9N4G

YehD Receptor Binding Domain

Summary for 9N4G

• Entry DOI: 10.2210/pdb9n4g/pdb
• Descriptor: YehD protein, GLYCEROL (3 entities in total)
• Functional Keywords: adhesin, cup pili, cell adhesion
• Biological source: Escherichia coli
• Total number of polymer chains: 2
• Total formula weight: 37106.02

Authors

Klein, R.D.,Tamadonfar, K.O.,Pinkner, J.S.,Hultgren, S.J. (deposition date: 2025-02-02, release date: 2025-11-26, Last modification date: 2026-01-21)

Primary citation

Tamadonfar, K.O.,Klein, R.D.,Lopatto, E.D.B.,Zimmerman, M.I.,Azimzadeh, P.N.,Sanick, D.A.,Porter, J.R.,Villicana, J.B.,Pinkner, J.S.,Chiang, B.H.,Gualberto, N.C.,Dodson, K.W.,Patnode, M.L.,Birchenough, G.M.H.,Bowman, G.R.,Hultgren, S.J.
The Yeh pilus adhesin is equipped with an alpha-helical flap motif, which contributes to pectin adherence.
Sci Adv, 12:eadz1301-eadz1301, 2026

PubMed Abstract: The Yeh chaperone-usher pathway (CUP) pilus adhesin is encoded in one-half of all . Yet little is known about its structure and function in persistence and pathogenesis. Structural investigations reveal that the adhesin receptor binding domains (RBDs) of YehD and its relative YhlD both share a canonical β-rich core and an α-helical flap motif that is hinged at the distal end of the core. This flap was observed in both open and closed conformations using molecular dynamics simulations. The closed conformation is dependent on a hydrophobic patch of amino acids on the distal end of the flap. Functionally, YehD is able to bind pectin, a polysaccharide ubiquitous in plant material. Mutations that interrupt the closed conformation increase the affinity of the protein to pectin, suggesting that the flap contributes mechanistically to pectin binding. Furthermore, in vivo, the pilus contributes to gastrointestinal (GI) tract colonization in the absence of the type 1 pilus. Hence, we report the ability of YehD to bind pectin representing a possible colonization mechanism of the GI tract via a structurally distinct CUP adhesin.

PubMed: 41499512
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adz1301

Experimental method

X-RAY DIFFRACTION (1.7 Å)