Structural mimicry in bacterial virulence
CE Stebbins, JE Galán - Nature, 2001 - nature.com
Nature, 2001•nature.com
An important mechanism underlying the strategies used by microbial pathogens to
manipulate cellular functions is that of functional mimicry of host activities. In some cases,
mimicry is achieved through virulence factors that are direct homologues of host proteins. In
others, convergent evolution has produced new effectors that, although having no obvious
amino-acid sequence similarity to host factors, are revealed by structural studies to display
mimicry at the molecular level.
manipulate cellular functions is that of functional mimicry of host activities. In some cases,
mimicry is achieved through virulence factors that are direct homologues of host proteins. In
others, convergent evolution has produced new effectors that, although having no obvious
amino-acid sequence similarity to host factors, are revealed by structural studies to display
mimicry at the molecular level.
Abstract
An important mechanism underlying the strategies used by microbial pathogens to manipulate cellular functions is that of functional mimicry of host activities. In some cases, mimicry is achieved through virulence factors that are direct homologues of host proteins. In others, convergent evolution has produced new effectors that, although having no obvious amino-acid sequence similarity to host factors, are revealed by structural studies to display mimicry at the molecular level.
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