Basic structure of the oligosaccharide repeating-unit of the Shigella flexneri O-antigens

Structure of the major lipopolysaccharide antigenic O-chain produced by Salmonella carrau (O:6, 14, 24)

Salmonella carrau, which belongs to group H (O:6, 14, 24) of the Kauffmann-White classification system, produced a major (90%) smooth lipopolysaccharide which by SDS-PAGE, glycose analysis, methylation, periodate oxidation, deamination, and 1H- and 13C-n.m.r. studies was shown to have an O-polysaccharide moiety composed of a repeating pentasaccharide having the structure: (formula: see text).

Structural studies of the O-antigen polysaccharide of Salmonella thompson, serogroup C1 (6,7)

The structure of the O-antigen polysaccharide of Salmonella thompson, serogroup C1 (6,7) has been investigated mainly by methylation analysis, n.m.r. spectroscopy, specific degradations by a phage-associated enzyme, N-deacetylation-deamination, and f.a.b.-m.s. It is concluded that the structure involves the following repeating unit. (formula; see text) There are two populations of chains, with and without alpha-D-glucopyranosyl groups, 3-linked to an alpha-D-Manp residue, and only the latter type is hydrolysed by the phage enzyme. The alpha linkage of the third Manp residue is cleaved by the O14 phage enzyme. The structure, with or without the alpha-D-glucopyranosyl group, represents the biological repeating-unit.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for Shigella flexneri lipopolysaccharides: clones binding to type IV, V, and VI antigens, group 3,4 antigen, and an epitope common to all Shigella flexneri and Shigella dysenteriae type 1 stains

Monoclonal antibodies reactive with Shigella flexneri O antigens were generated in both mouse and rat systems. Antibody-producing hybridomas were screened in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using chemically defined lipopolysaccharides as antigens, and the epitope specificities were determined with a panel of lipopolysaccharides and synthetic O-antigen-specific glycoconjugates as antigens. To verify the specificity seen in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the antibodies were used in agglutination against a large number of S. flexneri strains. Monoclonal antibodies with the following specificities were identified: type, antigen IV (reactive with serotype 4a and 4b bacteria); type antigen V (reactive with serotype 5a and 5b bacteria); type antigen VI (reactive with serotype 6 bacteria); group antigen 3,4(reactive with serotype 1a, 2a, 3b, 4a, 5a, and Y bacteria); and group antigen 1 (reactive with an epitope present on all S. flexneri and Shigella dysenteriae type 1 bacteria). Furthermore, a monoclonal antibody defining a new O-antigenic epitope present on some S. flexneri strains of serotypes 4a, X, and Y was characterized (4X). The monoclonal antibodies analyzed in this study define epitopes described by polyclonal antisera (type antigens IV, V, and VI), define a hitherto uncharacterized epitope (group antigen 1), and finally identify new epitopes in what has previously been considered as one epitope (group antigen 3,4 and type antigen IV). These immunochemically characterized monoclonal antibodies may have a powerful potential in studies of the importance of humoral immunity in shigellosis.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for Shigella flexneri lipopolysaccharides: clones binding to type I and type III:6,7,8 antigens, group 6 antigen, and a core epitope

Monoclonal antibodies against the Shigella flexneri lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were generated in two fusions by using the myeloma cell line Sp2/0 as a fusion partner with spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with S. flexneri serotypes 1b and 3a bacteria. The antibodies were characterized by immunoblotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), hemagglutination, and coagglutination. Four different types of monoclonal antibodies were isolated: antibodies specific for the core antigen of the LPS, antibodies specific for the type I O antigen, antibodies specific for the group 6 O antigen, and antibodies specific for the type III:6,7,8 O antigen. The core-specific antibodies were shown to be specific for the Escherichia coli R3 core, which all S. flexneri LPSs tested, except for S. flexneri serotype 6 LPS, have. The type I O antigen-specific antibodies were shown to bind exclusively to S. flexneri serotypes 1a and 1b in ELISA. The type III:6,7,8 O-antigen-specific antibodies were specific for S. flexneri serotype 3a in ELISA and hemagglutination. Two different group 6 O-antigen-specific antibodies were bound. One was bound in both ELISA and hemagglutination to LPSs of S. flexneri serotypes 1b, 3a, 3b, and 4b, whereas the second was bound only to LPSs of serotypes 3a, 3b, and 4b in ELISA but to LPSs of all four serotypes in hemagglutination. The specificity of the isolated I, III:6,7,8, and group 6 monoclonal antibodies was verified by coagglutination of 363 S. flexneri clinical isolates.

Shigella flexneri O-antigen epitopes: chemical and immunochemical analyses reveal that epitopes of type III and group 6 antigens are identical

In the present investigation we studied the nature of a Shigella flexneri O antigen, the type III antigen. No structural entity has yet been attributed to this antigen. Phenol-water-extracted lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) from all S. flexneri serotypes possessing either group 6 antigen or both type III antigen and group 6 antigen were subjected to de-O-acetylation by weak alkali treatment. Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of serotype 3a native LPS and de-O-acetylated LPS were completely resolved, confirming the established structure (L. Kenne, B. Lindberg, K. Petersson, E. Katzenellenbogen, and E. Romanowska, Eur. J. Biochem. 91:279-284, 1978) and proving that no other structural alteration was introduced by the treatment. Both native and de-O-acetylated LPSs of serotypes 1b, 3a, 3b, and 4b were tested in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay against four absorbed rabbit anti-S. flexneri antisera and three monoclonal antibodies with specificity for different parts of the S. flexneri type III antigen and group 6 antigen. Upon de-O-acetylation, all binding capacity for the tested antibodies was lost. The chemical and immunological results indicate that the type III and group 6 antigens of S. flexneri are one and the same, a result of the presence of the O-acetyl group in rhamnose III of the repeating unit of the S. flexneri O-antigen chain.

Structural studies of a neutral polymeric fraction from the lipopolysaccharide of Serratia marcescens C.D.C. 1783-57 (O14:H9)

A "neutral" polymer of glucose, galactose, and 2-acetamido-2-deoxyglucose (molar ratios 1:1:2) has been isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of Serratia marcescens strain C.D.C. 1783-57 (O14:H9). Degradative and spectroscopic studies established that the polysaccharide has a branched tetrasaccharide repeating-unit of the structure shown. The polymer was absent from other strains of serogroup O14 studied, but a polymer differing only in the configuration of the glucose residue has previously been isolated from a strain of S. marcescens O8. The polymer from strain C.D.C. 1783-57 also shares structural features with the Escherichia coli O18 antigen, which is known to be serologically related to the S. marcescens O8 antigen. (Formula: see text).

The identification of antigenic determinants by a coupled inhibition-agar diffusion method

The determination of the chemical nature of immunodeterminant groups of carbohydrate antigens has been achieved by a micro method coupling inhibition and double diffusion in agar. This method has been tested with antigens which react with anti-lactose, anti-galactose, anti-N-acetyl-glucosamine and antirhamnose antibodies. The analysis can be performed with as little as 10 micrograms of inhibitor, 0.2 microgram of antigen and 10 micrograms of antibody. The procedure has also been used for the identification of the determinant groups of 2 antigens with a phosphoglycan structure. The determinants of these antigens have been found to be N-acetyl-beta-glucosamine 1-phosphate and beta-glucose 1-phosphate. The glycosyl 1-phosphate units are novel types of antigenic determinants and antigens with such determinants should be useful for investigating the interactions of antigens with homologous antibodies. The specificity of monoclonal antibodies directed at an O-antigen has been determined by use of the coupled method.

Structural studies of the O-antigen of the lipopolysaccharide from an avirulent strain (M4S) of Pseudomonas solanacearum

The structure of the O-antigen of the lipopolysaccharide from an avirulent strain (M4S) of Pseudomonas solanacearum has been investigated by methylation analysis, n.m.r. spectroscopy, and N-deacetylation-deamination, followed by analysis and controlled Smith-degradation of the product. These studies demonstrate that the O-antigen is composed of a tetrasaccharide repeating-unit having the following structure: ----3)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1----2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1----2)-alpha- L-Rhap-(1----3)- alpha-L-Rhap-(1----.

Structural studies of the Escherichia coli O-antigen 6

The structure of the Escherichia coli O-antigen 6 has been investigated using n.m.r. spectroscopy, methylation analysis, and various specific degradations. It is concluded that the O-antigen is composed of pentasaccharide repeating-units having the following structure. (Formula: see text)

The Shigella flexneri O-antigenic polysaccharide chain. Nature of the biological repeating unit

The sequence of monosaccharides in the biological repeating tetrasaccharide unit of Shigella flexneri variant Y O-antigenic polysaccharide chain was determined by subjecting three oligosaccharides of the polysaccharide, obtained by phage-Sf6-mediated enzymatic hydrolysis, to methylation analysis and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The smallest saccharide was shown to be a tetrasaccharide with the structure alpha-L-Rhap-(1-2)-L-Rha. The next saccharide, an octasaccharide, was shown to be a dimer of the tetrasaccharide with the L-Rha residues linked alpha 1.3. The longest saccharide was shown to be a decasaccharide with the following structure: alpha-L-Rhap-(1-2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1- 3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-2)-alpha-L-Rhap++ + +-(1-3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-2)-alpha-L-R hap-(1-2)-L-Rha. Thus the decasaccharide differed from the octasaccharide and tetrasaccharide by having the alpha-L-Rhap-(1-2)-L-Rhap disaccharide added in the terminal non-reducing end of the saccharide chain. This shows that the alpha-L-Rhap-(1-2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1- 3)-D-GlcpNAc tetrasaccharide is the biological repeating unit of the O chain and that the repeating units are joined through a beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-2)-L-Rhap linkage. Inhibition experiments utilizing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with S. flexneri Y lipopolysaccharide/S. flexneri Y rabbit antiserum showed that the decasaccharide was the best inhibitor (threefold as active as the octasaccharide and sixtyfold as active as the tetrasaccharide); this supports the postulated structure of the biological repeating unit.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for O-antigenic polysaccharides of Shigella flexneri: clones binding to II, II:3,4, and 7,8 epitopes

Hybrid cells producing monoclonal antibodies against the O-antigens of Shigella flexneri were obtained by polyethylene glycol-mediated fusion of myeloma cells and lymphocytes from BALB/c mice immunized with whole heat-killed S. flexneri bacteria of serotypes 2a and 2b. Clones were selected for their binding specificity to structurally defined S. flexneri lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The following three groups were identified as recognizing three different epitopes: monoclonal antibodies binding to (i) S. flexneri LPS with the II:3,4 antigens, (ii) S. flexneri LPS with the II:3,4 antigens and the II:7,8 antigens, and (iii) S. flexneri LPS with the 7,8 group antigen only. Of cloned and characterized antibodies, more than 90% had either the mu or gamma 3 heavy chain and 98% had the kappa light chain. The exquisite specificity of each monoclonal antibody preparation was in complete contrast to the polyclonal specificities seen in sera from immunized rabbits. Even absorbed rabbit S. flexneri typing sera contained antibodies reacting with several different LPS, i.e., they were not type antigen specific. Ascites from immunoglobulin G monoclonal antibody preparations representing the three different specificities were used for sensitizing Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 bacteria and were used in coagglutination. In testing 211 clinical isolates of all different serotypes of S. flexneri, the reagents were shown to be sensitive and specific in correctly identifying all S. flexneri II and 7,8 antigen-containing strains with no false positives. Two isolated immunoglobulin M antibody clones specific for the II:3,4 and 7,8 antigens were used as successfully for identification by direct slide agglutination. These results suggest that the monoclonal reagents are superior to conventional typing antisera.

Mitogenic leukoagglutinin from Phaseolus vulgaris binds to a pentasaccharide unit in N-acetyllactosamine-type glycoprotein glycans

The carbohydrate binding specificity of leukoagglutinin (La; Phaseolus vulgaris isolectin L4) was studied by using quantitative precipitation and precipitation-inhibition. A series of purified glycopeptides and synthetic oligosaccharides were used as inhibitors. The minimal structural unit required for La binding was the disaccharide GlcNac(1 leads to beta 2)Man. Additions for this basic unit of different sugar residues gave a positive or negative contribution to binding. The most complementary structure was the pentasaccharide (formula: see text). This pentasaccharide units occurs in tetraantennary N-acetyllactosamine-type glycoprotein glycans. Glycoproteins containing such structures were accordingly precipitated by La. Selected glycopeptides and oligosaccharides were also tested as inhibitors of La-induced DNA synthesis in human lymphocytes. The pattern of inhibition was essentially the same as that obtained by precipitation-inhibition, indicating that binding to lymphocytes via the carbohydrate binding site of the lectin is an essential step in the activation process.

Isolation and structural studies of the neutral oligosaccharide units from bovine glycophorin

The O-glycosidically linked carbohydrate units of glycophorin from bovine erythrocyte membranes were released as reduced oligosaccharides by alkaline borohydride treatment. These oligosaccharides were separated by ion-exchange chromatography followed by gel filtration. Three oligosaccharides, a penta- a hepta- and a decasaccharide were obtained as the major components from the neutral fraction, and seven fractions were separated from the acidic fractions. All of the fractions were found to contain galactose and N-acetylglucosamine in variable amounts, as well as N-acetylgalactosaminitol. Studies of the neutral oligosaccharides by methylation analyses, nitrous acid deamination and Smith degradation, indicated the structure of the pentasaccharide to be Gal(1 leads to 3)Gal(1 leads to 4)GlcNAc(1 leads to 3)GalNAcol and that of the heptasaccharide to be Gal(1 leads to 3)Gal(1 leads to 4)GlcNAc(1 leads to 3)Gal(1 leads to 4)GlcNAc(1 leads to 3)Gal(1 leads to 3)GalNAcol. The highest molecular weight fraction, decasaccharide in the neutral fraction had a branching point at C-6 of a galactose residue.

Structural studies of the O-specific side-chain of the lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli O 55

The structure of the O-specific side-chains of the lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli O 55 has been investigated, methylation analysis, specific degradations, and n.m.r. spectroscopy being the principal methods used. It is concluded that the O-specific side-chains are composed of pentasaccharide repeating-units having the following structure [where Col stands for colitose (3,6-dideoxy-L-xylo-hexose)].(See formula in text).

Artificial carbohydrate antigens: the synthesis of a tetrasaccharide hapten, a Shigella flexneri O-antigen repeating unit

The 8-methoxycarbonyloctyl glycoside of the tetrasaccharide hapten, O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 leads to 2)-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 leads to 3)-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 leads to 3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside and the trisaccharide glycoside 8-methoxycarbonyloctyl O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 leads to 3)-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 leads to 3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside were synthesized by sequential Koenigs-Knorr reactions from monosaccharide units. The tetrasaccharide represents the complete skeletal repeating unit of Shigella flexneri serogroup Y lipopolysaccharide. Both oligosaccharide haptens are functionalized for covalent attachment to proteins, cell surfaces, and solid supports. 1H-N.m.r. evidence for the conformations of these oligosaccharides in solution is presented and shown to be consistent with predictions based on the exo-anomeric effect.

Structural studies of the lipopolysaccharide from Salmonella typhimurium 902 (ColIb drd2)

Salmonella typhimurium infected with the plasmid ColIb drd2 gave rise to changes in the composition of the bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Bacteria carrying the wild-type ColIb, the revertant of drd2 to the wild type, or the noncolicinogenic strain resulting from the elimination of ColIb drd2, showed no changes in the sugar composition of the lipopolysaccharide. The structure of the O-specific side chains of the lipopolysaccharide produced by S. typhimurium 902, infected with derepressed ColIb mutants has been investigated. As a result of these studies, it is proposed that the O-specific side chains are composed of chemical repeating units with the following structure: (formula: see text).

Somatic antigens of Shigella. The structure of the specific polysaccharide of Shigella newcastle (Sh. flexneri type 6) lipopolysaccharide

The specific polysaccharide was obtained from the lipopolysaccharide of Shigella newcastle by mild acid hydrolysis and further purified by permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-50. It was found to consist of L-rhamnose, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose, D-galacturonic acid residues and O-acetyl groups in the molar ratios of 2:1:1:1. On the basis of 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, methylation analysis, partial acid hydrolysis, Smith degradation, and chromium trioxide oxidation, the following structure can be assigned to the repeating oligosaccharide unit of the polysaccharide:-4)DGalA(beta 1-3)DGalNAc-(beta 1-2)LAc3Rha(alpha 1-2)LRha(alpha 1-, where GalA = galacturonic acid. GalNAc = N-acetylgalactosamine, Ac3Rha = 3-O-acetylrhamnose. The structural and immunochemical data presented prove that Sh. newcastle lipopolysaccharide belongs to a 'non-classical' type of somatic antigens with acidic O-specific polysaccharide chains.

Structural studies of Shigella flexneri O-antigens

The structures of the O-antigens of all known serotypes and subserotypes of Shigella flexneri have been reinvestigated. The results support the assumption that these antigens are composed of a basic tetrasaccharide repeating unit (1), to which alpha-D-glucopyranosyl and/or O-acetyl groups are attached at different positions. Leads to 3)-beta-D-GlcNAcp-(1 leads to 2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 leads to 2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 leads to 3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 leads to The immunological determinants responsible for O-factors I, II, IV, V and 7, 8 contain alpha-D-gluco-pyranosyl groups, the locations of which have been determined. O-Factor 6 is due to O-acetyl groups, linked to O-2 of the 3-substituted alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl residue in unit 1 and O-factor III seems to be due to the same groups. The chemical natures of the determinants responsible for O-factors 4 and 3, 4 are still obscure. The structural studies indicate that the immunological classification of Sh. flexneri serotypes and subserotypes, as regards these O-factors, may need revision.

Structural studies on the specific type-14 pneumococcal polysaccharide

The structure of the Pneumococcus type-14 capsular polysaccharide has been reinvestigated by using methylation analysis, different specific degradations, and n.m.r. spectroscopy. It is concluded that the polysaccharide is composed of tetrasaccharide repeating-units having the structure: (formula: see text).