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Faculty Detail     Name HUI WU   Campus Address SDB 802 Zip 0007 Phone 205-996-2392 E-mail hwu@uab.edu Other websites

Faculty Appointment(s) Appointment Type Department Division Rank Secondary  Pathology   Molecular & Cellular Pathology Assistant Professor Secondary  Microbiology  Microbiology Professor Center  Center for Metabolic Bone Disease  Center for Metabolic Bone Disease

Graduate Biomedical Sciences Affiliations Biochemistry and Structural Biology  Cellular and Molecular Biology Program  Microbiology  Pathobiology and Molecular Medicine

Biographical Sketch  Hui Wu, Professor of Department of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Wu received his Ph.D. in Cell & Molecular Biology Program at the University of Vermont in 1999, studying streptococcal adhesion mechanisms. Dr. Wu stayed at the University of Vermont as a Research Associate in the Department of Medicine, working on identification of bacterial virulence factors induced in infective endocarditis patients. Dr. Wu joined the Microbial research group at UAB School of Dentistry in 2004. Dr. Wu's current research interests are in bacterial genetics and pathogenesis.

Society Memberships Organization Name Position Held Org Link American Society for Microbiology       International Association for Dental Research

Research/Clinical Interest Title Bacterial Genetics, Structural Biology and Glycobiology, Bacteria and Host Interactions Description Our laboratory studies bacterial genetics and pathogenesis. Our first research program is to investigate the molecular mechanism governing bacterial biofilm formation. We have identified and characterized serine-rich repeat glycoproteins that are modified by O-glycosylation, and are important for bacterial biofilm formation. A genomic island coding for a serine-rich repeat protein and its associated glycosylation and secretion components is widespread in oral streptococci and many pathogenic streptococcal and staphylococcal bacteria. Our goals are to dissect the bacterial glycosylation and secretion pathway and to elucidate the function of the protein glycosylation and secretion in bacterial colonization and pathogenesis. Another onging research project is to investigate pathogenesis of bone resorption related oral diseases. We are interested in determining the molecular mechanisms of oral bacteria-mediated inflammatory bone resorption. Using peridontal pathogens as a model we study how bacterial infections mediate osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption. In collaboration with chemists, we are developing small molecule inhibitors that block biofilm formation and osteoclastogenesis, which may have therepeutic potentials for peridontal disease and other bone-resorption related bone diseases.

Positions Available Date Posted Position Title 6/6/2012  Postdoctoral Researcher   Two positions are available, one for discovery of small molecule inhibitors of bacterial biofilms, and the other for studying bacterial protein glycosylation and secretion

Selected Publications  Publication PUBMEDID 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 Jun 28. [Epub ahead of print]   20584910   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.   20164186  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.   19703977  Zhou M, Wu H. Glycosylation and biogenesis of a family of serine-rich bacterial adhesins. Microbiology. 2009 Feb;155(Pt 2):317-27. Review.   19202081  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.   18852249  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.   18826412   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.   18728019  Peng Z, Fives-Taylor P, Ruiz T, Zhou M, Sun B, Chen Q, Wu H. Identification of critical residues in Gap3 of Streptococcus parasanguinis involved in Fap1 glycosylation, fimbrial formation and in vitro adhesion. BMC Microbiol. 2008 Mar 27;8:52.   18371226  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.   18083807  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.   17296746

Keywords streptococcal adhesin, biofilms, protein glycosylation and secretion, osteoclastogenesis, and bone resorption

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