Structure and gene cluster of the O-antigen of Escherichia coli O109; chemical and genetic evidences of the presence of L-RhaN3N derivatives in the O-antigens of E. coli O109 and O119

O-antigen representing the O-polysaccharide chain of the lipopolysaccharide is the most variable constituent on the cell surface of Gram-negative bacteria and a player in their pathogenicity. The O-polysaccharide of Escherichia coli O109 was studied by sugar analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and found to contain a rarely occurring monosaccharide, 2,3-diacetamido-2,3,6-trideoxy-l-mannose (l-RhaNAc3NAc). The following structure of the tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide was established, which is closely related to that of Proteus penneri O66: Ac--4-β-L-RhapNAc3NAc -->4)-α-D-Glcp-(1-->3)-α-L-6dTalp-(1-->3)-β-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->. The O-antigen gene cluster of E. coli O109 was sequenced and all 14 genes found were assigned functions based on their similarity to genes from the available databases. Putative genes for synthesis of l-RhaN3N were found in E. coli O109 and their homologues in E. coli O119, whose O-antigen has been reported earlier to contain 2-acetamido-2,3,6-trideoxy-3-formamido-d-mannose (d-RhaNAc3NFo). Analysis by GLC of the (S)-2-octyl glycosides confirmed that the absolute configuration of RhaN3N in E. coli O119 should be revised from D TO L.     

The O-polysaccharide of Escherichia coli O112ac has the same structure as that of Shigella dysenteriae type 2 but is devoid of O-acetylation: a revision of the S. dysenteriae type 2 O-polysaccharide structure

The O-antigen structure of Shigella dysenteriae type 2 was reinvestigated using chemical modifications along with high-resolution 2D (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. The O-antigen was found to contain a pyruvic acid acetal, which was overlooked in an early study, and the following revised structure of the pentasaccharide repeating unit was established: where approximately 70% GlcNAc residues bear an O-acetyl group at position 3. The O-antigen of Escherichia coli O112ac was found to have the same carbohydrate structure but to lack O-acetylation.     

Phenotypic variation in molecular mimicry between Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharides and human gastric epithelial cell surface glycoforms. Acid-induced phase variation in Lewis(x) and Lewis(y) expression by H. Pylori lipopolysaccharides.

Helicobacter pylori is an important gastroduodenal pathogen of humans whose survival in the gastric environment below pH 4 is dependent on bacterial production of urease, whereas above pH 4 urease-independent mechanisms are involved in survival, but that remain to be elucidated fully. Previous structural investigations on the lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) of H. pylori have shown that the majority of these surface glycolipids express partially fucosylated, glucosylated, or galactosylated N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) O-polysaccharide chains containing Lewis(x) (Le(x)) and/or Lewis(y) (Le(y)), although some strains also express type 1 determinants, Lewis(a), Lewis(b), and H-1 antigen. In this study, we investigated acid-induced changes in the structure and composition of LPS and cellular lipids of the genome-sequenced strain, H. pylori 26695. When grown in liquid medium at pH 7, the O-chain consisted of a type 2 LacNAc polysaccharide, which was glycosylated with alpha-1-fucose at O-3 of the majority of N-acetylglucosamine residues forming Le(x) units, including chain termination by a Le(x) unit. However, growth in liquid medium at pH 5 resulted in production of a more complex O-chain whose backbone of type 2 LacNAc units was partially glycosylated with alpha L-fucose, thus forming Le(x), whereas the majority of the nonfucosylated N-acetylglucosamine residues were substituted at O-6 by alpha-D-galactose residues, and the chain was terminated by a Le(y) unit. In contrast, detailed chemical analysis of the core and lipid A components of LPS and analysis of cellular lipids did not show significant differences between H. pylori 26695 grown at pH 5 and 7. Although putative molecular mechanisms affecting Le(x) and Le(y) expression have been investigated previously, this is the first report identifying an environmental trigger inducing phase variation of Le(x) and Le(y) in H. pylori that can aid adaptation of the bacterium to its ecological niche.     

Structural and genetic characterization of Escherichia coli O99 antigen

The influence of antibiotic exposure in the early postnatal period on the development of intestinal microbiota was monitored in 26 infants including five antibiotic-treated (AT) subjects orally administered a broad-spectrum antibiotic for the first 4 days of life and three caesarean-delivered (CD) subjects whose mothers were intravenously injected by the similar type of antibiotics in the same period. The faecal bacterial composition was analysed daily for the first 5 days and monthly for the first 2 months. Terminal restriction fragment length polymor-phisms in the AT subjects showed less diversity with the attenuation of the colonization of some bacterial groups, especially in Bifidobacterium and unusual colonization of Enterococcus in the first week than the control antibiotic-free infants (AF, n =18). Quantitative real-time PCR showed overgrowth of enterococci (day 3, P =0.01; day 5, P =0.003; month 1, P =0.01) and arrested growth of Bifidobacterium (day 3, P =0.03) in the AT group. Furthermore, after 1 month, the Enterobacteriaceae population was markedly higher in the AT group than in the AF group (month 1, P =0.02; month 2, P =0.02). CD infants sustained similar, although relatively weaker, alteration in the developing microbiota. These results indicate that antibiotic exposure at the beginning of life greatly influences the development of neonatal intestinal microbiota.     

Structure and genetics of Shigella O antigens

This review covers the O antigens of the 46 serotypes of Shigella, but those of most Shigella flexneri are variants of one basic structure, leaving 34 Shigella distinct O antigens to review, together with their gene clusters. Several of the structures and gene clusters are reported for the first time and this is the first such group for which structures and DNA sequences have been determined for all O antigens. Shigella strains are in effect Escherichia coli with a specific mode of pathogenicity, and 18 of the 34 O antigens are also found in traditional E. coli. Three are very similar to E. coli O antigens and 13 are unique to Shigella strains. The O antigen of Shigella sonnei is quite atypical for E. coli and is thought to have transferred from Plesiomonas. The other 12 O antigens unique to Shigella strains have structures that are typical of E. coli, but there are considerably more anomalies in their gene clusters, probably reflecting recent modification of the structures. Having the complete set of structures and genes opens the way for experimental studies on the role of this diversity in pathogenicity.     

Structure of an acylated exopolysaccharide synthesized by Acinetobacter sp

The complex preparation ethapolan synthesized by Acinetobacter sp. consists of neutral (minor component) and two acidic exopolysaccharides (EPS) one of which is acylated. On the basis of chemical modification of EPS, solvolysis with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride resulting in a penta- and octasaccharide fragments, Smith degradation, 1H- and 13C NMR analysis the following structure of the acylated polysaccharide repeating unit has been established (scheme): It is suggested that in the acylated EPS at least one glucose residue and the galactose residue are O-acylated.     

Structure of the O-specific polysaccharide of Proteus vulgaris O45 containing 3-acetamido-3,6-dideoxy-D-galactose

An O-specific polysaccharide was isolated by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus vulgaris O45 and studied by sugar and methylation analyses along with 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, including 2D COSY, TOCSY, ROESY, H-detected 1H,13C HSQC and HMBC experiments. The following structure of the pentasaccharide repeating unit of the polysaccharide was established:-->6)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)-alpha-D-GalpNAc-(1-->4)-alpha-D-GalpA-(1-->3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->2)-beta-D-Fucp3NAc4Ac-(1-->where Fuc3NAc4Ac is 3-acetamido-4-O-acetyl-3,6-dideoxygalactose. A cross-reactivity of anti-P. vulgaris O45 serum was observed with several other Proteus lipopolysaccharides, which contains Fuc3N derivatives.     

NMR-based identification of cell wall galactomannan of Streptomyces sp. VKM Ac-2125

The major cell wall polymer of Streptomyces sp. VKM Ac-2125, the causative agent of potato scab, is galactomannan with the repeating unit of the following structure: [carbohydrate structure in text] The polysaccharide with such a structure is found in the bacterial cell wall for the first time. The cell wall also contains small amount of a teichoic acid of the poly(glycerol phosphate) type and 3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-non-2-ulopyranosonic acid.     

A new polymer of 8,9-di-O-glucosylated 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-nonulosonic acid from a cell wall of Brevibacterium casei AEI Ac-2114T

A polysaccharide containing the residues of 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-nonulosonic acid (Kdn) was found in the cell wall of the Brevibacterium casei strain AEI Ac-2114T . The polymer structure was elucidated by analyzing one-dimensional spectra of 1H and 13C NMR and bidimentional experiments 1H/13C-COSY, TOCSY, 1H/13C-gHSQC, and 1H/13C-gHMBC. The polymer is built up of the 2--> 4-linked Kdn residues substituted by beta-D-Glcp residues at 8- and 9-hydroxyls; such a polymer with disubstituted Kdn residues was found for the first time. A glycosylated teichoic acid of the 1,3-poly(glycerophosphate) type was also identified among other anionic polymers of cell wall.     

A new polymer of 8,9-Di-O-Glucosylated 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-nonulosonic acid from a cell wall of Brevibacterium casei ACM Ac-2114T

A polysaccharide containing the residues of 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-nonulosonic acid (Kdn) was found in the cell wall of the Brevibacterium casei strain ACM Ac-2114^T. The polymer structure was elucidated by analyzing one-dimensional spectra of ¹H and ¹³C NMR and bidimentional experiments ¹H/¹H-COSY, TOCSY, ¹H/¹³C-gHSQC, and ¹H/¹³C-gHMBC. The polymer is built up of the 2 → 4-linked Kdn residues substituted by β-D-Glcp residues at 8- and 9-hydroxyls; such a polymer with disubstituted Kdn residues was found for the first time. A glycosylated teichoic acid of the 1,3-poly(glycerolphosphate) type was also identified among other anionic polymers of cell wall.