The Sialoglycan Binding Adhesins of Mycoplasma genitalium and Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Trends Microbiol. 2021 Jun;29(6):477-481. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.01.011. Epub 2021 Feb 13.

Abstract

Mycoplasma genitalium (Mge) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mpn) are two human pathogens associated with urogenital and respiratory tract infections, respectively. The recent elucidation of the tridimensional structure of their major cytoadhesins by X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy/tomography, has provided important insights regarding the mechanics of infection and evasion of immune surveillance.

Keywords: antigenic variation; bacterial cytoadhesins; protein structure; receptor binding.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adhesins, Bacterial / chemistry*
  • Adhesins, Bacterial / metabolism*
  • Cryoelectron Microscopy
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immune Evasion
  • Mycoplasma genitalium / chemistry*
  • Mycoplasma genitalium / metabolism
  • Mycoplasma genitalium / pathogenicity
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / chemistry*
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / metabolism
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / pathogenicity
  • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / chemistry
  • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / metabolism

Substances

  • Adhesins, Bacterial
  • Glycoproteins
  • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid