Rolling down the pilus formation of gram-positive bacteria: underlining the importance of Sortase C as a drug target

Bacteria possess hair-like projections on their surface termed pili. The primary function of a pilus is to enable bacterial cell attachment to the host. Since pili are associated with cell adhesion, they play a major role in bacterial colonization and infection. Due to their important functional role, these surface appendages become ideal drug targets, hence it is essential to study the mechanism associated with pilus assembly, elongation, and attachment. Several enzymes are required for pilus biosynthesis, and their adhesion to the host. In this review paper, we have described the importance of the Sortase C (SrtC) protein which is required for pilus assembly and pilin polymerization. We also provide a detailed structural comparison of the protein from various pathogenic bacteria and highlight the importance of SrtC as a drug target. In addition to this, we have also reported structural studies of SrtC from the pathogenic bacteria Enterococcus faecalis using homology modelling.