Salmonella SipA polymerizes actin by stapling filaments with nonglobular protein arms.
Lilic, M., Galkin, V.E., Orlova, A., VanLoock, M.S., Egelman, E.H., Stebbins, C.E.(2003) Science 301: 1918-1921
- PubMed: 14512630 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1088433
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1Q5Z - PubMed Abstract: 
Like many bacterial pathogens, Salmonella spp. use a type III secretion system to inject virulence proteins into host cells. The Salmonella invasion protein A (SipA) binds host actin, enhances its polymerization near adherent extracellular bacteria, and contributes to cytoskeletal rearrangements that internalize the pathogen. By combining x-ray crystallography of SipA with electron microscopy and image analysis of SipA-actin filaments, we show that SipA functions as a "molecular staple," in which a globular domain and two nonglobular "arms" mechanically stabilize the filament by tethering actin subunits in opposing strands. Deletion analysis of the tethering arms provides strong support for this model.
- Laboratory of Structural Microbiology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Organizational Affiliation: 
















