The serine-rich repeat family of fimbriae play important roles in the pathogenesis of
streptococci and staphylococci. Despite recent attention, their finer structural details and
precise adhesion mechanisms have yet to be determined. Fap1 (Fimbriae-associated
protein 1) is the major structural subunit of serine-rich repeat fimbriae from Streptococcus
parasanguinis and plays an essential role in fimbrial biogenesis, adhesion, and the early
stages of dental plaque formation. Combining multidisciplinary, high resolution structural …