Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbrial protein Mfa5 contains a von Willebrand factor domain and an intramolecular isopeptide

Abstract

Heidler et al. report a structure of the N-terminal half of a bacterial fimbrial protein, Mfa5, from Porphyromonas gingivalis that is a secondary colonizer of the oral biofilm. They find a von Willebrand factor domain and two IgG-like domains in this structure. This study suggests that horizontal gene transfer may have occurred among the bacteria within the oral biofilm.