Lukas Milles
Chair of Applied Physics and Center for Nanoscience
Ludwig-Maximilians - University of Munich
Munich, Germany

Monday, July 9, 2018
3:00 pm (CT)
3269 Beckman Institute

Abstract

Pathogenic Staphylococci invade their human hosts by binding adhesive matrix proteins. Maintaining adhesion under mechanical stress is crucial for infection. Using AFM-based single-molecule force spectroscopy and steered molecular dynamics simulations we deconstruct the mechanics of a selection of staphylococcal and fungal adhesins and decipher the mechanism by which they achieve extraordinary mechanical resilience adhering to their targets. Furthermore, we determine the fold strength of linker domains that connect such adhesins to the bacterium and how their mechanics are regulated by Calcium ions. Elucidating the mechanisms that render these pathogen adhesins exceptionally resilient to mechanical force may open new routes to inhibit them.