Role of S-layer proteins in bacteria

E. GERBINO; P. CARASI; P. MOBILI; MARIA DE LOS ANGELES SERRADELL; A. GÓMEZ-ZAVAGLIA

WORLD JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2015 vol. 31 p. 1877 - 1887

0959-3993

S-layers are paracrystalline bidimensionalarrays of proteins or glycoproteins that overlay the cellsurface of several genus and species of bacteria andarchaea. As the outermost layer of several genus and speciesof microorganisms, S-layer proteins (SLP) are in directcontact with bacterial environment and thus may beinvolved in many of their surface properties, includingadherence to various substrates, mucins and eukaryoticcells, aggregation and coaggregation with yeasts and otherbacteria. In addition, SLP have been reported to beresponsible for the bacterial protection against detrimentalenvironmental conditions and to play an important role insurface recognition or as carriers of virulence factors. Inthis mini-review, we bring together the latest evidencesabout functional and mechanical properties of bacterialSLP from two different perspectives: (A) their role onbacterial adherence to different substrates and surfaces, and(B) their role as mechanical barriers in