V. Functions of S-layers

• Published in: FEMS microbiology reviews Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 99 - 149
• Main Authors: Beveridge, Terrance J, Pouwels, Peter H, Sára, Margit, Kotiranta, Anja, Lounatmaa, Kari, Kari, Kirsti, Kerosuo, Eero, Haapasalo, Markus, Egelseer, Eva M, Schocher, Ingrid, Sleytr, Uwe B, Morelli, Lorenzo, Callegari, Maria-Luisa, Nomellini, John F, Bingle, Wade H, Smit, John, Leibovitz, Emmanuelle, Lemaire, Marc, Miras, Isabelle, Salamitou, Sylvie, Béguin, Pierre, Ohayon, Hélène, Gounon, Pierre, Matuschek, Markus, Sahm, Kerstin, Bahl, Hubert, Grogono-Thomas, Rosemary, Dworkin, Joel, Blaser, Martin J, Woodland, Ralph M, Newell, Diane G, Kessel, Martin, Koval, Susan F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-06-1997
• Subjects: Adhesion; Amylase; Archaea; Bacillus; Bacillus stearothermophilus; Bacteria; Bacterivory; Campylobacter fetus; Caulobacter crescentus; Cell wall; Cell wall anchoring; Cellulosome; Crystalline outer membrane protein; Glycosyl hydrolase; Gram stain; Lactobacillus; Ovine abortion; Phagocytosis; Polymorphonuclear leukocyte; Porin; Protozoa; S-layer; Secretion; Virulence factor; Protozoa; Crystalline outer membrane protein; Caulobacter crescentus; Cellulosome; Porin; Amylase; Ovine abortion; Secretion; Archaea; Virulence factor; Glycosyl hydrolase; Gram stain; Bacterivory; Adhesion; Cell wall; Polymorphonuclear leukocyte; Cell wall anchoring; Bacillus; S-layer; Bacillus stearothermophilus; Bacteria; Campylobacter fetus; Phagocytosis; Lactobacillus
• ISSN: 0168-6445; 1574-6976
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-6445(97)00043-0

Although S-layers are being increasingly identified on Bacteria and Archaea, it is enigmatic that in most cases S-layer function continues to elude us. In a few instances, S-layers have been shown to be virulence factors on pathogens (e.g.
Campylobacter fetus ssp.
fetus and
Aeromonas salmonicida), protective against
Bdellovibrio, a depository for surface-exposed enzymes (e.g.
Bacillus stearothermophilus), shape-determining agents (e.g.
Thermoproteus tenax) and nucleation factors for fine-grain mineral development (e.g.
Synechococcus GL 24). Yet, for the vast majority of S-layered bacteria, the natural function of these crystalline arrays continues to be evasive. The following review up-dates the functional basis of S-layers and describes such diverse topics as the effect of S-layers on the Gram stain, bacteriophage adsorption in lactobacilli, phagocytosis by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes, the adhesion of a high-molecular-mass amylase, outer membrane porosity, and the secretion of extracellular enzymes of
Thermoanaerobacterium. In addition, the functional aspect of calcium on the
Caulobacter S-layer is explained.