation for the design of novel nanofibers.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Structural Biology, Department of Biological Sciences,  Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ,  United Kingdom.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Garnett
authors.forename: Verónica I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Martínez-Santos
authors.forename: Zeus
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Saldaña
authors.forename: Tillmann
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hawthorne
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cota
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Puente
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Girón
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D018441:Biofilms; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray / Q000379:methods; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008958:Models, Molecular; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; C571837:EcpA protein, E coli; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; C082574:ecpD protein, E coli; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins