Increases in the environmental osmolarity are key determinants for the growth of
microorganisms. To ensure a physiologically acceptable level of cellular hydration and …

Phosphorylcholine (ChoP) can be found in all life forms. Although this molecule was first
thought to be uncommon in bacteria, it is now appreciated that many bacteria express ChoP …

The cell wall of Streptococcus pneumoniae contains an unusually complex wall teichoic acid
(WTA), which has identical repeating units as the membrane-anchored lipoteichoic acid …

The choline–glycine betaine pathway plays an important role in bacterial survival in
hyperosmotic environments. Osmotic activation of the choline transporter BetT promotes the …

The human pathogen Haemophilus influenzae has the ability to quickly adapt to different
host environments through phase variation of multiple structures on its lipooligosaccharide …

Phosphocholine molecules decorating bacterial cell wall teichoic acids and outer-
membrane lipopolysaccharide have fundamental roles in adhesion to host cells, immune …

There is compelling evidence that many infectious diseases of humans are caused by more
than one microorganism. Multiple diverse in vitro systems have been used to study these …

Many bacterial surface proteins and carbohydrates are modified with phosphorylcholine
(ChoP), which contributes to host mimicry and can also promote colonization and survival in …

Choline is ubiquitous in marine eukaryotes and appears to be widely distributed in surface
marine waters; however, its metabolism by marine bacteria is poorly understood. Here …

The plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae derives better osmoprotection from choline than
from glycine betaine, unlike most bacteria that have been characterized. In this report, we …