VacA generates a protective intracellular reservoir for Helicobacter pylori that is eliminated by activation of the lysosomal calcium channel TRPML1.

Helicobacter pylori infection is a proven carcinogen for gastric cancer. Its virulence factor vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) promotes more severe disease and gastric colonization. VacA, by an unknown mechanism, usurps lysosomal and autophagy pathways to generate a protected reservoir for H.

VacA promotes CagA accumulation in gastric epithelial cells during Helicobacter pylori infection.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the causative agent of gastric cancer, making it the only bacterium to be recognized as a Class I carcinogen by the World Health Organization. The virulence factor cytotoxin associated gene A (CagA) is a known oncoprotein that contributes to the development of gastric cancer.

Domain interactions control complex formation and polymerase specificity in the biosynthesis of the Escherichia coli O9a antigen.

The Escherichia coli O9a O-polysaccharide (O-PS) is a prototype for bacterial glycan synthesis and export by an ATP-binding cassette transporter-dependent pathway. The O9a O-PS possesses a tetrasaccharide repeat unit comprising two α-(1→2)- and two α-(1→3)-linked mannose residues and is extended on a polyisoprenoid lipid carrier by the action of a polymerase (WbdA) containing two glycosyltransferase active sites. The N-terminal domain of WbdA possesses α-(1→2)-mannosyltransferase activity, and we demonstrate in this study that the C-terminal domain is an α-(1→3)-mannosyltransferase.

Modulation of autophagy by Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastric carcinogenesis.

Helicobacter pylori infection represents the strongest known risk factor for the development of gastric cancer. The vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA) plays a key role in disease pathogenesis by exerting pleiotrophic effects on the host. One effect of acute VacA exposure is the induction of autophagy.

Domain organization of the polymerizing mannosyltransferases involved in synthesis of the Escherichia coli O8 and O9a lipopolysaccharide O-antigens.

The Escherichia coli O9a and O8 polymannose O-polysaccharides (O-PSs) serve as model systems for the biosynthesis of bacterial polysaccharides by ATP-binding cassette transporter-dependent pathways. Both O-PSs contain a conserved primer-adaptor domain at the reducing terminus and a serotype-specific repeat unit domain. The repeat unit domain is polymerized by the serotype-specific WbdA mannosyltransferase.

Biosynthesis of the polymannose lipopolysaccharide O-antigens from Escherichia coli serotypes O8 and O9a requires a unique combination of single- and multiple-active site mannosyltransferases.

The Escherichia coli O9a and O8 O-antigen serotypes represent model systems for the ABC transporter-dependent synthesis of bacterial polysaccharides. The O9a and O8 antigens are linear mannose homopolymers containing conserved reducing termini (the primer-adaptor), a serotype-specific repeat unit domain, and a terminator. Synthesis of these glycans occurs on the polyisoprenoid lipid-linked primer, undecaprenol pyrophosphoryl-GlcpNAc, by two conserved mannosyltransferases, WbdC and WbdB, and a serotype-specific mannosyltransferase, WbdA.

Synthesis of lipopolysaccharide O-antigens by ABC transporter-dependent pathways.

The O-polysaccharide (O-PS; O-antigen) of bacterial lipopolysaccharides is made up of repeating units of one or more sugar residues and displays remarkable structural diversity. Despite the structural variations, there are only three strategies for O-PS assembly. The ATP-binding cassette (ABC)-transporter-dependent mechanism of O-PS biosynthesis is widespread.

In vitro reconstruction of the chain termination reaction in biosynthesis of the Escherichia coli O9a O-polysaccharide: the chain-length regulator, WbdD, catalyzes the addition of methyl phosphate to the non-reducing terminus of the growing glycan.

The Escherichia coli O9a O-polysaccharide (O-PS) represents a model system for glycan biosynthesis and export by the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter-dependent pathway. The polymannose O9a O-PS is synthesized using an undecaprenol-diphosphate-linked acceptor by mannosyltransferases located at the cytoplasmic membrane. An ABC-transporter subsequently exports the polymer to the periplasm where it is assembled onto lipopolysaccharide prior to translocation to the cell surface.

Coordination of polymerization, chain termination, and export in assembly of the Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide O9a antigen in an ATP-binding cassette transporter-dependent pathway.

The Escherichia coli O9a O-polysaccharide (O-PS) is a prototype for O-PS synthesis and export by the ATP-binding cassette transporter-dependent pathway. Comparable systems are widespread in Gram-negative bacteria. The polymannose O9a O-PS is assembled on a polyisoprenoid lipid intermediate by mannosyltransferases located at the cytoplasmic membrane, and the final polysaccharide chain length is determined by the chain terminating dual kinase/methyltransferase, WbdD.