When bacteria invade the body, a molecule called CD14 binds to substances liberated from the bacteria and initiates the cellular defense mechanisms. In a report published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, scientists in Korea announced their elucidation of three-dimensional structure of CD14 and showed how it is perfectly suited to bind to certain bacterial products.
The research appears as the "Paper of the Week" in the March 25 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, an American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology journal.
The innate immune system uses the CD14 receptor protein to recognize several microbial and cellular products including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a glycolipid found on the outer membrane of certain bacteria. Once CD14 binds to LPS or another ligand, it presents the molecule to other proteins which initiate a strong pro-inflammatory response that stimulates host defenses.
Nicole Kresge | EurekAlert!
Further information:
http://www.jbc.org
http://www.asbmb.org
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