CFP-10

CFP-10 within bacterial proteins (also known as ESAT-6-like protein esxB or secreted antigenic protein MTSA-10 or 10 kDa culture filtrate antigen CFP-10) is a protein that is encoded by the esxB gene.

CFP-10 is a 10 kDa secreted antigen from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It forms a 1:1 heterodimeric complex with ESAT-6. Both genes are expressed from the RD1 region of the bacterial genome and play a key role in the virulence of the infection.

Function

10-kDa culture filtrate protein (CFP-10) is an antigen that contributes to the virulence Mycobacterium tuberculosis. CFP-10 forms a tight 1:1 heterodimeric complex with 6kDaA early secreted antigen target (ESAT-6). In the mycobacterial cell, these two proteins are interdependent on each other for stability. The ESAT-6/CFP-10 complex is secreted by the ESX-1 secretion system, also known as the RD1 region. Mycobacterium tuberculosis uses this ESX-1 secretion system to deliver virulence factors into host macrophage and monocyte white blood cells during infection. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the core components of the whole ESX-1 secretion system include Rv3877, and two AAA ATPases, including Rv3870 and Rv3871, a cytosolic protein. The ESAT-6/CFP-10 heterodimer complex is targeted for secretion by a C-terminal signal sequence on CFP-10 that is recognized by the cytosolic Rv3871 protein. Rv3871 then interacts with the CFP-10 C-terminal, and escorts the ESAT-6/CFP-10 complex to Rv3870 and Rv3877, a multi-transmembrane protein which makes up the pore that spans the cytosolic membrane of the virulent host cell. Once ESAT-6/CFP-10 is next to the membrane of the virulent host cell, the CFP-10 C-terminal attaches and binds itself to the cells surface. The ESAT-6/CFP-10 complex’s secretion and attachment to the virulent host cell shows its contribution to the pathogenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. ^[4].

See also

• QuantiFERON
• ESAT-6