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Inhibition of curli assembly and Escherichia coli biofilm formation by the human systemic amyloid precursor transthyretin
, J. Ådén, K. Nagamatsu, M.L. Evans, X. Li, B. McMichael, M.I. Ivanova, F. Almqvist, J.N. Buxbaum, M.R. Chapman
Published in National Academy of Sciences
2017
PMID: 29087319
Volume: 114
   
Issue: 46
Pages: 12184 - 12189
Abstract
During biofilm formation, Escherichia coli and other Enterobacter-iaceae produce an extracellular matrix consisting of curli amyloid fibers and cellulose. The precursor of curli fibers is the amyloidogenic protein CsgA. The human systemic amyloid precursor protein transthyretin (TTR) is known to inhibit amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation in vitro and suppress the Alzheimer’s-like phenotypes in a transgenic mouse model of Aβ deposition. We hypothesized that TTR might have broad antiamyloid activity because the biophysical properties of amyloids are largely conserved across species and kingdoms. Here, we report that both human WT tetrameric TTR (WT-TTR) and its engineered nontetramer-forming monomer (M-TTR, F87M/L110M) inhibit CsgA amyloid formation in vitro, with M-TTR being the more efficient inhibitor. Preincubation of WT-TTR with small molecules that occupy the T4 binding site eliminated the inhibitory capacity of the tetramer; however, they did not significantly compromise the ability of M-TTR to inhibit CsgA amyloidogenesis. TTR also inhibited amyloid-dependent biofilm formation in two different bacterial species with no apparent bactericidal or bacteriostatic effects. These discoveries suggest that TTR is an effective antibiofilm agent that could potentiate antibiotic efficacy in infections associated with significant biofilm formation. © 2017, National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
About the journal
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
PublisherNational Academy of Sciences
ISSN00278424