Antimicrobial Peptide Recognition Motif of the Substrate Binding Protein SapA from Nontypeable .

Nontypeable (NTHi) is an opportunistic pathogen associated with respiratory diseases, including otitis media and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. NTHi exhibits resistance to killing by host antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) mediated by SapA, the substrate binding protein of the ensitivity to ntimicrobial eptides (Sap) transporter. However, the specific mechanisms by which SapA selectively binds various AMPs such as defensins and cathelicidin are unknown.