We report here cryoelectron microscopy reconstructions of type IV pili (T4P) from two important human pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, at ∼ 8 and 5 Å resolution, respectively. The two structures reveal distinct arrangements of the pilin globular domains on the pilus surfaces, which impart different helical parameters, but similar packing of the conserved N-terminal α helices, α1, in the filament core. In contrast to the continuous α helix seen in the X-ray crystal structures of the P. aeruginosa and N. gonorrhoeae pilin subunits, α1 in the pilus filaments has a melted segment located between conserved helix-breaking residues Gly14 and Pro22, as seen for the Neisseria meningitidis T4P. Using mutagenesis we show that Pro22 is critical for pilus assembly, as are Thr2 and Glu5, which are positioned to interact in the hydrophobic filament core. These structures provide a framework for understanding T4P assembly, function, and biophysical properties.

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Background Alternaria is one of the most common molds associated with allergic diseases and 80% of Alternaria-sensitive patients produce IgE antibodies to a major protein allergen, Alt a 1. The structure and function of Alt a 1 is unknown. Objective To obtain a high resolution structure of Alt a 1 by X-ray crystallography and to investigate structural relationships between Alt a 1 and other allergens and proteins reported in the Protein Data Bank. Methods X-ray crystallography was used to determine the structure of Alt a 1 using a custom-designed set of crystallization conditions. An initial Alt a 1 model was determined by the application of a Ta6Br122+ cluster and Single-wavelength Anomalous Diffraction. Bioinformatic analyses were used to compare the Alt a 1 sequence and structure with other proteins. Results Alt a 1 is a unique β-barrel comprising 11 β-strands and forms a ‘butterfly-like’ dimer linked by a single disulfide bond, with a large (1345Å2) dimer interface. Intramolecular disulfide bonds are conserved among Alt a 1 homologs. Currently, the Alt a 1 structure has no equivalent in the Protein Data Bank. Bioinformatics analyses suggest that the structure is found exclusively in fungi. Four previously reported putative IgE binding peptides have been located on the Alt a 1 structure. Conclusions Alt a 1 has a unique, dimeric β-barrel structure that appears to define a new protein family with unknown function found exclusively in fungi. The location of IgE antibody binding epitopes is in agreement with the structural analysis of Alt a 1.The Alt a 1 structure will allow mechanistic structure/function studies and immunologic studies directed towards new forms of immunotherapy for Alternaria-sensitive allergic patients.

Pili on the surface of Sulfolobus islandicus are used for many functions, and serve as receptors for certain archaeal viruses. The cells grow optimally at pH 3 and 80° C, exposing these extracellular appendages to a very harsh environment. These pili, when removed from cells, resist digestion by trypsin or pepsin, and survive boiling in SDS or 5M guanidinium-HCl. We have used cryo-EM to determine the structure of these filaments at 4.1 Å resolution. An atomic model was built by combining the map with bioinformatics without prior knowledge of the pilin sequence, an approach that should prove useful for assemblies where all of the components are not known. The atomic structure of the pilus was unusual, with almost a third of the residues being either threonine or serine, and with many hydrophobic surface residues. While the map showed extra density consistent with glycosylation for only three residues, mass measurements suggested extensive glycosylation. We propose that this extensive glycosylation renders these filaments soluble and provides the remarkable structural stability. We also show that the overall fold of the archaeal pilin is remarkably similar to archaeal flagellin, establishing common evolutionary origins.

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