study reveals structure of P Pili bacteria |

STONY BROOK, NY, September 21, 2021 – A research team led by David Thanassi, PhD, from Stony Brook University, used molecular biology and cryoelectron microscopy to successfully unravel the structure of bacterial appendages called P pili. These pili are deployed by uropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli bacteria which cause kidney infections. The structure of P pili had been elusive to scientists for many years. The report, published in Nature Communication, is a key step in targeting P pili in the infection process.

“Given their central role in initiating and sustaining infection, there is intense interest in understanding the mechanisms of pilus assembly and function,” says Thanassi, senior author and teacher of the Zhang family and Chair of the Renaissance School of Medicine Department of Microbiology and Immunology. at Stony Brook University. “Our report on the structure of the P pili may help pave the way for a method to interfere with the assembly or function of the pilus in order to develop new therapies as a potential alternative to antibiotics. A new approach could help us better treat urinary tract infections and other infectious diseases. “

Bacterial urinary tract infections are common and associated with high rates of antibiotic resistance, which is why Thanassi and the research team are focusing on the pili structures involved in these infections. Kidney infections themselves pose a major risk for bacteria to enter the bloodstream, an action that could lead to fatal bacterial sepsis.

This latest work builds on previous research by the team and other scientists that revealed the structure of related bacterial appendages, called type 1 pili, which facilitate bladder colonization. To better understand this research, reported in Nature in 2018, and the research approach as a whole, see this news and video.

The research for the recent article was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) (R01 GM062987) in Thanassi.