Dr. Hui Wu
Hui Wu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Pediatric Dentistry
SDB 802
Birmingham
,
Phone: (205) 996-2392
FAX: (205) 975-6251
Research Focus: Bacterial genetics and pathogenesis; study of bacterial protein glycosylation and secretion pathways; oral bacteria-mediated bone resorption; and development of small molecule inhibitors for oral pathogens and pathogens-mediated bone resorption.
Research Interests:
Bacterial biofilm development is crucial for numerous persistent and chronic bacterial infections in humans. We study molecular mechanisms governing bacterial biofilm formation using oral bacteria as model systems. We are particularly interested in glycosylation and biogenesis of serine-rich repeat adhesins that are widespread in oral streptococci and many pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. Our study is aimed to uncover new and conserved bacterial glycosylation and secretion pathways that are amenable to therapeutic strategy to control bacterial colonization and pathogenesis. We also study the interactions between bacterial biofilms and hosts, and how the biofilm formation modulates vegetation in infective endocarditis and bone remodeling dynamics in periodontal disease. In collaboration with chemists, we are developing small molecule inhibitors that block biofilm formation of oral pathogens and osteoclastogenesis, which may have therapeutic potentials for treatment of oral infectious diseases and other resorption related bone disorders.
Selected publications: (PubMed for Dr. Hui Wu)
[1] Wu R, Zhou M, Wu H. Purification and characterization of an active N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase enzyme complex from Streptococci. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2010 Dec;76(24):7966-71. Epub 2010 Oct 22. PMID: 20971868
[2] Chen J, Sun Y, Mao X, Liu Q, Wu H*, Chen Y*. RANKL up-regulates brain-type creatine kinase via poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 during osteoclastogenesis. J Biol Chem. 2010 Nov 19;285 (47):36315-21. Epub 2010 Sep 13. (*co-corresponding authors). PMID: 20837480
[3] Ramboarina S, Garnett JA, Zhou M, Li Y, Peng Z, Taylor JD, Lee WC, Bodey A, Murray JW, Alguel Y, Bergeron J, Bardiaux B, Sawyer E, Isaacson R, Tagliaferri C, Cota E, Nilges M, Simpson P, Ruiz T, Wu H*, Matthews S*. Structural insights into serine-rich fimbriae from gram-positive bacteria. J Biol Chem. 2010 Oct 15;285 (42):32446-57. Epub 2010 Jun 28. (*co-corresponding authors). PMID: 20584910
[4] Zhou M, Zhu F, Dong S, Pritchard DG, Wu H. A novel glucosyltransferase is required for glycosylation of a serine-rich adhesin and biofilm formation by Streptococcus parasanguinis. J Biol Chem. 2010 Apr 16;285(16):12140-8. Epub 2010 Feb 17. PMID: 20164186
[5] Turner LS, Kanamoto T, Unoki T, Munro CL, Wu H, Kitten T. Comprehensive evaluation of Streptococcus sanguinis cell wall-anchored proteins in early infective endocarditis. Infect Immun. 2009 Nov;77(11):4966-75. Epub 2009 Aug 24. PMID: 19703977
[6] Zhou M, Peng Z, Fives-Taylor P, Wu H. A conserved C-terminal 13-amino-acid motif of Gap1 is required for Gap1 function and necessary for the biogenesis of a serine-rich glycoprotein of Streptococcus parasanguinis. Infect Immun. 2008 Dec;76(12):5624-31. Epub 2008 Oct 13. PMID: 18852249
[7] Li Y, Chen Y, Huang X, Zhou M, Wu R, Dong S, Pritchard DG, Fives-Taylor P, Wu H. A conserved domain of previously unknown function in Gap1 mediates protein-protein interaction and is required for biogenesis of a serine-rich streptococcal adhesin. Mol Microbiol. 2008 Dec;70(5):1094-104. Epub 2008 Sep 30. PMID: 18826412
[8] Chen Y, Wang X, Di L, Fu G, Chen Y, Bai L, Liu J, Feng X, McDonald JM, Michalek S, He Y, Yu M, Fu YX, Wen R, Wu H*, Wang D*. Phospholipase Cgamma2 mediates RANKL-stimulated lymph node organogenesis and osteoclastogenesis. J Biol Chem. 2008 Oct 24;283(43):29593-601. Epub 2008 Aug 26. (*co-corresponding authors). PMID: 18728019
[9] Bu S, Li Y, Zhou M, Azadin P, Zeng M, Fives-Taylor P, Wu H. Interaction between two putative glycosyltransferases is required for glycosylation of a serine-rich streptococcal adhesin. J Bacteriol. 2008 Feb;190(4):1256-66. Epub 2007 Dec 14. PMID: 18083807
[10] Wu H*, Zeng M, Fives-Taylor P. The glycan moieties and the N-terminal polypeptide backbone of a fimbria-associated adhesin, Fap1, play distinct roles in the biofilm development of Streptococcus parasanguinis. Infect Immun. 2007 May;75(5):2181-8. Epub 2007 Feb 12. PMID: 17296746