Structural and Functional Basis of SARS-CoV-2 Entry by Using Human ACE2.

The recent emergence of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in China has caused significant public health concerns. Recently, ACE2 was reported as an entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we present the crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2-CTD) spike (S) protein in complex with human ACE2 (hACE2), which reveals a hACE2-binding mode similar overall to that observed for SARS-CoV. However, atomic details at the binding interface demonstrate that key residue substitutions in SARS-CoV-2-CTD slightly strengthen the interaction and lead to higher affinity for receptor binding than SARS-RBD. Additionally, a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) against SARS-CoV-S1/receptor-binding domain (RBD) were unable to interact with the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, indicating notable differences in antigenicity between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. These findings shed light on the viral pathogenesis and provide important structural information regarding development of therapeutic countermeasures against the emerging virus.

Ebola Viral Glycoprotein Bound to Its Endosomal Receptor Niemann-Pick C1.

Filoviruses, including Ebola and Marburg, cause fatal hemorrhagic fever in humans and primates. Understanding how these viruses enter host cells could help to develop effective therapeutics. An endosomal protein, Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1), has been identified as a necessary entry receptor for this process, and priming of the viral glycoprotein (GP) to a fusion-competent state is a prerequisite for NPC1 binding. Here, we have determined the crystal structure of the primed GP (GPcl) of Ebola virus bound to domain C of NPC1 (NPC1-C) at a resolution of 2.3 Å. NPC1-C utilizes two protruding loops to engage a hydrophobic cavity on head of GPcl. Upon enzymatic cleavage and NPC1-C binding, conformational change in the GPcl further affects the state of the internal fusion loop, triggering membrane fusion. Our data therefore provide structural insights into filovirus entry in the late endosome and the molecular basis for design of therapeutic inhibitors of viral entry.

Structural basis of BAM-mediated outer membrane ß-barrel protein assembly.

The outer membrane structure is common in Gram-negative bacteria, mitochondria and chloroplasts, and contains outer membrane ß-barrel proteins (OMPs) that are essential interchange portals of materials1-3. All known OMPs share the antiparallel ß-strand topology4, implicating a common evolutionary origin and conserved folding mechanism. Models have been proposed for bacterial ß-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) to initiate OMP folding5,6; however, mechanisms by which BAM proceeds to complete OMP assembly remain unclear. Here we report intermediate structures of BAM assembling an OMP substrate, EspP, demonstrating sequential conformational dynamics of BAM during the late stages of OMP assembly, which is further supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Mutagenic in vitro and in vivo assembly assays reveal functional residues of BamA and EspP for barrel hybridization, closure and release. Our work provides novel insights into the common mechanism of OMP assembly.

Real-time detection of 20 amino acids and discrimination of pathologically relevant peptides with functionalized nanopore.

Precise identification and quantification of amino acids is crucial for many biological applications. Here we report a copper(II)-functionalized Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A (MspA) nanopore with the N91H substitution, which enables direct identification of all 20 proteinogenic amino acids when combined with a machine-learning algorithm. The validation accuracy reaches 99.1%, with 30.9% signal recovery. The feasibility of ultrasensitive quantification of amino acids was also demonstrated at the nanomolar range. Furthermore, the capability of this system for real-time analyses of two representative post-translational modifications (PTMs), one unnatural amino acid and ten synthetic peptides using exopeptidases, including clinically relevant peptides associated with Alzheimer's disease and cancer neoantigens, was demonstrated. Notably, our strategy successfully distinguishes peptides with only one amino acid difference from the hydrolysate and provides the possibility to infer the peptide sequence.

Dissecting positive selection events and immunological drives during the evolution of adeno-associated virus lineages.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes from primates are being developed and clinically used as vectors for human gene therapy. However, the evolutionary mechanism of AAV variants is far from being understood, except that genetic recombination plays an important role. Furthermore, little is known about the interaction between AAV and its natural hosts, human and nonhuman primates. In this study, natural AAV capsid genes were subjected to systemic evolutionary analysis with a focus on selection drives during the diversification of AAV lineages. A number of positively selected sites were identified from these AAV lineages with functional relevance implied by their localization on the AAV structures. The selection drives of the two AAV2 capsid sites were further investigated in a series of biological experiments. These observations did not support the evolution of the site 410 of the AAV2 capsid driven by selection pressure from the human CD4+ T-cell response. However, positive selection on site 548 of the AAV2 capsid was directly related to host humoral immunity because of the profound effects of mutations at this site on the immune evasion of AAV variants from human neutralizing antibodies at both the individual and population levels. Overall, this work provides a novel interpretation of the genetic diversity and evolution of AAV lineages in their natural hosts, which may contribute to their further engineering and application in human gene therapy.

Structural and functional basis of low-affinity SAM/SAH-binding in the conserved MTase of the multi-segmented Alongshan virus distantly related to canonical unsegmented flaviviruses.

Alongshan virus (ALSV), a newly discovered member of unclassified Flaviviridae family, is able to infect humans. ALSV has a multi-segmented genome organization and is evolutionarily distant from canonical mono-segmented flaviviruses. The virus-encoded methyltransferase (MTase) plays an important role in viral replication. Here we show that ALSV MTase readily binds S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) and S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) but exhibits significantly lower affinities than canonical flaviviral MTases. Structures of ALSV MTase in the free and SAM/SAH-bound forms reveal that the viral enzyme possesses a unique loop-element lining side-wall of the SAM/SAH-binding pocket. While the equivalent loop in flaviviral MTases half-covers SAM/SAH, contributing multiple hydrogen-bond interactions; the pocket-lining loop of ALSV MTase is of short-length and high-flexibility, devoid of any physical contacts with SAM/SAH. Subsequent mutagenesis data further corroborate such structural difference affecting SAM/SAH-binding. Finally, we also report the structure of ALSV MTase bound with sinefungin, an SAM-analogue MTase inhibitor. These data have delineated the basis for the low-affinity interaction between ALSV MTase and SAM/SAH and should inform on antiviral drug design.

Development of a bispecific nanobody conjugate broadly neutralizes diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants and structural basis for its broad neutralization.

The continuous emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants with increased transmissibility and profound immune-escape capacity makes it an urgent need to develop broad-spectrum therapeutics. Nanobodies have recently attracted extensive attentions due to their excellent biochemical and binding properties. Here, we report two high-affinity nanobodies (Nb-015 and Nb-021) that target non-overlapping epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD. Both nanobodies could efficiently neutralize diverse viruses of SARS-CoV-2. The neutralizing mechanisms for the two nanobodies are further delineated by high-resolution nanobody/S-RBD complex structures. In addition, an Fc-based tetravalent nanobody format is constructed by combining Nb-015 and Nb-021. The resultant nanobody conjugate, designated as Nb-X2-Fc, exhibits significantly enhanced breadth and potency against all-tested SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron sub-lineages. These data demonstrate that Nb-X2-Fc could serve as an effective drug candidate for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection, deserving further in-vivo evaluations in the future.

Ion-Selective Micropipette Sensor for In Vivo Monitoring of Sodium Ion with Crown Ether-Encapsulated Metal-Organic Framework Subnanopores.

In vivo sensing of the dynamics of ions with high selectivity is essential for gaining molecular insights into numerous physiological and pathological processes. In this work, we report an ion-selective micropipette sensor (ISMS) through the integration of functional crown ether-encapsulated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) synthesized in situ within the micropipette tip. The ISMS features distinctive sodium ion (Na+) conduction and high selectivity toward Na+ sensing. The selectivity is attributed to the synergistic effects of subnanoconfined space and the specific coordination of 18-crown-6 toward potassium ions (K+), which largely increase the steric hindrance and transport resistance for K+ to pass through the ISMS. Furthermore, the ISMS exhibits high stability and sensitivity, facilitating real-time monitoring of Na+ dynamics in the living rat brain during spreading of the depression events process. In light of the diversity of crown ethers and MOFs, we believe this study paves the way for a nanofluidic platform for in vivo sensing and neuromorphic electrochemical sensing.

Characterization of a human-mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody targeting rabies virus glycoprotein.

At present, the horse or human rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) used for postexposure prevention of human rabies (PEP) has high cost and limited availability. It is strongly encouraged to replace RIG with equivalent or more effective and safer products. Mouse and human monoclonal antibodies have been shown to protect rodents from lethal rabies virus (RABV) attacks. In this study, we reported a human-mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody, 12-2A12, which showed a strong neutralization potency and a wide breadth against multiple street viruses of RABV in vitro. The antibody binded the viral glycoprotein (G) with nanomolar affinity. The complex structure of 12-2A12 bound to RABV G revealed that the antibody recognizes an epitope that partially overlaps with the recognition region for the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). The antibody therefore would interfere with the nAChR/G interaction to block the viral receptor binding. In addition, comparison of our complex structure with the G structure in the acidic state reveals a clear steric clash, highlighting that the antibody would further prevent the conformational changes of the viral glycoprotein that are essential for membrane fusion. In light of these functional and structural data, we believe that 12-2A12 might be developed to be included in an antibody cocktail for potential use in human rabies PEP.

Crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 nsp10 bound to nsp14-ExoN domain reveals an exoribonuclease with both structural and functional integrity.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 infection has posed unprecedented threat to global public health. The virus-encoded non-structural protein 14 (nsp14) is a bi-functional enzyme consisting of an exoribonuclease (ExoN) domain and a methyltransferase (MTase) domain and plays a pivotal role in viral replication. Here, we report the structure of SARS-CoV-2 nsp14-ExoN domain bound to its co-factor nsp10 and show that, compared to the SARS-CoV nsp10/nsp14-full-length complex, SARS-CoV-2 nsp14-ExoN retains an integral exoribonuclease fold and preserves an active configuration in the catalytic center. Analysis of the nsp10/nsp14-ExoN interface reveals a footprint in nsp10 extensively overlapping with that observed in the nsp10/nsp16 structure. A marked difference in the co-factor when engaging nsp14 and nsp16 lies in helix-α1', which is further experimentally ascertained to be involved in nsp14-binding but not in nsp16-engagement. Finally, we also show that nsp10/nsp14-ExoN is enzymatically active despite the absence of nsp14-MTase domain. These data demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 nsp10/nsp14-ExoN functions as an exoribonuclease with both structural and functional integrity.

Crystallization, X-ray diffraction analysis and structure of ICMP from Pseudomonasaeruginosa.

Insulin-cleaving membrane protease (ICMP), an outmember protein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of the bacterium. ICMP has been reported to be involved in the process of iron uptake. In this study, we report the high-resolution structure of ICMP determined by single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD), which shows an atypical HxxE motif that differs from the canonical zinc dependent M75 peptidases and a "V-shaped" cleft that is observed to coordinate the metal ion for the first time. Crystals from the selenomethionine-substituted ICMP(Se-Met ICMP) diffract to 1.9 Å resolution and belong to space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 87.93, b = 78.14, c = 9.92 Å, α = 90°, ß = 113.5°, γ = 90°. ICMP consists of two up-and-down helix bundles, which are arranged into an inverted "V" shape. Unexpectedly, no electron densities of metal ions are observed around the ICMP HxxE motif, which is shown to be involved in metal coordination in zinc-dependent M75 peptidases. In contrast, we find a metal ion at the opening cleft of the V-shaped structure of ICMP, where the ICMP residues Asp211, Glu316, Cys319, Asp322, and Asp397 are observed to coordinate the metal via hydrogen-bond interactions. Such observations might imply new potential substrate-binding and catalytic sites. The current work therefore provides novel insights into the diversity of the HxxE-motif-containing peptidase and paves the way for future studies aiming to delineate the mechanism of ICMP catalysis.

Molecular Basis of Binding between Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus and CD26 from Seven Bat Species.

Continued reports of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infecting humans have occurred since the identification of this virus in 2012. MERS-CoV is prone to cause endemic disease in the Middle East, with several dozen spillover infections to other continents. It is hypothesized that MERS-CoV originated from bat coronaviruses and that dromedary camels are its natural reservoir. Although gene segments identical to MERS-CoV were sequenced from certain species of bats and one species experimentally shed the virus, it is still unknown whether other bats can transmit the virus. Here, at the molecular level, we found that all purified bat CD26s (bCD26s) from a diverse range of species interact with the receptor binding domain (RBD) of MERS-CoV, with equilibrium dissociation constant values ranging from several to hundreds at the micromolar level. Moreover, all bCD26s expressed in this study mediated the entry of pseudotyped MERS-CoV to receptor-expressing cells, indicating the broad potential engagement of bCD26s as MERS-CoV receptors. Further structural analysis indicated that in the bat receptor, compared to the human receptor, substitutions of key residues and their adjacent amino acids leads to decreased binding affinity to the MERS-RBD. These results add more evidence to the existing belief that bats are the original source of MERS-CoV and suggest that bCD26s in many species can mediate the entry of the virus, which has significant implications for the surveillance and control of MERS-CoV infection.IMPORTANCE In this study, we found that bat CD26s (bCD26s) from different species exhibit large diversities, especially in the region responsible for binding to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). However, they maintain the interaction with MERS-RBD at varied affinities and support the entry of pseudotyped MERS-CoV. These bat receptors polymorphisms seem to confer evolutionary pressure for the adaptation of CD26-binding virus, such as the ancestor of MERS-CoV, and led to the generation of diversified CD26-engaging CoV strains. Thus, our data add more evidence to support that bats are the reservoir of MERS-CoV and similar viruses, as well as further emphasize the necessity to survey MERS-CoV and other CoVs among bats.

The novel regulators CheP and CheQ control the core chemotaxis operon cheVAW in Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of foodborne gastrointestinal illness worldwide, and chemotaxis plays an important role in its host colonization and pathogenesis. Although many studies on chemotaxis have focused on the physical organization and signaling mechanism of the system's protein complex, much less is known about the transcriptional regulation of its components. Here, we describe two novel regulators, CJJ81176_0275 and CJJ81176_0276 (designated as CheP and CheQ), which specifically activate the transcription of the chemotaxis core genes cheV, cheA and cheW in C. jejuni and they are also essential for chemotactic responses. CheP has a single HD-related output domain (HDOD) domain and can promote CheQ binding to the cheVAW operon promoter through a protein-protein interaction. Mutagenesis analyses identified key residues critical for CheP function and/or interaction with CheQ. Further structural characterization of CheQ revealed a novel fold with strong positive surface charges that allow for its DNA binding. These findings reveal the gene regulatory mechanism of the chemotaxis system in an important bacterial pathogen and provide potential anti-virulence targets for campylobacteriosis treatment. In addition, ChePQ is an example of how proteins with the widespread but functionally obscure HDOD can coordinate with a signal output DNA-binding protein/domain to regulate the expression of important signaling pathways.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and bat coronavirus HKU9 both can utilize GRP78 for attachment onto host cells.

Coronavirus tropism is predominantly determined by the interaction between coronavirus spikes and the host receptors. In this regard, coronaviruses have evolved a complicated receptor-recognition system through their spike proteins. Spikes from highly related coronaviruses can recognize distinct receptors, whereas spikes of distant coronaviruses can employ the same cell-surface molecule for entry. Moreover, coronavirus spikes can recognize a broad range of cell-surface molecules in addition to the receptors and thereby can augment coronavirus attachment or entry. The receptor of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4). In this study, we identified membrane-associated 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) as an additional binding target of the MERS-CoV spike. Further analyses indicated that GRP78 could not independently render nonpermissive cells susceptible to MERS-CoV infection but could facilitate MERS-CoV entry into permissive cells by augmenting virus attachment. More importantly, by exploring potential interactions between GRP78 and spikes of other coronaviruses, we discovered that the highly conserved human GRP78 could interact with the spike protein of bat coronavirus HKU9 (bCoV-HKU9) and facilitate its attachment to the host cell surface. Taken together, our study has identified GRP78 as a host factor that can interact with the spike proteins of two Betacoronaviruses, the lineage C MERS-CoV and the lineage D bCoV-HKU9. The capacity of GRP78 to facilitate surface attachment of both a human coronavirus and a phylogenetically related bat coronavirus exemplifies the need for continuous surveillance of the evolution of animal coronaviruses to monitor their potential for human adaptations.

Crystal structure of PA0833 periplasmic domain from Pseudomonas aeruginosa reveals an unexpected enlarged peptidoglycan binding pocket.

PA0833 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is recently identified as an OmpA C-like protein that is able to interact with bacterial peptidoglycan (PGN). In this study, we reported the biochemical and structural characterization of the PGN-binding periplasmic-domain of PA0833 (PA0833-PD). Via mutagenesis, key residues responsible for engaging PGN were identified, which also enables us to localize the PGN-binding pocket in a 2.0 Šcrystal structure solved in this study. In contrast to its homologous proteins (as represented by AbOmpA-PD of Acinetobacter baumannii) that interact with PGN by directly engaging the DAP (diaminopimelate) moiety, PA0833-PD exhibits an enlarged PGN-binding pocket due to residue insertions and the formation of an extra α-helix in one lateral side of the pocket. Accordingly, single DAP molecule does not show detectable interactions with PA0833-PD in solution, highlighting that other PGN-components, in addition to DAP, are also required to restore the full binding capacity observed between PA0833 and PGN.

Structural basis of nectin-1 recognition by pseudorabies virus glycoprotein D.

An early and yet indispensable step in the alphaherpesvirus infection is the engagement of host receptors by the viral envelope glycoprotein D (gD). Of the thus-far identified gD receptors, nectin-1 is likely the most effective in terms of its wide usage by multiple alphaherpesviruses for cell entry. The molecular basis of nectin-1 recognition by the gD protein is therefore an interesting scientific question in the alphaherpesvirus field. Previous studies focused on the herpes simplex virus (HSV) of the Simplexvirus genus, for which both the free gD structure and the gD/nectin-1 complex structure were reported at high resolutions. The structural and functional features of other alphaherpesviral gDs, however, remain poorly characterized. In the current study, we systematically studied the characteristics of nectin-1 binding by the gD of a Varicellovirus genus member, the pseudorabies virus (PRV). We first showed that PRV infects host cells via both human and swine nectin-1, and that its gD exhibits similar binding affinities for nectin-1 of the two species. Furthermore, we demonstrated that removal of the PRV gD membrane-proximal residues could significantly increase its affinity for the receptor binding. The structures of PRV gD in the free and the nectin-1-bound states were then solved, revealing a similar overall 3D fold as well as a homologous nectin-1 binding mode to its HSV counterpart. However, several unique features were observed at the binding interface of PRV gD, enabling the viral ligand to utilize different gD residues (from those of HSV) for nectin-1 engagement. These observed binding characteristics were further verified by the mutagenesis study using the key-residue mutants of nectin-1. The structural and functional data obtained in this study, therefore, provide the basis of receptor recognition by PRV gD.

Two classes of protective antibodies against Pseudorabies virus variant glycoprotein B: Implications for vaccine design.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) belongs to the Herpesviridae family, and is an important veterinary pathogen. Highly pathogenic PRV variants have caused severe epidemics in China since 2011, causing huge economic losses. To tackle the epidemics, we identified a panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against PRV glycoprotein B (gB) that effectively block PRV infection. Among these 15 mAbs, fourteen of them block PRV entry in a complement-dependent manner. The remaining one, 1H1 mAb, however can directly neutralize the virus independent of complement and displays broad-spectrum neutralizing activities. We further determined the crystal structure of PRV gB and mapped the epitopes of these antibodies on the structure. Interestingly, all the complement-dependent neutralizing antibodies bind gB at the crown region (domain IV). In contrast, the epitope of 1H1 mAb is located at the bottom of domain I, which includes the fusion loops, indicating 1H1 mAb might neutralize the virus by interfering with the membrane fusion process. Our studies demonstrate that gB contains multiple B-cell epitopes in its crown and base regions and that antibodies targeting different epitopes block virus infection through different mechanisms. These findings would provide important clues for antiviral drug design and vaccine development.

Molecular basis of binding between novel human coronavirus MERS-CoV and its receptor CD26.

The newly emergent Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) can cause severe pulmonary disease in humans, representing the second example of a highly pathogenic coronavirus, the first being SARS-CoV. CD26 (also known as dipeptidyl peptidase 4, DPP4) was recently identified as the cellular receptor for MERS-CoV. The engagement of the MERS-CoV spike protein with CD26 mediates viral attachment to host cells and virus-cell fusion, thereby initiating infection. Here we delineate the molecular basis of this specific interaction by presenting the first crystal structures of both the free receptor binding domain (RBD) of the MERS-CoV spike protein and its complex with CD26. Furthermore, binding between the RBD and CD26 is measured using real-time surface plasmon resonance with a dissociation constant of 16.7 nM. The viral RBD is composed of a core subdomain homologous to that of the SARS-CoV spike protein, and a unique strand-dominated external receptor binding motif that recognizes blades IV and V of the CD26 ß-propeller. The atomic details at the interface between the two binding entities reveal a surprising protein-protein contact mediated mainly by hydrophilic residues. Sequence alignment indicates, among betacoronaviruses, a possible structural conservation for the region homologous to the MERS-CoV RBD core, but a high variation in the external receptor binding motif region for virus-specific pathogenesis such as receptor recognition.

Structural basis of collagen recognition by human osteoclast-associated receptor and design of osteoclastogenesis inhibitors.

Human osteoclast-associated receptor (OSCAR) is an immunoglobulin (Ig)-like collagen receptor that is up-regulated on osteoclasts during osteoclastogenesis and is expressed in a range of myeloid cells. As a member of the leukocyte receptor complex family of proteins, OSCAR shares a high degree of sequence and structural homology with other collagen receptors of this family, including glycoprotein VI, leukocyte-associated Ig-like receptor-1, and leukocyte Ig-like receptor B4, but recognizes a unique collagen sequence. Here, we present the crystal structures of OSCAR in its free form and in complex with a triple-helical collagen-like peptide (CLP). These structures reveal that the CLP peptide binds only one of the two Ig-like domains, the membrane-proximal domain (domain 2) of OSCAR, with the middle and trailing chain burying a total of 661 Å(2) of solvent-accessible collagen surface. This binding mode is facilitated by the unusual topography of the OSCAR protein, which displays an obtuse interdomain angle and a rotation of domain 2 relative to the membrane-distal domain 1. Moreover, the binding of the CLP to OSCAR appears to be mediated largely by tyrosine residues and conformational changes at a shallow Phe pocket. Furthermore, we investigated CLP peptides as inhibitors of osteoclastogenesis and found that a peptide length of 40 amino acids is required to ensure adequate inhibition of osteoclastogenesis in vitro. These findings provide valuable structural insights into the mode of collagen recognition by OSCAR and into the use of synthetic peptide matrikines for osteoclastogenesis inhibition.

Structural and functional analysis of an anchorless fibronectin-binding protein FBPS from Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus suis.

The anchorless fibronectin-binding proteins (FnBPs) are a group of important virulence factors for which the structures are not available and the functions are not well defined. In this study we performed comprehensive studies on a prototypic member of this group: the fibronectin-/fibrinogen-binding protein from Streptococcus suis (FBPS). The structures of the N- and C-terminal halves (FBPS-N and FBPS-C), which together cover the full-length protein in sequence, were solved at a resolution of 2.1 and 2.6 Å, respectively, and each was found to be composed of two domains with unique folds. Furthermore, we have elucidated the organization of these domains by small-angle X-ray scattering. We further showed that the fibronectin-binding site is located in FBPS-C and that FBPS promotes the adherence of S suis to host cells by attaching the bacteria via FBPS-N. Finally, we demonstrated that FBPS functions both as an adhesin, promoting S suis attachment to host cells, and as a bacterial factor, activating signaling pathways via ß1 integrin receptors to induce chemokine production.