Evidence for a LOS and a capsular polysaccharide in Capnocytophaga canimorsus.

Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a dog's and cat's oral commensal which can cause fatal human infections upon bites or scratches. Infections mainly start with flu-like symptoms but can rapidly evolve in fatal septicaemia with a mortality as high as 40%. Here we present the discovery of a polysaccharide capsule (CPS) at the surface of C. canimorsus 5 (Cc5), a strain isolated from a fulminant septicaemia. We provide genetic and chemical data showing that this capsule is related to the lipooligosaccharide (LOS) and probably composed of the same polysaccharide units. A CPS was also found in nine out of nine other strains of C. canimorsus. In addition, the genomes of three of these strains, sequenced previously, contain genes similar to those encoding CPS biosynthesis in Cc5. Thus, the presence of a CPS is likely to be a common property of C. canimorsus. The CPS and not the LOS confers protection against the bactericidal effect of human serum and phagocytosis by macrophages. An antiserum raised against the capsule increased the killing of C. canimorsus by human serum thus showing that anti-capsule antibodies have a protective role. These findings provide a new major element in the understanding of the pathogenesis of C. canimorsus.

Improvement of identification of Capnocytophaga canimorsus by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry using enriched database.

Capnocytophaga canimorsus and Capnocytophaga cynodegmi can be transmitted from dogs or cats and cause serious human infections. We aimed to evaluate the ability of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to identify these two Capnocytophaga species. Ninety-four C. canimorsus and 10 C. cynodegmi isolates identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing were analyzed. Using the MALDI BioTyper database, correct identification was achieved for only 16 of 94 (17%) C. canimorsus and all 10 C. cynodegmi strains, according to the manufacturer's log score specifications. Following the establishment of a complementary homemade reference database by addition of 51 C. canimorsus and 8 C. cynodegmi mass spectra, MALDI-TOF MS provided reliable identification to the species level for 100% of the 45 blind-coded Capnocytophaga isolates tested. MALDI-TOF MS can accurately identify C. canimorsus and C. cynodegmi using an enriched database and thus constitutes a valuable diagnostic tool in the clinical laboratory.

NMR-based structural analysis of the complete rough-type lipopolysaccharide isolated from Capnocytophaga canimorsus.

We here describe the NMR analysis of an intact lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) in water with 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine as detergent. When HPLC-purified rough-type LPS of Capnocytophaga canimorsus was prepared, (13)C,(15)N labeling could be avoided. The intact LPS was analyzed by homonuclear ((1)H) and heteronuclear ((1)H,(13)C, and (1)H,(31)P) correlated one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques as well as by mass spectrometry. It consists of a penta-acylated lipid A with an α-linked phosphoethanolamine attached to C-1 of GlcN (I) in the hybrid backbone, lacking the 4'-phosphate. The hydrophilic core oligosaccharide was found to be a complex hexasaccharide with two mannose (Man) and one each of 3-deoxy-d-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo), Gal, GalN, and l-rhamnose residues. Position 4 of Kdo is substituted by phosphoethanolamine, also present in position 6 of the branched Man(I) residue. This rough-type LPS is exceptional in that all three negative phosphate residues are "masked" by positively charged ethanolamine substituents, leading to an overall zero net charge, which has so far not been observed for any other LPS. In biological assays, the corresponding isolated lipid A was found to be endotoxically almost inactive. By contrast, the intact rough-type LPS described here expressed a 20,000-fold increased endotoxicity, indicating that the core oligosaccharide significantly contributes to the endotoxic potency of the whole rough-type C. canimorsus LPS molecule. Based on these findings, the strict view that lipid A alone represents the toxic center of LPS needs to be reassessed.

[The study on SDS-PAGE technic classification of the whole protein of oral bacteria].

Oral flora was classificated by SDS-PAGE combined with Comassie blue staining and silver staining. The results showed that each species of the test oral bacteria expressed its specific electrophorectic protein pattern, the way of sample preparation, staining did not change the protein pattern. This indicated that SDS-PAGE could be used to classificate oral flora. The protein pattern was more obvious among the genus than that of within the genus. This showed that different relationship was among the bacteria.

Polar lipids of strains of Prevotella, Bacteroides and Capnocytophaga analysed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

The polar lipid composition of representative strains of Bacteroides fragilis, Prevotella intermedia, P. melaninogenica and Capnocytophaga ochracea was determined. Samples were analysed by FAB-MS. Forty major peaks had m/z values expected for known carboxylate anions, ranging from m/z 211 (tridecenoate) to m/z 381 (pentacontanoate). A further fifty-five major peaks were studied between m/z 561 and m/z 722. Forty-five anionic phospholipids of several series were identified. The Pearson coefficient of linear correlation revealed the similarity of the P. intermedia spectra from repeat experiments (r = 0.98), as opposed to inter-species comparisons (0.55, 0.22, 0.20). Thus, FAB-MS rapidly yields data on molecular species within phospholipid families not readily obtained by other means. The data obtained may have chemotaxonomic potential.

Use of chemotaxonomy as an aid to differentiate among Capnocytophaga species, CDC group DF-3, and aerotolerant strains of Leptotrichia buccalis.

Four strains of fastidious gram-negative rods, thought to be Capnocytophaga species (formerly CDC group DF-1 or Bacteroides ochraceus) or CDC group DF-3 on the basis of conventional phenotypic criteria, were also analyzed for cellular fatty acid (CFA) composition. It was found that the CFA compositions of these strains were qualitatively incorrect for those taxa. Subsequently, it was determined that all four bacteria were in fact aerotolerant strains of Leptotrichia buccalis, based on biochemical reactions, CFA composition, and lactic acid as the major end product of glucose fermentation. It is recommended that, in addition to conventional cultural and biochemical criteria, all strains of Capnocytophaga or CDC group DF-3 should also be tested for metabolic end products of fermentation and CFA composition as essential adjuncts for identification.

Capillary gas chromatography of cellular carbohydrates as a means for the differentiation of fastidious, slow-growing or anaerobic gram-negative bacteria--a review.

The phenotypic differentiation of microaerophilic or anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria of human origin is traditionally based on the analysis of metabolic characteristics. Due to outstanding growth requirements of many kinds of parasitic bacteria, e.g. of the facultatively and strictly anaerobic members of the human periodontal flora, conventional biochemical tests are time-consuming and sometimes lead to doubtful results. Commercial diagnostic test kits often produce misidentifications because of insufficient databases or inappropriate test combinations. In this situation, cytochemical methods can provide an alternative. Especially in the case of Gram-negative bacteria which contain considerable amounts of carbohydrates in their cell wall lipopolysaccharide layers, capillary gas chromatography of peracetylated carbohydrate derivatives prepared from bacterial whole cell hydrolysates proved to be useful to characterize individual species, and sometimes even subspecies. As soon as a pure culture is available, the derivatization of the cellular carbohydrates to their peracetylated aldononitriles and peracetylated O-methyloximes, respectively, needs only about four hours and the gas chromatographic spectra are easy to evaluate.

[Chemical structure and immunobiological activities of peptidoglycan isolated from Capnocytophaga species].

The chemical structure and immunobiological activities of the cell wall peptidoglycan isolated from Capnocytophaga species was investigated. Peptidoglycan was isolated from Capnocytophaga species strain SE2-2 by boiling in 4% sodium dodecyl sulfate and by digestion with pronase, trypsin and alpha-amylase. Analysis of amino acids and amino sugars of the peptidoglycan revealed that glucosamine, muramic acid, D-glutamic acid, alanine, and diaminopimelic acid (A2pm) were the principal components. Serine and glycine were not found. Dinitrophenylation method revealed that about half of A2pm residue had a free amino group, and analysis by hydrazinolysis showed that a small part of alanine and A2pm located at the C-terminal. The above results indicate that one of the amino groups of A2pm residue at one strand of the stem peptide subunit cross-linked to the carboxyl group of alanine of the neighboring strand. It was thus revealed that the peptidoglycan of Capnocytophaga species belonged to the Al gamma type of the classification by Schleifer and Kandler. Peptidoglycan isolated from Capnocytophaga species strain SE2-2 was found to be definitely adjuvant-active in induction of delayed type hypersensitivity against ovalbumin when administered to guinea pigs as water-in-oil emulsion and in stimulation of increase serum antibody levels. Regarding mitogenicity on splenocytes of BALB/c and BALB/c nu/nu mice, peptidoglycan from Capnocytophaga species was markedly enhanced the uptake [3H] thymidine in dose of 10 micrograms/10(5) cells, however thymocytes were not reactive. Stimulation effects on peritoneal macrophages from a guinea pig to incorporation of 14C-glucosamin was exhibited by addition of 100 micrograms of this peptidoglycan. These findings indicate that peptidoglycan of Capnocytophaga species might eventually be responsible for destruction of periodontal tissue by host mediated activities.