Structural biology of H. pylori flagellum biogenesis

这项提议将研究人类胃部病原体幽门螺杆菌中参与鞭毛生物发生的蛋白质的三维结构。一组蛋白质参与整个过程的调节，而另一组蛋白质专门促进鞭毛成分在细菌细胞膜上的分泌。与其他细菌相比，螺杆菌中的鞭毛生物发生机制知之甚少，但有一些非常有趣的功能和调节方面，使其成为研究的理想之处。此外，幽门螺杆菌的移动性是细菌在人的胃粘液中定植和持续存在所必需的。因此，更好地了解鞭毛在这种有机体中的生物发生功能最终可能有助于对细菌干预的深入了解。

This proposal will investigate the three-dimensional structures of proteins involved in flagellum biogenesis in the human stomach pathogen Helicobacter pylori. One group of proteins is involved in the overall regulation of the process, whereas the other group of proteins specifically facilitate secretion of flagellum components across the bacterial cell membrane. Flagellum biogenesis in Helicobacter is less well understood than in other bacteria, but has some very interesting functional and regulatory facets that make it ideal to study. Furthermore, it is known that Helicobacter pylori motility is required for bacterial colonization and persistence in the human stomach mucus lining. Hence, a greater understanding of how flagellum biogenesis functions in this organism could eventually lead to insights into bacterial intervention.