Predicting the Impact of Glycosylation on the Structure and Thermostability of Helicobacter pylori Blood Group Binding Adhesin

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are critically important for protein structure and function, with glycosylation being one of the most common forms of PTM. The gastric pathogen <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> has a general glycosylation system, which performs complex glycosylation of lipopolysaccharide, flagella proteins, and outer membrane proteins (OMPs). One of the best-described OMPs of <i>H. pylori</i> is the blood group binding adhesin (BabA), which interacts with the Lewis histo-blood group antigen, Lewis b. The 3D structure for BabA has been determined, and the ligand specifically described. Although BabA is reported to be a glycoprotein, there are limited data examining the effects of glycosylation on the structure and function of this protein. This study examined the folding and thermostability of non-glycosylated recombinant BabA and used computational approaches to predict the effect of glycosylation on the protein, with a focus on its possible heterologous expression in mammalian cells. Three potential O-linked and three potential N-linked glycosylation sites were predicted. Furthermore, the effect of glycan shielding on the solvent-accessible surface area of BabA was examined. Molecular dynamics simulations highlighted local indicators, including root mean square fluctuation and the number of protein-glycan contacts that were affected by glycosylation. Taken together, the findings support a role of glycans in surface shielding and promoting local stabilization in specific areas of the BabA protein. This study helps to strengthen the understanding of the importance of glycosylation and the role it plays in the structure, function, and stability of <i>H. pylori</i> proteins.