The HMW2 adhesin of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae is a human-adapted lectin that mediates high-affinity binding to 2-6 linked N-acetylneuraminic acid glycans.

ABSTRACT: Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a human-adapted bacterial pathogen, responsible for infections of the human respiratory tract. This pathogen expresses a range of adhesins that mediate binding to host cells. Most NTHi strains can express the related adhesins HMW1 and HMW2. Expression of HMW proteins is phase-variable: changes in the length of simple-sequence repeats located in the encoding genes promoter regions results in changes in expression levels of these adhesins. HMW expression is also controlled by epigenetic regulation. HMW1 has been previously demonstrated to bind α 2-3 sialyl-lactosamine, but affinity of this interaction has not been investigated. The host receptor(s) for HMW2 is currently unknown. We hypothesized that host glycans may act as receptors for HMW2-medi

SUBMITTER: Atack JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6095747 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature