1eu4 | pdb_00001eu4
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF THE SUPERANTIGEN SPE-H (ZINC BOUND) FROM STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES
Structural highlights
Evolutionary Conservation Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf. Publication Abstract from PubMedBacterial superantigens (SAgs) are a structurally related group of protein toxins secreted by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. They are implicated in a range of human pathologies associated with bacterial infection whose symptoms result from SAg-mediated stimulation of a large number (2-20%) of T-cells. At the molecular level, bacterial SAgs bind to major histocompatability class II (MHC-II) molecules and disrupt the normal interaction between MHC-II and T-cell receptors (TCRs). We have determined high-resolution crystal structures of two newly identified streptococcal superantigens, SPE-H and SMEZ-2. Both structures conform to the generic bacterial superantigen folding pattern, comprising an OB-fold N-terminal domain and a beta-grasp C-terminal domain. SPE-H and SMEZ-2 also display very similar zinc-binding sites on the outer concave surfaces of their C-terminal domains. Structural comparisons with other SAgs identify two structural sub-families. Sub-families are related by conserved core residues and demarcated by variable binding surfaces for MHC-II and TCR. SMEZ-2 is most closely related to the streptococcal SAg SPE-C, and together they constitute one structural sub-family. In contrast, SPE-H appears to be a hybrid whose N-terminal domain is most closely related to the SEB sub-family and whose C-terminal domain is most closely related to the SPE-C/SMEZ-2 sub-family. MHC-II binding for both SPE-H and SMEZ-2 is mediated by the zinc ion at their C-terminal face, whereas the generic N-terminal domain MHC-II binding site found on many SAgs appears not to be present. Structural comparisons provide evidence for variations in TCR binding between SPE-H, SMEZ-2 and other members of the SAg family; the extreme potency of SMEZ-2 (active at 10(-15) g ml-1 levels) is likely to be related to its TCR binding properties. The smez gene shows allelic variation that maps onto a considerable proportion of the protein surface. This allelic variation, coupled with the varied binding modes of SAgs to MHC-II and TCR, highlights the pressure on SAgs to avoid host immune defences. Conservation and variation in superantigen structure and activity highlighted by the three-dimensional structures of two new superantigens from Streptococcus pyogenes.,Arcus VL, Proft T, Sigrell JA, Baker HM, Fraser JD, Baker EN J Mol Biol. 2000 May 26;299(1):157-68. PMID:10860729[1] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. See AlsoReferences
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