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| Title | Structural basis of Fusobacterium nucleatum adhesin Fap2 interaction with receptors on cancer and immune cells. |
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| Journal, issue, pages | Nat Commun, Vol. 16, Issue 1, Page 8104, Year 2025 |
| Publish date | Aug 29, 2025 |
Authors | Felix Schöpf / Gian L Marongiu / Klaudia Milaj / Thiemo Sprink / Judith Kikhney / Annette Moter / Daniel Roderer / ![]() |
| PubMed Abstract | Fusobacterium nucleatum is overrepresented in the colon microbiome of colorectal cancer patients and has been associated with tumor growth enhancement and metastasis. A pivotal pathogenic factor, the ...Fusobacterium nucleatum is overrepresented in the colon microbiome of colorectal cancer patients and has been associated with tumor growth enhancement and metastasis. A pivotal pathogenic factor, the autotransporter adhesin Fap2, facilitates association to cancer and immune cells via the receptors Gal-GalNAc and TIGIT, respectively, leading to deactivation of immune cells. Mechanistic details of the Fap2/TIGIT interaction remain elusive as no structural data are available. Here, we report a system to recombinantly express functional Fap2 on the Escherichia coli surface, which interacts with Gal-GalNAc on cancer cells and with purified TIGIT with submicromolar affinity. Cryo-EM structures of Fap2, alone and in complex with TIGIT, show that the elongated ~50 nm long Fap2 extracellular region binds to TIGIT on its membrane-distal tip via an extension of a β-helix domain. Moreover, by combining structure predictions, cryo-EM, docking and molecular dynamics simulations, we identified a binding pit for Gal-GalNAc on the tip of Fap2. |
External links | Nat Commun / PubMed:40883327 / PubMed Central |
| Methods | EM (single particle) |
| Resolution | 4.4 - 6.0 Å |
| Structure data | ![]() EMDB-53048: Extracellular domain of the Fap2 autotransporter adhesin from Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC23726 EMDB-53049, PDB-9qe7: ![]() EMDB-53052: Complex of Fap2 from Fusobacterium nucleatum with human TIGIT |
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Keywords | CELL ADHESION / Type V secretion system / autotransporter / colorectal cancer / bacterial adhesion |
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fusobacterium nucleatum (bacteria)
Homo sapiens (human)
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