Abstract
An important mechanism underlying the strategies used by microbial pathogens to manipulate cellular functions is that of functional mimicry of host activities. In some cases, mimicry is achieved through virulence factors that are direct homologues of host proteins. In others, convergent evolution has produced new effectors that, although having no obvious amino-acid sequence similarity to host factors, are revealed by structural studies to display mimicry at the molecular level.
Publication types
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
- Review
MeSH terms
- Adhesins, Bacterial*
- Bacteria / pathogenicity*
- Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
- Bacterial Proteins / physiology*
- Evolution, Molecular
- Fibronectins / chemistry
- GTPase-Activating Proteins / physiology
- Models, Molecular
- Molecular Mimicry*
- Protein Conformation
- Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / physiology
- Salmonella / pathogenicity
- Signal Transduction
- Virulence
Substances
- Adhesins, Bacterial
- Bacterial Proteins
- Fibronectins
- GTPase-Activating Proteins
- invasin, Yersinia
- Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases