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A structural model of the Staphylococcus aureus ClfA-fibrinogen interaction opens new avenues for the design of anti-staphylococcal therapeutics.

ABSTRACT: The fibrinogen (Fg) binding MSCRAMM Clumping factor A (ClfA) from Staphylococcus aureus interacts with the C-terminal region of the fibrinogen (Fg) gamma-chain. ClfA is the major virulence factor responsible for the observed clumping of S. aureus in blood plasma and has been implicated as a virulence factor in a mouse model of septic arthritis and in rabbit and rat models of infective endocarditis. We report here a high-resolution crystal structure of the ClfA ligand binding segment in complex with a synthetic peptide mimicking the binding site in Fg. The residues in Fg required for binding to ClfA are identified from this structure and from complementing biochemical studies. Furthermore, the platelet integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) and ClfA bind to the same segment in the Fg gamma-chain but the two cellular binding proteins recognize different residues in the common targeted Fg segment. Based on these differences, we have identified peptides that selectively antagonize the ClfA-Fg interaction. The ClfA-Fg binding mechanism is a variant of the "Dock, Lock and Latch" mechanism previously described for the Staphylococcus epidermidis SdrG-Fg interaction. The structural insights gained from analyzing the ClfANFg peptide complex and identifications of peptides that selectively recognize ClfA but not alpha(IIb)beta(3) may allow the design of novel anti-staphylococcal agents. Our results also suggest that different MSCRAMMs with similar structural organization may have originated from a common ancestor but have evolved to accommodate specific ligand structures.

SUBMITTER: Ganesh VK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2582960 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A structural model of the Staphylococcus aureus ClfA-fibrinogen interaction opens new avenues for the design of anti-staphylococcal therapeutics.

Ganesh Vannakambadi K VK Rivera Jose J JJ Smeds Emanuel E Ko Ya-Ping YP Bowden M Gabriela MG Wann Elisabeth R ER Gurusiddappa Shivasankarappa S Fitzgerald J Ross JR Höök Magnus M

PLoS pathogens 20081128 11

The fibrinogen (Fg) binding MSCRAMM Clumping factor A (ClfA) from Staphylococcus aureus interacts with the C-terminal region of the fibrinogen (Fg) gamma-chain. ClfA is the major virulence factor responsible for the observed clumping of S. aureus in blood plasma and has been implicated as a virulence factor in a mouse model of septic arthritis and in rabbit and rat models of infective endocarditis. We report here a high-resolution crystal structure of the ClfA ligand binding segment in complex w ...[more]

PMID: 19043557

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Project description:Staphylococcus aureus can target a variety of tissues, causing life-threatening infections. The basis for this diversity stems from the microorganism's ability to spread in the vascular system throughout the body. To survive in blood, S. aureus coats itself with a fibrinogen (Fg)/fibrin shield. The protective shield is assembled by the coordinated actions of a number of Fg-binding bacterial proteins that manipulate the host's blood coagulation system. Several of the Fg binders appear redundant, sharing similar functional motifs. This observation led us to screen for the presence of novel proteins with significant amino acid identities to von Willebrand factor-binding protein (vWbp), a key component in the shield assembly machinery. One identified protein showed significant sequence identity with the C-terminal region of vWbp, and we consequently named it vWbp homologous protein (vhp). The vhp gene lies within a cluster of genes that encode other virulence factors in S. aureus. Although each isolate only contains one copy of the vhp gene, S. aureus has at least three distinct alleles, vhpA, B, and C, that are present in the core genome. All three vhp isoforms bind Fg with high affinity, targeting a site located in the D fragment of Fg. We further identified an ∼79 amino acid-long, conserved segment within the C-terminal region of vWbp that shares high sequence identities (54 to 67%) with the vhps and binds soluble Fg with high affinity. Further analysis of this conserved motif and the intact vhps revealed intriguing differences in the Fg binding behavior, perhaps suggesting that these proteins have similar but discrete functions in the shield assembly. IMPORTANCE The life-threatening diseases caused by multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains are a worldwide medical problem due to treatment limitations and the lack of an effective vaccine. The ability of S. aureus to coat itself with a protective fibrinogen (Fg)/fibrin shield allows the organism to survive in blood and to disseminate and cause invasive diseases. This process represents a promising target for novel antistaphylococcal treatment strategies but is incompletely understood. S. aureus expresses a number of Fg-binding proteins. Some of these proteins have apparently redundant functions. Proteins with similar functions often share a structural or functional motif with each other. In this study, we identified a protein homologous to the C-terminal of von Willebrand factor-binding protein (vWbp), a key contributor in the Fg shield assembly that also binds Fg. Further analysis allowed us to identify a common Fg-binding motif.

Dataset Information

A structural model of the Staphylococcus aureus ClfA-fibrinogen interaction opens new avenues for the design of anti-staphylococcal therapeutics.

Publications

A structural model of the Staphylococcus aureus ClfA-fibrinogen interaction opens new avenues for the design of anti-staphylococcal therapeutics.

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