Catherine Leimkuhler Grimes

Metabolic flexibility and an unusual route for peptidoglycan muramic acid recycling in mycobacteria

This study identifies a novel peptidoglycan recycling pathway in mycobacteria that bypasses typical intermediates, revealing metabolic flexibility in cell wall recycling.

Time-Resolved Tracking and Secretome Mapping of Intracellular, Cell Surface, and Extracellular Glycoconjugates with a Mini-Tetrazine N-Acetylglucosamine

This paper introduces HTz-GlcNAc, a tool for real-time tracking of glycoconjugates and secretome mapping in live cells.

The Legionella pneumophila peptidoglycan recycling kinase, AmgK, is essential for survival and replication inside host alveolar macrophages

This study shows that AmgK, a peptidoglycan kinase in Legionella pneumophila, is essential for intracellular survival and replication in host macrophages, highlighting its role in pathogenicity and potential as a drug target.

Bioorthogonal labeling of chitin in pathogenic Candida species reveals biochemical mechanisms of hyphal growth and homeostasis

The paper develops a chitin labeling method to study hyphal growth and homeostasis in Candida species, revealing mechanisms of morphological switching and potential antifungal targets.

Bacterial and host enzymes modulate the inflammatory response produced by the peptidoglycan of the Lyme disease agent

This study identifies bacterial enzymes that modify peptidoglycan fragments from Borrelia burgdorferi, showing they are poor immune stimulators and that host enzymes like PGLYRP2 are less active in joint fluids, contributing to persistent arthritis.