Abstract
Most prokaryotic cells are encased in a surface layer (S-layer) consisting of a paracrystalline array of repeating lattice-forming proteins. S-layer proteins populate a vast and diverse sequence space, performing disparate functions in prokaryotic cells, including cellular defense, cell-shape maintenance, and regulation of import and export of materials. This article highlights recent advances in the understanding of S-layer structure and assembly, made possible by rapidly evolving structural and cell biology methods. We underscore shared assembly principles revealed by recent work and discuss a common molecular framework that may be used to understand the structural organization of S-layer proteins across bacteria and archaea.
Highlights
Most prokaryotic cells are encased in a surface layer (S-layer) consisting of a paracrystalline array of repeating lattice-forming proteins
The function of S-layers in many organisms has not been experimentally verified, S-layers are known to regulate cell shape, co-ordinate cellular contact with the environment, and act as a barrier protecting prokaryotic cells from predators or phages [4,5]. In human pathogens, such as Clostridium difficile, Bacillus anthracis, and Campylobacter fetus, S-layers play a key role in bacterial infections, and in some cases, such as in B. anthracis, the loss or disruption of the (Sap) S-layer renders the bacteria completely avirulent in mouse infection models [6,7,8,9]
In this article we summarize recent work in the light of past information available on S-layers and suggest a molecular framework for understanding S-layer sequence, structure, arrangement, and assembly principles on prokaryotic cells
Summary
Most prokaryotic cells are encased in a surface layer (S-layer) consisting of a paracrystalline array of repeating lattice-forming proteins. The function of S-layers in many organisms has not been experimentally verified, S-layers are known to regulate cell shape, co-ordinate cellular contact with the environment, and act as a barrier protecting prokaryotic cells from predators or phages [4,5] In human pathogens, such as Clostridium difficile, Bacillus anthracis, and Campylobacter fetus, S-layers play a key role in bacterial infections, and in some cases, such as in B. anthracis, the loss or disruption of the (Sap) S-layer renders the bacteria completely avirulent in mouse infection models [6,7,8,9].
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