Genetic basis of coaggregation receptor polysaccharide biosynthesis in Streptococcus sanguinis and related species.

Interbacterial adhesion between streptococci and actinomyces promotes early dental plaque biofilm development. Recognition of coaggregation receptor polysaccharides (RPS) on strains of Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus oralis by Actinomyces spp. type 2 fimbriae is the principal mechanism of these interactions. Previous studies of genetic loci for synthesis of RPS (rps) and RPS precursors (rml, galE1 and galE2) in S. gordonii 38 and S. oralis 34 revealed differences between these strains. To determine whether these differences are strain-specific or species-specific, we identified and compared loci for polysaccharide biosynthesis in additional strains of these species and in several strains of the previously unstudied species, S. sanguinis. Genes for synthesis of RPS precursors distinguished the rps loci of different streptococci. Hence, rml genes for synthesis of TDP-L-Rha were in rps loci of S. oralis strains but at other loci in S. gordonii and S. sanguinis. Genes for two distinct galactose epimerases were also distributed differently. Hence, galE1 for epimerization of UDP-Glc and UDP-Gal was in galactose operons of S. gordonii and S. sanguinis strains but surprisingly, this gene was not present in S. oralis. Moreover, galE2 for epimerization of both UDP-Glc and UDP-Gal and UDP-GlcNAc and UDP-GalNAc was at a different locus in each species, including rps operons of S. sanguinis. The findings provide insight into cell surface properties that distinguish different RPS-producing streptococci and open an approach for identifying these bacteria based on the arrangement of genes for synthesis of polysaccharide precursors.

Salivary receptors for the proline-rich protein-binding and lectin-like adhesins of oral actinomyces and streptococci.

Colonization of the tooth surface by actinomyces and viridans group streptococci involves the attachment of these bacteria to adsorbed salivary components of the acquired enamel pellicle. The hypothesis that this attachment depends on specific adhesins has now been assessed from the binding of bacteria with well-defined adhesive properties to blots of SDS-PAGE-separated parotid and submandibular-sublingual (SM-SL) saliva. Streptococcus sanguis and type 2 fimbriated Actinomyces naeslundii, which bound terminal sialic acid and Galbeta1-3GalNAc, respectively, recognized only a few SM-SL salivary components, primarily MG2. In contrast, type 1 fimbriated A. naeslundii and S. gordonii, which bound purified proline-rich proteins (PRPs), recognized several other components from both SM-SL and parotid saliva. Significantly, bacteria that lacked PRP-binding and the lectin-like activities detected by binding to MG2 failed to bind any immobilized salivary component. These findings suggest the involvement of specific adhesins in bacterial recognition of many adsorbed salivary proteins and glycoproteins.

Adhesion of viridans group streptococci to sialic acid-, galactose- and N-acetylgalactosamine-containing receptors.

The binding of 10 viridans group streptococci to sialic acid-, galactose (Gal)- and N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-containing receptors was defined by analysis of the interactions between these bacteria and structurally defined glycoconjugates, host cells and other streptococci. All interactions with sialic acid-containing receptors were Ca(2+)-independent as they were not affected by ethyleneglycoltetraacetic acid (EGTA), whereas all interactions with Gal- and GalNAc-containing receptors were Ca(2+)-dependent. Recognition of sialic acid-, Gal- and GalNAc-containing receptors varied widely among the strains examined, in a manner consistent with the association of each of the three lectin-like activities with a different bacterial cell surface component.

An alternative interpretation of nanobacteria-induced biomineralization.

The reported isolation of nanobacteria from human kidney stones raises the intriguing possibility that these microorganisms are etiological agents of pathological extraskeletal calcification [Kajander, E. O. & Ciftçioglu, N. (1998) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95, 8274-8279]. Nanobacteria were previously isolated from FBS after prolonged incubation in DMEM. These bacteria initiated biomineralization of the culture medium and were identified in calcified particles and biofilms by nucleic acid stains, 16S rDNA sequencing, electron microscopy, and the demonstration of a transferable biomineralization activity. We have now identified putative nanobacteria, not only from FBS, but also from human saliva and dental plaque after the incubation of 0.45-microm membrane-filtered samples in DMEM. Although biomineralization in our "cultures" was transferable to fresh DMEM, molecular examination of decalcified biofilms failed to detect nucleic acid or protein that would be expected from growth of a living entity. In addition, biomineralization was not inhibited by sodium azide. Furthermore, the 16S rDNA sequences previously ascribed to Nanobacterium sanguineum and Nanobacterium sp. were found to be indistinguishable from those of an environmental microorganism, Phyllobacterium mysinacearum, that has been previously detected as a contaminant in PCR. Thus, these data do not provide plausible support for the existence of a previously undiscovered bacterial genus. Instead, we provide evidence that biomineralization previously attributed to nanobacteria may be initiated by nonliving macromolecules and transferred on "subculture" by self-propagating microcrystalline apatite.

Identification of polymorphonuclear leukocyte and HL-60 cell receptors for adhesins of Streptococcus gordonii and Actinomyces naeslundii.

Interactions of oral streptococci and actinomyces with polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), mediated by sialic acid- and Gal/GalNAc-reactive adhesins, respectively, result in activation of the PMNs and thereby may contribute to the initiation of oral inflammation. Sialidase treatment of PMNs or HL-60 cells abolished adhesion of Streptococcus gordonii but was required for adhesion of Actinomyces naeslundii. The same effects of sialidase were noted for adhesion of these bacteria to a major 150-kDa surface glycoprotein of either PMNs or undifferentiated HL-60 cells and to a 130-kDa surface glycoprotein of differentiated HL-60 cells. These glycoproteins were both identified as leukosialin (CD43) by immunoprecipitation with a specific monoclonal antibody (MAb). Adhesion of streptococci and actinomyces to a 200-kDa minor PMN surface glycoprotein was also detected by bacterial overlay of untreated and sialidase-treated nitrocellulose transfers, respectively. This glycoprotein was identified as leukocyte common antigen (CD45) by immunoprecipitation with a specific MAb. CD43 and CD45 both possess extracellular mucinlike domains in addition to intracellular domains that are implicated in signal transduction. Consequently, the interactions of streptococci and actinomyces with the mucinlike domains of these mammalian cell surface glycoproteins result not only in adhesion but, in addition, may represent the initial step in PMN activation by these bacteria.

Identification of a gene involved in assembly of Actinomyces naeslundii T14V type 2 fimbriae.

The nucleotide sequence of the Actinomyces naeslundii T14V type 2 fimbrial structural subunit gene, fimA, and the 3' flanking DNA region was determined. The fimA gene encoded a 535-amino-acid precursor subunit protein (FimA) which included both N-terminal leader and C-terminal cell wall sorting sequences. A second gene, designated orf365, that encoded a 365-amino-acid protein which contained a putative transmembrane segment was identified immediately 3' to fimA. Mutants in which either fimA or orf365 was replaced with a kanamycin resistance gene did not participate in type 2 fimbriae-mediated coaggregation with Streptococcus oralis 34. Type 2 fimbrial antigen was not detected in cell extracts of the fimA mutant by Western blotting with anti-A. naeslundii type 2 fimbrial antibody, but the subunit protein was detected in extracts of the orf365 mutant. The subunit protein detected in this mutant also was immunostained by an antibody raised against a synthetic peptide representing the C-terminal 20 amino acid residues of the predicted FimA. The antipeptide antibody reacted with FimA isolated from the recombinant Escherichia coli clone containing fimA but did not react with purified type 2 fimbriae in extracts of the wild-type strain. These results indicate that synthesis of type 2 fimbriae in A. naeslundii T14V may involve posttranslational cleavage of both the N-terminal and C-terminal peptides of the precursor subunit and also the expression of orf365.

Structural and antigenic types of cell wall polysaccharides from viridans group streptococci with receptors for oral actinomyces and streptococcal lectins.

Lectin-mediated interactions between oral viridans group streptococci and actinomyces may play an important role in microbial colonization of the tooth surface. The presence of two host-like motifs, either GalNAc beta1-->3Gal (Gn) or Gal beta1-->3GalNAc (G), in the cell wall polysaccharides of five streptococcal strains accounts for the lactose-sensitive coaggregations of these bacteria with Actinomyces naeslundii. Three streptococcal strains which have Gn-containing polysaccharides also participate in GalNAc-sensitive coaggregations with strains of Streptococcus gordonii and S. sanguis. Each Gn- or G-containing polysaccharide is composed of a distinct phosphodiester-linked hexa- or heptasaccharide repeating unit. The occurrence of these polysaccharides on 19 additional viridans group streptococcal strains that participate in lactose-sensitive coaggregations with actinomyces was examined. Negatively charged polysaccharides that reacted with Bauhinia purpurea agglutinin, a Gal and GalNAc binding plant lectin, were isolated from 17 strains by anion exchange column chromatography of mutanolysin-cell wall digests. Results from nuclear magnetic resonance and immunodiffusion identified each of 16 polysaccharides as a known Gn- or G-containing structural type and one polysaccharide as a new but closely related Gn-containing type. Unlike the reactions of lectins, the cross-reactions of most rabbit antisera with these polysaccharides were correlated with structural features other than the host-like motifs. Gn-containing polysaccharides occurred primarily on the strains of S. sanguis and S. oralis while G-containing polysaccharides were more common among the strains of S. gordonii and S. mitis examined. The findings strongly support the hypothesis that lectin-mediated recognition of these streptococci by other oral bacteria depends on a family of antigenically diverse Gn- and G-containing cell wall polysaccharides, the occurrence of which may differ between streptococcal species.

A specific cell surface antigen of Streptococcus gordonii is associated with bacterial hemagglutination and adhesion to alpha2-3-linked sialic acid-containing receptors.

A Ca2+-independent lectin activity for alpha2-3-linked sialic acid-containing receptors is associated with Streptococcus gordonii DL1 (Challis) but not with a spontaneous mutant, strain D102, that specifically lacks hemagglutinating activity. Comparison of crossed-immunoelectrophoresis patterns of parent and mutant sonicated cell extracts identified a unique antigen (Hs antigen) in the parent cell extract that was purified by DEAE Sephacel column chromatography and by a wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) lectin affinity column. The purified antigen formed a single arc in crossed immunoelectrophoresis with anti-DL1 serum and migrated as a diffuse band above the 200-kDa marker in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Immunoelectron microscopy with specific anti-Hs antibody revealed labeling of structures in the fibrillar layer of strain DL1 and no labeling of fibrillar structures on strain D102. Rabbit anti-DL1 serum and anti-Hs Fab inhibited the hemagglutinating activity of strain DL1, and the inhibition was specifically neutralized by purified Hs antigen. Anti-Hs Fab did not inhibit the hemagglutinating activities of several heterologous S. gordonii strains; however, these bacteria were agglutinated by anti-Hs immunoglobulin G and also by WGA. In contrast, two S. gordonii strains that lacked hemagglutinating activity did not react with anti-Hs antibody or with WGA. These findings associate the sialic acid-binding lectin activity of S. gordonii DL1 with a specific fibrillar antigen, which is composed of protein and WGA reactive carbohydrate, and indicate that cross-reactive antigens occur on other strains of this species that possess hemagglutinating activity.

Specific inhibitors of bacterial adhesion: observations from the study of gram-positive bacteria that initiate biofilm formation on the tooth surface.

Oral surfaces are bathed in secretory antibodies and other salivary macromolecules that are potential inhibitors of specific microbial adhesion. Indigenous Gram-positive bacteria that colonize teeth, including viridans streptococci and actinomyces, may avoid inhibition of adhesion by host secretory molecules through various strategies that involve the structural design and binding properties of bacterial adhesins and receptors. Further studies to define the interactions of these molecules within the host environment may suggest novel approaches for the control of oral biofilm formation.

Recognition of immunoglobulin A1 by oral actinomyces and streptococcal lectins.

Actinomyces naeslundii and Streptococcus gordonii, oral bacteria that possess Gal/GalNAc- and sialic acid-reactive lectins, respectively, were adherent to immobilized secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) and two IgA1 myeloma proteins but not to two IgA2 myeloma proteins. Apparently, O-linked oligosaccharides at the hinge region of the IgA1 heavy chain are receptors for lectin-mediated adhesion of these bacteria.

Fimbrial-mediated colonization of murine teeth by Actinomyces naeslundii.

Groups of mice fed diets high in sucrose or glucose were orally inoculated with 10(10), 10(9) or 10(8) colony-forming units of one of the following Actinomyces naeslundii strains possessing the type 1 (T1+) and/or the type 2 (T2+) fimbriae: T14VJ1 (T1+, T2+), 5519 (T1+), 5951 (T2+), and 147 (non-fimbriated). Ninety-six hours after inoculation their upper jaws were cultured to look at the implantation of each of these strains on the teeth. In mice fed a sucrose diet, regardless of the presence or absence of fimbriae, each bacterial strain colonized 100% of the mice at the highest inoculation doses of the infecting organism. But at a dose of 10(8), T14V-J1 was the only strain which colonized 100% (12/12) of the mice, 5519 colonized 10/11, 5951 colonized 9/11 and 147 colonized 7/11. These differences were not statistically significant. When mice were fed a high-glucose diet, 100% infection was achieved with strains T14V-J1, 5519 and 5951 only at the highest dose of 10(10) colony-forming units. Strain 147 colonized in 8/9 of the mice at that dosage. At lower dosages, no bacterial strain implanted in 100% of the mice. In the glucose experiment at a dose of 10(8), strains expressing the T1 fimbriae implanted significantly better than strains without the T1 fimbriae. At a dose of 10(9) colony-forming units, the parent strain T14V-J1 implanted significantly better than strains without the T1 fimbriae. Similarly, strain 5519 (T1+) implanted significantly better than 5951 and implanted better than 147, although the difference was not significant. These results suggest that while the presence of the T1 and T2 fimbriae may confer some advantage in the establishment of these organisms in vivo, even the strains without fimbriae were able to colonize. Strains T14VJ1 and 5519 were found to bind well to hydroxyapatite treated with mouse saliva, while strains 5951 and 147 did not. Only T2 fimbriated strains T14V-J1 and 5951 exhibited a lactose-reversible coaggreation with indigenous strains of enterococci that may contribute to the elevated levels of colonization of strain 5951 in vivo.

Lectin recognition of host-like saccharide motifs in streptococcal cell wall polysaccharides.

Viridans streptococci that participate in the microbial colonization of teeth have cell wall polysaccharides composed of linear phosphodiester-linked hexa- or heptasaccharide repeating units, each containing a host-like disaccharide motif, either Gal beta 1-->3GalNAc or GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal. Whereas strains with GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal-containing polysaccharides co-aggregated with streptococci that possess GalNAc-sensitive lectins, strains with either host-like motif co-aggregated with Actinomyces spp. The latter interactions reflected the specificity of Actinomyces spp. lectins for common features of Gal beta 1-->3GalNAc and GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal. Thus, alpha-linked glycosides of both disaccharides were much more potent inhibitors of co-aggregation than Gal or GalNAc. Six non-bacterial lectins also reacted with the streptococcal polysaccharides. In general, precipitation of each lectin with each polysaccharide involved binding of Gal or GalNAc within the host-like motifs, but not saccharides outside these regions. The lectins of Ricinus communis, Abrus precatorius, Codium fragile and Agaricus bisporus were most reactive with the Gal beta 1-->3GalNAc-containing polysaccharides, the Wisteria floribunda lectin with the GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal-containing polysaccharides and the Bauhinia purpurea lectin with polysaccharides containing either disaccharide. Thus, lectin recognition of the streptococcal cell wall polysaccharides involved either the common or specific sides of the Gal beta 1-->3GalNAc and GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal motifs present within these molecules.

Putative glycoprotein and glycolipid polymorphonuclear leukocyte receptors for the Actinomyces naeslundii WVU45 fimbrial lectin.

Recognition of receptors on sialidase-treated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) by the Gal/GalNAc lectin associated with the type 2 fimbriae of certain strains of actinomyces results in activation of the PMNs, phagocytosis, and destruction of the bacteria. In the present study, plant lectins were utilized as probes to identify putative PMN receptors for the actinomyces lectin. The Gal-reactive lectin from Ricinus communis (RCAI), the Gal/GalNAc-reactive lectins from R. communis (RCAII) and Bauhinia purpurea (BPA), as well as the Gal beta 1-3GalNAc-specific lectins from Arachis hypogaea (PNA) and Agaricus bisporus (ABA) inhibited killing of Actinomyces naeslundii WVU45 by sialidase-treated PMNs. These five lectins detected a 130-kDa surface-labeled glycoprotein on nitrocellulose transfers of PMN extracts separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This glycoprotein was revealed only after treatment of the transfers with sialidase, a condition analogous to the sialidase dependence of the lectin-mediated biological responses of the PMNs to the actinomyces. The mannose-reactive lectin concanavalin A did not inhibit killing of the actinomyces and failed to detect the 130-kDa glycoprotein but did block PMN-dependent killing of Escherichia coli B, a bacterium that possesses mannose-sensitive fimbriae. Therefore, the PMN glycoprotein receptor for A. naeslundii is clearly distinct from those recognized by E. coli. Two major putative glycolipid receptors were also identified by actinomyces and RCAI overlays on sialidase-treated thin-layer chromatograms of PMN gangliosides. Thus, both a 130-kDa glycoprotein and certain gangliosides are implicated in the attachment of the actinomyces to PMNs.

The cell wall polysaccharide of Streptococcus gordonii 38: structure and immunochemical comparison with the receptor polysaccharides of Streptococcus oralis 34 and Streptococcus mitis J22.

As part of our ongoing investigations involving lectin-mediated adhesion among oral bacteria, the receptor polysaccharide from Streptococcus gordonii 38 was isolated and characterized. Carbohydrate analysis of the hydrolysed S. gordonii 38 polysaccharide by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) showed galactose (Gal) (2 mol), N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) (1 mol), rhamnose (Rha) (2 mol), glucose (Glc) (1 mol) and galactosamine-6-phosphate (1 mol). Mild acid hydrolysis of the polysaccharide yielded a heptasaccharide repeating unit. The structure of the heptasaccharide repeating unit was determined by high-resolution NMR spectroscopy which includes various homonuclear (DQF-COSY, TQF-COSY, NOESY and HOHAHA) and heteronuclear experiments (HMQC), including linkage assignments by 1H-13C long-range correlation (HMBC). Complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments for the intact polysaccharide yielded the covalent structure of a heptasaccharide repeating unit: [Formula: see text] The structure of the strain 38 polysaccharide is closely related to those of Streptococcus mitis J22 and Streptococcus oralis 34. Thus, the difference between the strain 38 and J22 heptasaccharides was at their reducing ends, with GaLNAc beta-(1-->3)-Gal in the former and Gal beta-(1-->3)-GalNAc in the latter, while the difference between the 38 heptasaccharide and 34 hexasaccharide was at the non-reducing ends, where a rhamnose branch occurred in the former but not the latter structure. When compared by their quantitative precipitin curves with rabbit antibodies against each streptococcal strain, the strain 38 polysaccharide reacted more like the polysaccharide of strain J22 than that of strain 34. In contrast, each strain was recognized by the Gal- and GalNAc-reactive lectins of Actinomyces spp., but only strains 38 and 34 were recognized by GalNAc-sensitive lectins of other streptococci. These findings strongly support the hypothesis that the immunogenic features of these polysaccharides are distinct from those detected by lectin binding.

Complete structure of the cell surface polysaccharide of Streptococcus oralis C104: a 600-MHz NMR study.

Specific lectin-carbohydrate interactions between certain oral streptococci and actinomyces contribute to the microbial colonization of teeth. The receptor molecules of Streptococcus oralis, 34, ATCC 10557, and Streptococcus mitis J22 for the galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine reactive fimbrial lectins of Actinomyces viscosus and Actinomyces naeslundii are antigenically distinct polysaccharides, each formed by a different phosphodiester-linked oligosaccharide repeating unit. These streptococci all coaggregated strongly with both A. viscosus and A. naesludii strains, whereas S. oralis C104 interacted preferentially with certain strains of the latter species. Receptor polysaccharide was isolated from S. oralis C104 cells and was shown to contain galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, ribitol, and phosphate with molar ratios of 4:1:1:1. The 1H NMR spectrum of the polysaccharide shows that it contains a repeating structure. The individual sugars in the repeating unit were identified by 1H coupling constants observed in E-COSY and DQF-COSY spectra. NMR methods included complete resonance assignments (1H and 13C) by various homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation experiments that utilize scalar couplings. Sequence and linkage assignments were obtained from the heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation (HMBC) spectrum. This analysis shows that the receptor polysaccharide of S. oralis C104 is a ribitol teichoic acid polymer composed of a linear hexasaccharide repeating unit containing two residues each of galactopyranose and galactofuranose and a residue each of GalNAc and ribitol joined end to end by phosphodiester linkages with the following structure. [----6)Galf(beta 1----3)Galp(beta 1----6)Galf(beta 1----6)GalpNAc(beta 1----3) Galp(alpha 1----1)ribitol(5----PO4-]n

Immunochemical and functional studies of Actinomyces viscosus T14V type 1 fimbriae with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies directed against the fimbrial subunit.

Each of five monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) prepared against the type 1 fimbriae of Actinomyces viscosus T14V reacted with a 54 kDa cloned protein previously identified as a fimbrial subunit. This purified protein completely inhibited the reaction of a specific anti-type-1-fimbria rabbit antibody with A. viscosus whole cells. Maximum values for the number of antibody molecules bound per bacterial cell ranged from 7 x 10(3) to 1.2 x 10(4) for the different 125I-labelled mAbs and was approximately 7 x 10(4) for 125I-labelled rabbit IgG or Fab against either type 1 fimbriae or the 54 kDa cloned protein. Although the different mAbs, either individually or as a mixture, failed to inhibit the type-1-fimbria-mediated adherence of A. viscosus T14V to saliva-treated hydroxyapatite, each rabbit antibody gave 50% inhibition of adherence when approximately 5 x 10(4) molecules of IgG were bound per cell. However, binding of each corresponding rabbit Fab had no significant effect on bacterial attachment unless much higher concentrations were used. These findings suggest that antibodies directed solely against the 54 kDa fimbrial subunit do not react with the putative receptor binding sites of A. viscosus T14V type 1 fimbriae. Instead, inhibition of attachment by the polyclonal antibodies may depend on an indirect effect of antibody binding that prevents the fimbria-receptor interaction.

Complete structure of the cell surface polysaccharide of Streptococcus oralis ATCC 10557: a receptor for lectin-mediated interbacterial adherence.

Lectin-carbohydrate binding is known to play an important role in a number of different cell-cell interactions including those between certain species of oral streptococci and actinomyces that colonize teeth. The cell wall polysaccharides of Streptococcus oralis ATCC 10557, S. oralis 34, and Streptococcus mitis J22, although not identical antigenically, each function as a receptor molecule for the galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine reactive fimbrial lectins of Actinomyces viscosus and Actinomyces naeslundii. Carbohydrate analysis of the receptor polysaccharide isolated from S. oralis ATCC 10557 shows galactose (3 mol), glucose (1 mol), GalNAc (1 mol), and rhamnose (1 mol). 1H NMR spectra of the polysaccharide show that is is partially O-acetylated. Analysis of the 1H NMR spectrum of the de-O-acetylated polysaccharide shows that it is composed of repeating subunits containing six monosaccharides and that the subunits are joined by a phosphodiester linkage. The 1H and 13C NMR spectra were completely assigned by two-dimensional homonuclear correlation methods and by 1H-detected heteronuclear multiple-quantum correlation (1H[13C]HMQC). The linkage of the component monosaccharides in the polymer, deduced from two-dimensional 1H-detected heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation spectra (1H[13C]HMBC), shows that the repeating unit of the de-O-acetylated polymer is a linear hexasaccharide with no branch points. The complete 1H and 13C assignment of the native polysaccharide was carried out by the same techniques augmented by a 13C-coupled hybrid HMQC-COSY method, which is shown to be especially useful for carbohydrates in which strong coupling and overlapping peaks in the 1H spectrum pose difficulties. The fully assigned spectra of the native polymer show that each of two different positions is acetylated in one-third of the repeating subunits and that the acetylation is randomly distributed along the polymer. The exact positions of acetylation were assigned by a carbonyl-selective HMBC method that unambiguously defines the positions of O-acetylation. The complete structure of the native polysaccharide in S. oralis ATCC 10557 is [formula: see text] Comparison of this structure with those previously determined for the polysaccharides of strains 34 and J22 suggests that the similar lectin receptor activities of these molecules may depend on internal galactofuranose linked (beta 1----6)- to Gal(beta 1----3)GalNAc(alpha) or GalNAc(beta 1----3)Gal(alpha).

Cooperative complement- and bacterial lectin-initiated bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

The recognition of glycoconjugate receptors on sialidase-treated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) by the Gal/GalNAc-reactive fimbrial lectin of Actinomyces viscosus T14V has previously been shown to initiate lactose-inhibitable phagocytosis and subsequent killing of the bacteria. Although a mutant lacking fimbriae, A. viscosus 147, was not destroyed by this mechanism, the present studies demonstrate that the deposition of C3 fragments on this bacterium by anti-A. viscosus 147 immunoglobulin M (IgM) prior to incubation with either untreated or sialidase-treated PMNs correlated with a reduction in viability of approximately 2 log10. This bactericidal activity was unaffected by lactose. A similar decrease in viability was observed following the addition of untreated PMNs to A. viscosus T14V preincubated with anti-A. viscosus 147 IgM and complement, conditions favorable for C3- but not lectin-mediated bactericidal activity. Neither IgM nor complement alone was opsonic for either strain, and individually they did not alter killing of A. viscosus T14V by sialidase-treated PMNs or inhibition of this bactericidal activity by lactose. The number of viable A. viscosus T14V cells was decreased by approximately 3.5 log10 when the bacteria were incubated with IgM and complement prior to the addition of sialidase-treated PMNs, and lactose only partially inhibited this response. Thus, the PMN-dependent bactericidal activity initiated by the participation of both the actinomyces lectin and complement was significantly greater than that achieved by either ligand alone.

Complement activation by individual and combinations of monoclonal antibodies to Actinomyces viscosus T14V fimbriae: a probe for epitope distribution on these polymeric proteins.

The spatial requirements for IgG activation of the classical complement pathway has provided a basis for utilizing complement consumption by individual and pairs of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to compare the repeating epitope patterns of the type 1 and type 2 fimbriae of Actinomyces viscosus T14V and to examine the co-operative effects of mAbs against these polymeric proteins. Three of five mAbs specific for the type 1 fimbriae consumed complement when assayed individually. Four patterns of complement consumption were detected with pairs of these mAbs: inhibition, addition, enhancement or synergy. Inhibition occurred when both members of a pair reacted with the same epitope but only one consumed complement. A strictly additive effect was observed if both mAbs consumed complement and, in addition, recognized the same epitope. Complement consumption by mAbs against certain epitopes was enhanced by non-complement consuming mAbs that reacted with different epitopes. Synergy was observed with extremely low concentrations of two mAbs each of which reacted with a different epitope and consumed complement. In contrast to the anti-type 1 mAbs, only one of seven mAbs against the type 2 fimbriae consumed more than 20% of the available complement. Pairs of anti-type 2 mAbs exhibited only inhibition or synergy. The latter effect was particularly striking as pairs containing mAbs that reacted with different epitopes and failed to consume complement or were minimally active when assayed individually were extremely efficient. These data indicated that the spatial arrangements of individual mAbs bound to repeating epitopes in the type 1, but not the type 2, fimbriae were appropriate for activation of complement. Thus, the repeating epitope patterns of the two types of fimbriae apparently differ.

Sequence homology between the subunits of two immunologically and functionally distinct types of fimbriae of Actinomyces spp.

Nucleotide sequencing of the type 1 fimbrial subunit gene of Actinomyces viscosus T14V revealed a consensus ribosome-binding site followed by an open reading frame of 1,599 nucleotides. The encoded protein of 533 amino acids (Mr = 56,899) was predominantly hydrophilic except for an amino-terminal signal peptide and a carboxy-terminal region identified as a potential membrane-spanning segment. Edman degradation of the cloned protein expressed in Escherichia coli and the type 1 fimbriae of A. viscosus T14V showed that both began with alanine at position 31 of the deduced amino acid sequence. The amino acid compositions of the cloned protein and fimbriae also were comparable and in close agreement with the composition of the deduced protein. The amino acid sequence of the A. viscosus T14V type 1 fimbrial subunit showed no significant global homology with various other proteins, including the pilins of gram-negative bacteria. However, 34% amino acid sequence identity was noted between the type 1 fimbrial subunit of strain T14V and the type 2 fimbrial subunit of Actinomyces naeslundii WVU45 (M. K. Yeung and J. O. Cisar, J. Bacteriol. 170:3803-3809, 1988). This homology included several different conserved sequences of up to eight identical amino acids that were distributed in both the amino- and carboxy-terminal thirds of each Actinomyces fimbrial subunit. These findings indicate that the different types of fimbriae on these gram-positive bacteria share a common ancestry.