PPU PhD project – Role of lipoprotein modification enzyme Lgt on cell shape and pathogenicity of Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori is a pathogen with a characteristic spiral shape that
colonizes the human stomach. Although antibiotic treatment is still efficient to
eradicate an H. pylori infection, resistance is on the rise. Little is known about
the modification and function of lipoproteins in H. pylori, in particular their role
in cell shape maintenance, interaction with host cells, and signaling of the
immune system. Since Lgt is the first and most crucial enzyme in the pathway
and shown essential in H. pylori, detailed insight in regulation of lgt expression,
the molecular mechanism of the reaction, and the exploration as target for
novel antibiotics promises great progress in understanding the role of
lipoproteins in virulence of H. pylori. The goal of the thesis project is to obtain a
detailed understanding of Lgt in H. pylori.