Current Insights on the Diverse Structures and Functions in Bacterial Collagen-like Proteins

The
dearth of knowledge on the diverse structures and functions
in bacterial collagen-like proteins is in stark contrast to the deep
grasp of structures and functions in mammalian collagen, the ubiquitous
triple-helical scleroprotein that plays a central role in tissue architecture,
extracellular matrix organization, and signal transduction. To fill
and highlight existing gaps due to the general paucity of data on
bacterial CLPs, we comprehensively reviewed the latest insight into
their functional and structural diversity from multiple perspectives
of biology, computational simulations, and materials engineering.
The origins and discovery of bacterial CLPs were explored. Their genetic
distribution and molecular architecture were analyzed, and their structural
and functional diversity in various bacterial genera was examined.
The principal roles of computational techniques in understanding bacterial
CLPs’ structural stability, mechanical properties, and biological
functions were also considered. This review serves to drive further
interest and development of bacterial CLPs, not only for addressing
fundamental biological problems in collagen but also for engineering
novel biomaterials. Hence, both biology and materials communities
will greatly benefit from intensified research into the diverse structures
and functions in bacterial collagen-like proteins.