Bioaccumulation of amyloselike glycans by Helicobacter pylori

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori cell surface is composed of lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) yielding structures homologous to mammalian Lewis Ochains blood group antigens. In this study we present evidence that H. pylori also expresses/accumulates amyloselike glycans. Bioaccumulation of amylose was found to be enhanced with the subcultivation of the bacterium on agar medium and accompanied by a decrease in the expression of LPS Ochains. On the other hand, during exponential growth in F12 liquid medium, an opposite behavior is observed, i.e. there is an increase in the overall amount of LPS and decrease in amylose content. As such, this work suggests that under specific environmental conditions, H. pylori expresses a phasevariable cellsurface (14)Glc moiety.