The glycerolipid receptor for Helicobacter pylori (and exoenzyme S) is phosphatidylethanolamine

We have previously shown that Helicobacter pylori specifically binds to a glycerolipid species preferentially found in the antrum of the human stomach. We now show by high-pressure liquid chromatographic analysis that this species is a form of phosphatidylethanolamine and that H. pylori specifically binds to bona fide phosphatidylethanolamine as detected by a thin-layer chromatogram overlay procedure. Considerable variation in the binding of H. pylori to phosphatidylethanolamine from different sources was observed, however, suggesting the importance of the nature of the long-chain hydrophobic moiety. A similar binding specificity was shown by exoenzyme S from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, consistent with our hypothesis that that an exoenzyme S-like adhesin is responsible for the binding of H. pylori to its lipid receptors.