3-D structure of C. difficile toxin engaged with CSPG4 receptor. (IMAGE)

University of California - Irvine

3-D structure of C. difficile toxin engaged with CSPG4 receptor.

Caption

Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is classified as an urgent antibiotic resistance threat by the CDC. The 3-D structure shows how a key C. difficile toxin, TcdB (grey surface model), engages the human receptor CSPG4 (shown in green) for cell entry, and how an FDA-approved therapeutic antibody bezlotoxumab (shown in blue and purple) recognize two epitopes on TcdB. Some C. difficile hypervirulent strains evolve mutations in the bezlotoxumab-binding sites (blue and purple surface, while the mutated amino acids are colored red) that weaken the antibody potency. In contrast, the CSPG4-binding site on TcdB (gold surface) is highly conserved, suggesting a strategy to develop broad-spectrum therapeutics against TcdB.

Credit

UCI School of Medicine

Usage Restrictions

None

License

Licensed content

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.