# Identification of the Role of FlgW in the Biogenesis of the fT3SS in Campylobacter jejuni

> **NIH NIH F31** · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · $40,127

## Abstract

Project Summary
The bacterial flagellum is a complex nanomachine that functions as a motor to promote bacterial swimming
through environments and is essential for colonization of many pathogens to promote disease. Flagellar
biogenesis begins with the assembly of the flagellar type III secretion system (fT3SS), which is functionally and
evolutionarily related to the injectisome T3SS (iT3SS) of many pathogens. Despite the structural similarities of
the flagellar and injectisome T3SSs, unique proteins are employed to build each system for the creation of
flagella or injectisomes. In addition, the model organisms Salmonella species or E. coli fail to account for the
diversity of components and molecular mechanisms required for flagellar biogenesis across bacterial species.
Polar flagellates, including Campylobacter jejuni¸ Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Helicobacter
pylori, require additional regulatory components to construct fT3SS in strict numbers and only at the cell poles.
We found that C. jejuni utilizes a unique protein to impact the formation of the fT3SS for flagellar biogenesis.
The major goal of this proposal, using structural, molecular, and biochemical approaches, will be to
characterize molecular mechanisms of the components required to build the fT3SS in C. jejuni. To achieve this,
the applicant will be advised by a mentoring team that includes a sponsor and dissertation committee with a
wide range of expertise including bacteriology, genetics, structural biology, protein biochemistry, and molecular
biology. The collaboration between the candidate and sponsor provides her with mentorship that is unique,
interdisciplinary, and allows for the opportunity to develop skills that will be utilized throughout the entirety of
her academic career, from post-doc to independent researcher. The resources, facilities, equipment, and
faculty available at UT Southwestern Medical Center far exceed the needs of the proposal, ensuring a
successful training environment to complete the following aims. In Aim 1, I will analyze the structure of the
fT3SS and formation of large ring structures within the fT3SS in WT C. jejuni and isogenic mutants. In Aim 2, I
will characterize the molecular mechanisms of flagellar proteins to promote fT3SS assembly in C. jejuni.
Completion of this project will: 1) contribute to the diversity of components required to build T3SSs, and 2)
expand on the molecular mechanisms of biogenesis of the fT3SS in polarly flagellated pathogens.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10996800
- **Project number:** 1F31AI186490-01
- **Recipient organization:** UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Amanda Dobbins
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $40,127
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-12-01 → 2026-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10996800

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10996800, Identification of the Role of FlgW in the Biogenesis of the fT3SS in Campylobacter jejuni (1F31AI186490-01). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/10996800. Licensed CC0.

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