Chunhao Li

Bacterial exo-α-sialidases subvert the complement system through desialylation

This study shows bacterial sialidases remove sialic acids from complement proteins, reducing complement activation and helping bacteria evade immune detection.

Asymmetric flagellar filaments shape Borreliella burgdorferi morphology and motility

This study reveals how asymmetric FlaA sheath assembly in Borreliella burgdorferi flagella influences morphology and motility through structural and genetic analyses.

The bacterial swarming factor SwrD belongs to a diverse family of proteins that form hexameric rings

This study characterizes SwrD, a protein involved in bacterial flagellar motor regulation, showing it forms hexameric rings and is conserved across spirochetes.

Asymmetric architecture and adaptation of Treponema flagella

This study determines the asymmetric structure of Treponema denticola flagella and shows how it enables efficient motility.

Bacterial internalins exploit E-cadherin to promote head-neck tumor metastasis and drug resistance

This study shows that Porphyromonas gingivalis internalins promote HNSCC metastasis and drug resistance by interacting with E-cadherin and activating signaling pathways.

A MinD-like ATPase couples flagellation and cell division in spirochetes

This paper identifies FlhG, a MinD-like ATPase, as a spatial regulator coupling flagellar assembly to cytokinesis in Borrelia burgdorferi, revealing how spirochetes coordinate flagellation with cell division.

An ELISA for discovering protein-protein interaction inhibitors: blocking lysinoalanine crosslinking between subunits of the spirochete flagellar hook as a test case

The paper develops an ELISA to screen for protein-protein interaction inhibitors, demonstrating its use in blocking lysinoalanine crosslinking in spirochete flagellar hook proteins.

Lactate dehydrogenase is the Achilles' heel of Lyme disease bacterium Borreliella burgdorferi

This study identifies lactate dehydrogenase (BbLDH) as essential for Borreliella burgdorferi survival and infectivity, and discovers inhibitors targeting this enzyme.

Gain-of-function study reveals the pleiotropic roles of serine protease HtrA in Borrelia burgdorferi

This study identifies the regulatory mechanisms of BbHtrA in Borrelia burgdorferi, showing its critical roles in motility, stress response, and virulence gene expression.

Inhibitors of lysinoalanine crosslinking in the flagella hook as antimicrobials against spirochetes

This study identifies two clinically approved small molecules that inhibit lysinoalanine crosslinking in spirochete flagella, reducing bacterial motility and suggesting a new therapeutic approach.

MCP5, a methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein regulated by both the Hk1-Rrp1 and Rrp2-RpoN-RpoS pathways, is required for the immune evasion of Borrelia burgdorferi

This study identifies MCP5 as essential for Borrelia burgdorferi's immune evasion and transmission, regulated by two signaling pathways.

In situ structures of periplasmic flagella reveal a distinct cytoplasmic ATPase complex in Borrelia burgdorferi

The paper uses cryo-electron tomography and mutagenesis to study the fT3SS machine in Borrelia burgdorferi, revealing a distinct cytosolic ATPase complex linked to the flagellar C-ring.