F
IPR014941

Fimbrium subunit FimB/Mfa2/Mfa3

InterPro entry
Short nameFimB/Mfa2/Mfa3

Description

Many Bacteroides-like bacterial species, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, the causal agent of periodontal infection, carry at least two types of fimbriae, namely FimA and Mfa1 fimbriae, following the names of their major subunit proteins
[2]
. Normally, FimA fimbriae are long filaments that are easily detached from cells, whereas Mfa1 fimbriae are short filaments that are tightly bound to cells.

In many bacteria, the gene encoding the major fimbrilin typically forms a cluster with several additional genes encoding fimbrial minor components. FimB, the product of the gene immediately downstream of the fimA gene, regulates the length and expression of FimA fimbriae. Additionally, FimB functions as an anchor of the fimbriae
[4]
. Similarly, Mfa2 seems to regulate the length and attachment of Mfa1 fimbriae. Mfa2 and Mfa1 are associated with each other in whole P. gingivalis cells to the extent that Mfa2 is located on the cell surface and probably associated with Mfa1 fimbriae in such a way that it anchors the Mfa1 fimbriae to the cell surface and regulates Mfa1 filament length
[3]
. Mfa3 is a tip protein of the Mfa1 fimbriae that may function in the integration of accessory proteins and in the colonization of P. gingivalis
[1]
.

.

References

1.Localization and function of the accessory protein Mfa3 in Porphyromonas gingivalis Mfa1 fimbriae. Hasegawa Y, Nagano K, Ikai R, Izumigawa M, Yoshida Y, Kitai N, Lamont RJ, Murakami Y, Yoshimura F. Mol Oral Microbiol 28, 467-80, (2013). View articlePMID: 24118823

2.Short fimbriae of Porphyromonas gingivalis and their role in coadhesion with Streptococcus gordonii. Park Y, Simionato MR, Sekiya K, Murakami Y, James D, Chen W, Hackett M, Yoshimura F, Demuth DR, Lamont RJ. Infect. Immun. 73, 3983-9, (2005). View articlePMID: 15972485

3.Anchoring and length regulation of Porphyromonas gingivalis Mfa1 fimbriae by the downstream gene product Mfa2. Hasegawa Y, Iwami J, Sato K, Park Y, Nishikawa K, Atsumi T, Moriguchi K, Murakami Y, Lamont RJ, Nakamura H, Ohno N, Yoshimura F. Microbiology (Reading, Engl.) 155, 3333-47, (2009). View articlePMID: 19589838

4.FimB regulates FimA fimbriation in Porphyromonas gingivalis. Nagano K, Hasegawa Y, Murakami Y, Nishiyama S, Yoshimura F. J. Dent. Res. 89, 903-8, (2010). View articlePMID: 20530728

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