Campylobacter proteomics: guidelines, challenges and future perspectives

Abstract

Campylobacter species are a major cause of disease in mammalian systems. The most common human etiological agent within this genus is Campylobacter jejuni – the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in the developed world. While this organism has been extensively studied at the cellular level, and the genome sequences of several strains have now been elucidated, little is known regarding the role of individual proteins in virulence processes, such as adhesion, colonization and toxicity towards host cells. Proteomics encompasses the global analysis of proteins at the organism level. The technologies included under this term have now started to be utilized for understanding how Campylobacter species respond to changes in the environment, with an emphasis on the human host, as well as to map subcellular locations of proteins, in particular those that are surface-associated. C. jejuni is also of great significance as, unlike most other bacteria, it is able to post-translationally modify its proteins. The analysis of such proteins represents a major challenge in understanding this organism at the proteomic and cellular levels. This review will examine the state-of-the-art in Campylobacter proteomics, as well as provide insights into strategies that need to be undertaken to provide a comprehensive understanding of this organism at the molecular and functional level.

Keywords::

• Campylobacter jejuni
• glycosylation
• mass spectrometry
• post-translational modifications
• proteome
• virulence factor

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by an Australian Research Council grant (DP064922). Nichollas E Scott is the recipient of an Australian Postgraduate Award. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.