Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs), are proteins found on the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Bacteria use TAAs in order to infect their host cells via a process called cell adhesion. TAAs also go by another name, oligomeric coiled-coil adhesins, which is shortened to OCAs. In essence, they are virulence factors, factors that make the bacteria harmful and infective to the host organism. UspA1 is another example of a Trimeric Autotransporter Adhesin found in the bacterium Moraxella catarrhalis, found as a common cause of middle ear infections in humans. The structure of UspA1 also has a head domain at N-terminal domain, however it is folded into the beta propeller. Like the other TAAs, it has a coiled-coil stalk region but, in this case it is extended, and it has the TAA typical C-terminal beta barrel membrane anchor domain. Here you can see a top-view of the UspA1 protein from Moraxella catarrhalis determined by X-ray crystallography (PDB code: 3PR7)
#molecularart ... #immolecular ... #adhesin ... #UspA1 ... #Moraxella ... #autotransporter ... Rendered with @proteinimaging and finished with @corelphotopaint.
#molecularart ... #immolecular ... #adhesin ... #UspA1 ... #Moraxella ... #autotransporter ... Rendered with @proteinimaging and finished with @corelphotopaint.
