Selective Inhibition of Sialic Acid-Based Molecular Mimicry in Haemophilus influenzae Abrogates Serum Resistance (Cell Chemical Biology)

Molecular mimicry of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) with host sialic acid sugars mediates resistance to serum killing and increases virulence. Heise et al. have developed sialic acid derivatives that allow either visualization or inhibition of host sialic acid transfer to NTHi, the latter enhancing serum-mediated killing.