Selected publications

See Google Scholar for a complete list.

Willis, LM, Mehta, D, Davis A (2020) Twelve Principles Trainees, PIs, Departments, and Faculties Can Use to Reduce Bias and Discrimination in STEM. ACS Central Science.

Tajik, A, Phillips KL, Nitz M, Willis LM (2020) A new ELISA assay demonstrates sex differences in the concentration of serum polysialic acid. Anal. Biochem. 600:113743

Bassan, J.*, Willis L.M.*, Vellanki, R.N., Nguyen, A., Edgar, L.J., Wouters, B.G., Nitz, M. (2019) TePhe, a tellurium-containing phenylalanine mimic, allows monitoring of protein synthesis in vivo with mass cytometry. PNAS 116(17):8155-8160
*Authors contributed equally to this work.

Willis, L.M., Park, H., Watson, M., Majonis, D., Nitz, M. (2018) Tellurium-based mass tag barcodes live and fixed cells for use with mass cytometry. Cytometry A. 93(7):685-694

Lumba, M.*, Willis, L.M.*, Santra, S., Nitz, M. (2017) A beta-galactosidase activity-based probe for detection of cellular senescence by mass cytometry. Org. Biomol. Chem. 15(30):6388-6392
*Authors contributed equally to this work.

Sun, Y., Willis, L.M., Batchelder, H., Nitz, M. (2016) Site specific protein O-glucosylation with bacterial toxins. Chem. Comm. 52(88):13024-13026.

Park, H., Edgar, L.J., Lumba, M., Willis, L.M., Nitz, M. (2015) Organotelluriums for mass cytometry reagent development. Org. Biomol. Chem. 13(25):7027-7033.
*One of the 2015 Hot Articles in Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry.

Willis, L.M., Whitfield, C. (2013) KpsC and KpsS are retaining 3-deoxy-D-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo) transferases involved in synthesis of capsular polysaccharides in Gram-negative bacteria. PNAS USA. 110(51):20753-20758.

Willis, L.M., Whitfield, C. (2013) Structure, biosynthesis and function of bacterial capsular polysaccharides synthesized by ABC transporter-dependent pathways. Carbohydrate research. 378:35-44. Review.
*One of the Top 10 most cited articles published in Carbohydrate Research (2013-2014).

Willis, L.M., Stupak, J., Richards, M.R., Lowary, T.L., Li, J, Whitfield, C. (2013) Conserved glycolipid termini in capsular polysaccharides synthesized by the ATP-binding cassette transporter-dependent pathways in Gram-negative pathogens. PNAS USA. 110(19):7868-7873.

Willis, L.M., Whitfield, C. (2013) in Escherichia coli: Virulence Mechanisms of a Versatile Pathogen. ed Donnenberg, M. (Elsevier Inc., Maryland), pp 533-556.

Lindhout, T., Iqbal, U., Willis, L.M., Reid, A.N., Li, J., Liu, X., Moreno, M., Wakarchuk, W.W. (2011) Site-specific enzymatic polysialylation of therapeutic proteins using bacterial enzymes. PNAS USA. 108(18):7397-7402

Larue, K., Ford, R.C., Willis, L.M., Whitfield C. (2011) Functional and structural characterization of polysaccharide co-polymerase proteins required for polymer export in ABC transporter-dependent capsule biosynthesis pathways. J. Biol. Chem. 286(19):16658-16668

Howard, M.D., Willis, L., Wakarchuk, W., St Michael, F., Cox, A., Horne, W.T., Hontecillas, R., Bassaganya-Riera, J., Lorenz, E., Inzana, TJ. (2011) Genetics and molecular specificity of sialylation of Histophilus somni lipooligosaccharide (LOS) and the effect of LOS sialylation on Toll-like receptor-4 signaling. Vet. Microbiol. 153(1-2):163-172

Willis, L.M., Zhang, R., Reid, A., Withers, S.G., and Wakarchuk, W.W. (2009) Mechanistic investigation of the endo-a-N-acetylgalactosaminidase from Streptococcus pneumoniae R6. Biochemistry. 48(43):10334-10341 *These authors contributed equally to the work.

Morley, T.J., Willis, L.M., Whitfield, C., Wakarchuk, W.W., and Withers, S.G. (2009) A new sialidase mechanism: bacteriophage K1F endo-sialidase is an inverting glycosidase. J. Biol. Chem. 284:17404-17410

Caines, M.E., Zhu, H., Vuckovic, M., Willis, L.M., Withers, S.G., Wakarchuk, W.W., and Strynadka, N.C. (2008) The structural basis for T-antigen hydrolysis by Streptococcus pneumoniae: a target for structure-based vaccine design. J. Biol. Chem. 283:31279-31283

Willis, L.M., Gilbert, M., Karwaski, M.-F., Blanchard, M.-C., and Wakarchuk, W. (2008) Characterization of α-2,8-polysialyltransferase from Neisseria meningitidis with synthetic acceptors, and the development of a self-priming polysialyltransferase fusion enzyme. Glycobiol. 18:177-186