Preprint Highlight: Distinct regions of Helicobacter pylori's bactofilin CcmA regulate protein-protein interactions to control helical cell shape.

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacterium commonly found in the human stomach. Its most famous feature is its helical shape, which is essential for invading the mucoid tissue and establishing infection that can cause gastrointestinal cancer. This study explored the regulatory role of a bactofilin, a cytoskeletal protein present in many bacteria and known to control cell shape and the assembly of subcellular structures. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that the H. pylori bactofilin CcmA controls the curvature of cells by interacting with factors that build up or degrade the cell wall. The new mechanisms of CcmA self-inhibition and binding to specific cell shape factors represents a breakthrough in how we understand the role of bactofilins. It also suggests bactofilins as a possible therapeutic target against a broad range of pathogenic spiral-shaped bacteria.