Identification of D motif epitopes in Staphylococcus aureus fibronectin-binding protein for the production of antibody inhibitors of fibronectin binding.

The peptide corresponds to amino acids 20-33 of the D3 motif. Anti-D320-33 F(ab')2 fragments exhibited concentration-dependent inhibition of fibronectin binding to S. aureus L857 cells. The authors conclude that the epitope, recognized by anti-D320-33, contains residues critical to fibronectin binding.