Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 5R21AI178689-02
The Helicobacter pylori VacA Receptor Binding Site
Recipient
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Award Amount
$214,135.00
Ceiling
$214,135.00
Awarded
January 15, 2025
Identifier
5R21AI178689-02
NIH funded research project to study the molecular basis of VacA toxin binding to host cell sphingomyelin, aiming to understand toxin-receptor interactions and support inhibitor development.
Description
This exploratory R21 application seeks to characterize how VacA recognizes and binds to sphingomyelin (SM) on host cells, focusing on the m1 variant and extending findings to the m2 variant. The project will identify the SM-receptor binding site using biochemical and computational approaches and evaluate the role of SM in m2-VacA activity. Results will clarify whether SM functions as a common receptor for VacA variants, advancing understanding of VacA-mediated pathogenesis and aiding in the development of inhibitors.