Structural highlights
Function
FIMH_ECOLI Involved in regulation of length and mediation of adhesion of type 1 fimbriae (but not necessary for the production of fimbriae). Adhesin responsible for the binding to D-mannose. It is laterally positioned at intervals in the structure of the type 1 fimbriae. In order to integrate FimH in the fimbriae FimF and FimG are needed.
Evolutionary Conservation
Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf.
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Mannose-binding type 1 pili are important virulence factors for the establishment of Escherichia coli urinary tract infections (UTIs). These infections are initiated by adhesion of uropathogenic E. coli to uroplakin receptors in the uroepithelium via the FimH adhesin located at the tips of type 1 pili. Blocking of bacterial adhesion is able to prevent infection. Here, we provide for the first time binding data of the molecular events underlying type 1 fimbrial adherence, by crystallographic analyses of the FimH receptor binding domains from a uropathogenic and a K-12 strain, and affinity measurements with mannose, common mono- and disaccharides, and a series of alkyl and aryl mannosides. Our results illustrate that the lectin domain of the FimH adhesin is a stable and functional entity and that an exogenous butyl alpha-D-mannoside, bound in the crystal structures, exhibits a significantly better affinity for FimH (Kd = 0.15 microM) than mannose (Kd = 2.3 microM). Exploration of the binding affinities of alpha- d-mannosides with longer alkyl tails revealed affinities up to 5 nM. Aryl mannosides and fructose can also bind with high affinities to the FimH lectin domain, with a 100-fold improvement and 15-fold reduction in affinity, respectively, compared with mannose. Taken together, these relative FimH affinities correlate exceptionally well with the relative concentrations of the same glycans needed for the inhibition of adherence of type 1 piliated E. coli. We foresee that our findings will spark new ideas and initiatives for the development of UTI vaccines and anti-adhesive drugs to prevent anticipated and recurrent UTIs.
Receptor binding studies disclose a novel class of high-affinity inhibitors of the Escherichia coli FimH adhesin.,Bouckaert J, Berglund J, Schembri M, De Genst E, Cools L, Wuhrer M, Hung CS, Pinkner J, Slattegard R, Zavialov A, Choudhury D, Langermann S, Hultgren SJ, Wyns L, Klemm P, Oscarson S, Knight SD, De Greve H Mol Microbiol. 2005 Jan;55(2):441-55. PMID:15659162[1]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
See Also
References
- ↑ Bouckaert J, Berglund J, Schembri M, De Genst E, Cools L, Wuhrer M, Hung CS, Pinkner J, Slattegard R, Zavialov A, Choudhury D, Langermann S, Hultgren SJ, Wyns L, Klemm P, Oscarson S, Knight SD, De Greve H. Receptor binding studies disclose a novel class of high-affinity inhibitors of the Escherichia coli FimH adhesin. Mol Microbiol. 2005 Jan;55(2):441-55. PMID:15659162 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04415.x
