Helicobacter pylori motility apparatus

The Helicobacter pylori motility apparatus is a complex macromolecular machine essential for the survival and pathogenicity of the bacterium within the human stomach. It consists of multiple flagella, each composed of a motor, a hook, and a filament made of flagellin proteins (FlaA and FlaB), which allow the bacterium to swim through the viscous gastric mucus to reach the epithelial surface. Syringaresinol, a natural lignan found in plants such as the Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), has been identified as a potent inhibitor of this motility system (Miyazawa et al., 2006). By disrupting the function of the flagellar machinery, Syringaresinol prevents H. pylori from colonizing the gastric mucosa, thereby mitigating its ability to cause gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer. In addition to its direct effects on bacterial motility, Syringaresinol also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties in the host by inhibiting enzymes like cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which further protects the gastric lining from infection-induced damage (Abou Baker et al., 2023). This dual action makes the motility apparatus an attractive target for the development of non-antibiotic anti-virulence therapies.

Other names

Helicobacter pylori flagellar motorH. pylori motility machineryFlagellar assembly systemFlagellar apparatus

Inhibition of flagellar-mediated motility and bacterial colonization