The PilC1 MIDAS Motif Is Essential for Type IV Pilus Adhesive Activity and Twitching Motility.

Kingella kingae is an emerging pathogen that has recently been identified as a leading cause of osteoarticular infections in young children. Colonization with K. kingae is common, with approximately 10% of young children carrying this organism in the oropharynx at any given time.

Kingella kingae PilC1 and PilC2 are adhesive multifunctional proteins that promote bacterial adherence, twitching motility, DNA transformation, and pilus biogenesis.

The gram-negative bacterium Kingella kingae is a leading cause of osteoarticular infections in young children and initiates infection by colonizing the oropharynx. Adherence to respiratory epithelial cells represents an initial step in the process of K. kingae colonization and is mediated in part by type IV pili.