(IMAGE)

Auburn University Department of Physics

Caption

Illustration of the molecular handshake driving Staphylococcus aureus adhesion to human skin. The bacterial adhesin SdrD (purple) binds tightly to the host receptor desmoglein-1 (DSG-1, orange) on keratinocytes, with calcium ions (Ca²⁺) stabilizing the interaction. This calcium-dependent bond enables S. aureus to attach strongly to the skin surface, providing a molecular explanation for the bacterium’s ability to resist mechanical forces and establish infection.

Credit

Department of Physics - Auburn University

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CC BY

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