Structure, Function, and Assembly of Adhesive Organelles by Uropathogenic Bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria assemble a wide range of adhesive proteins, termed adhesins, to mediate binding to receptors and colonization of surfaces. For pathogenic bacteria, adhesins are critical for early stages of infection, allowing the bacteria to initiate contact with host cells, colonize different tissues, and establish a foothold within the host. The adhesins expressed by a pathogen are also critical for bacterial-bacterial interactions and the formation of bacterial communities, including biofilms. The ability to adhere to host tissues is particularly important for bacteria that colonize sites such as the urinary tract, where the flow of urine functions to maintain sterility by washing away non-adherent pathogens. Adhesins vary from monomeric proteins that are directly anchored to the bacterial sur

SUBMITTER: Chahales P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4638162 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature