BACTERIAL PROTEINS BINDING TO THE MAMMALIAN EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX

Pathogenic bacteria frequently express surface proteins with affinity for components of the mammalian extracellular matrix, i.e. collagens, laminin, fibronectin or proteoglycans. This review summarizes our curr ent knowledge on the mechanisms of bacterial adherence to extracellula r matrices and on the biological significance of these interactions. T he best-characterized bacterial proteins active in these interactions are the mycobacterial fibronectin-binding proteins, the fibronectin- a nd the collagen-binding proteins of staphylococci and streptococci, sp ecific enterobacterial fimbrial types, as well as the polymeric surfac e proteins YadA of yersinias and the A-protein of Aeromonas. Some of t hese bacterial proteins are highly specific for an extracellular matri x protein, some are multifunctional and express binding activities tow ards a number of target proteins. The interactions can be based on a p rotein-protein or on a protein-carbohydrate interaction, or on a bridg ing mechanism mediated by a bivalent soluble target protein. Many of t he interactions have also been demonstrated on tissue sections or in v ivo, and adherence to the extracellular matrix has been shown to promo te bacterial colonization of damaged tissues.