Structure of the lipopolysaccharide core region of Hafnia alvei strains 1185 and 1204.

Sugar and methylation analyses using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy proved that the core oligosaccharides of Hafnia alvei strains 1185 and 1204 have the following formula: carbohydrate sequence [see text] where Kdo = 3-deoxy-oct-2-ulosonic acid and P-PEtN = diphosphorylethanolamine. The structure shown above is a slight modification of the typical core region of H. alvei lipopolysaccharides. The difference refers to one sugar only: terminal galactose is present in the core of strains of 1185 and 1204, while terminal glucose in the typical core.

Non-typical lipopolysaccharide core regions of some Hafnia alvei strains: structural and serological studies.

The lipopolysaccharides of Hafnia alvei strains 23, 1222 and 39 were found to have non-typical core region. On the basis of sugar and methylation analyses, 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry, it was concluded that the core oligosaccharide of strains 23 and 1222 has the same structure as Escherichia coli R4 core region, and the core oligosaccharide of strain 39 has the structure of Salmonella Ra core. Using the serological methods (passive hemagglutination, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting) and the anti-conjugate sera directed against E. coli R4 and Salmonella Ra core oligosaccharides we have confirmed the structural results presented above.

Immunochemical studies of the lipopolysaccharide O-specific polysaccharide of Hafnia alvei PCM 1199 related to H. alvei PCM 1205.

On the basis of chemical analyses and NMR spectroscopic studies, it was found that the O-specific polysaccharide (O-PS) isolated from the Hafnia alvei PCM 1199 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a glycerol teichoic-acid-like polymer having a repeating unit of the following structure: [structure in text] where Qui4NAc is 4-acetamido-4,6-dideoxyglucose and O-acetylation at both positions is non-stoichiometric. The glycosidic linkage of the lateral beta-D-GlcpNAc residue is acid-labile and cleaved from the O-PS during mild acid hydrolysis or dephosphorylation with 48% hydrofluoric acid. Comparative analysis revealed that the structure of the H. alvei PCM 1199 O-PS is similar to that of H. alvei PCM 1205, which differs in the presence of an additional lateral alpha-D-Glcp residue and the position of one of the O-acetyl groups only. Accordingly, serological tests revealed a high degree of serological similarity between LPSs and O-PSs of the two H. alvei strains.

Structure of the O-specific polysaccharide, containing a glycerol phosphate substituent, of Hafnia alvei strain 1220 lipopolysaccharide.

The O-specific polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide produced by Hafnia alvei strain 1220 contained D-glucose, D-galactose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, N-acetyl-L-fucosamine (2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-L-galactose), glycerol, and phosphate. It was proved by composition and methylation analyses, Smith degradation, dephosphorylation, and one- and two-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy to be a teichoic acid-like polymer with a branched hexasaccharide repeating unit of the following structure. [sequence: see text]

Structural studies on Hafnia alvei 114-60 O-antigen.

The structure of Hafnia alvei 114-60 O-antigen has been established using sugar and methylation analyses as well as 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The results obtained proved that the repeating unit of Hafnia alvei 114-60 O-antigen is identical to that of Hafnia alvei ATCC 13337 standard strain and has the following structure: [formula: see text]

Characterization of anti-Citrobacter 036 specific polysaccharide monoclonal antibodies.

Monoclonal mouse antibodies specific for the 0 antigen of Citrobacter 036, a homopolymer of beta (1----2)-linked 4-deoxy-D-arabinohexose, were generated by the hybridoma technique. Balb/c mice were immunized with killed whole-cell vaccine and initial selection of active clones was based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) employing purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Concentrated culture supernatants from selected hybrid cultures were used to identify 10 0-antigen specific monoclonal antibodies using the multiple criteria of immunoprecipitation of 0 chains and LPS, inhibition by acid hydrolyzed 0 chains in the screening ELISA, and antibody class analysis. Four monoclonal antibodies were chosen for further study using dose-dependent 0-chain inhibition of ELISA and passive hemagglutination, passive hemolysis, and bacterial agglutination titres. When screened with Citrobacter serotypes known to contain the sugar 4-deoxy-D-arabinose, passive hemagglutination tests showed that the two monoclonal antibodies examined possessed titres which could be correlated with the reported 4-deoxy-D-arabinohexose content of the respective LPS's. This sugar is an antigenically important unit of several Citrobacter serotypes as defined by these well-characterized monoclonal antibodies.

Immunochemical characteristics of Shigella sonnei and serotype 6 Shigella flexneri lipopolysaccharides and enterobacterial common antigen.

Immunochemical studies on Shigella sonnei and serotype 6 Shigella flexneri 0 antigens (lipopolysaccharides) and enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) isolated from Shigella sonnei were carried out. Oligosaccharide structure of 0-specific chain of serotype 6 Shigella fiexneri lipopolysaccharide was defined and beta-L-rhamnosyl-1,3-N-acetyl-D-galactosamin as immunodeterminant of type VI specificity was recognized. The structures of core regions of lipopolysaccharides isolated from R mutants of both Shigella subgroups were established. On the base of the serological and structural results it has been suggested that these core regions are identical and very close to RI core structure of E. coli C. The effective method of isolation and purification of enterobacterial common antigen from Shigella sonnei was elaborated and its immunological properties as well as chemical character defined.