Synthesis of mono- and di-fucosylated type I Lewis blood group antigens by Helicobacter pylori.

The identification of Helicobacter pylori isolates that expresses exclusively type I Lewis antigens is necessary to determine the biosynthetic pathway of these antigens. Fast-atom bombardment MS provides evidence that the H. pylori isolate UA1111 expresses predominantly Leb, with H type I and Lea in lesser amounts. Cloning and expression of the H. pylori fucosyltransferases (FucTs) allow comparisons with previously identified H. pylori enzymes and determination of the enzyme specificities. Although all FucTs, one alpha(1,2) FucT and two alpha(1,3/4) FucTs, appear to be functional in this isolate, their activities are lower and enzyme specificities are different to other H. pylori FucTs previously characterized. Studies of the cloned enzyme activities and mutational analysis indicate that Lea acts as the substrate for the synthesis of Leb. This is different from the human Leb biosynthetic pathway, but analogous to the biosynthetic pathway utilized by H. pylori for the production of Ley.