Structural investigations of the lipopolysaccharide isolated from Vibrio cholera, Inaba 569 B

Lipopolysaccharides of Vibrio cholerae. I. Physical and chemical characterization

Vibrio cholerae is the causative organism of the disease cholera. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of V. cholerae plays an important role in eliciting the antibacterial immune response of the host and in classifying the vibrios into some 200 or more serogroups. This review presents an account of our up-to-date knowledge of the physical and chemical characteristics of the three constituents, lipid-A, core-polysaccharide (core-PS) and O-antigen polysaccharide (O-PS), of the LPS of V. cholerae of different serogroups including the disease-causing ones, O1 and O139. The structure and occurrence of the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) on V. cholerae O139 have been discussed as a relevant topic. Similarity and dissimilarity between the structures of LPS of different serogroups, and particularly between O22 and O139, have been analysed with a view to learning their role in the causation of the epidemic form of the disease by avoiding the host defence mechanism and in the evolution of the newer pathogenic strains in future. An idea of the emerging trends of research involving the use of immunogens prepared from synthetic oligosaccharides that mimic terminal epitopes of the O-PS of V. cholerae O1 in the development of a conjugate anti cholera vaccine is also discussed.

Characterization of the Shigella serotype D (S. sonnei) O polysaccharide and the enterobacterial R1 lipopolysaccharide core by use of mouse monoclonal antibodies

In the course of developing a live vaccine, we generated three murine monoclonal antibodies (MAb) specific for Shigella sonnei. The specificities of these MAb were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot analyses with whole cells or purified lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) as antigens. Two of them are specific for the Shigella serotype D O-polysaccharide determinant, whereas one specifically binds to the core hexose region of R1-type LPSs. With these MAb, it was possible to analyze clinical isolates and a hybrid Salmonella typhi strain for their expression of the corresponding LPS moieties. In addition to their use in the screening of candidate vaccine strains, the new MAb provide a powerful tool for epidemiological and phylogenetic studies of natural enterobacterial populations.

A physical map of the chromosomal region determining O-antigen biosynthesis in Vibrio cholerae O1

We have previously described the cosmid cloning of the genes determining the biosynthesis of the Inaba and Ogawa O-antigens of the lipopolysaccharides of Vibrio cholerae O1 (Manning et al., 1986). By Southern hybridization analysis of chromosomal and cosmid DNA, and heteroduplex analysis between the clones we have been able to precisely define the region of contiguous chromosomal DNA in the vicinity of the O-antigen-encoding region. These data and comparison of end points of clones and of deletion derivatives demonstrate that at least 16 kb of a 19-kb SstI fragment is required to encode O-antigen biosynthesis. Expression of O-antigen is independent of the orientation of this SstI fragment with respect to cloning vectors suggesting that its regulatory region has been cloned intact. No detectable differences were observed in the restriction patterns of the Inaba and Ogawa coding regions implying that only minor changes are involved when serotype conversion (Inaba to Ogawa or vice versa) occurs. Bhaskaran [Ind. J. Med. Res. 47 (1959) 253-260] originally defined this region associated with O-antigen biosynthesis oag; however, to be consistent with other organisms [Hitchcock et al., J. Bacteriol. 166 (1986) 699-705], it is suggested this be changed to rfb.

Studies on the partial structure of the O-antigen of Vibrio cholera Ogawa G-2102

Detailed information was obtained regarding the partial structure of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS), containing glucose, glucuronic acid, 2-amino-2-deoxy-glucose, L-glycero-D-gluco-heptose, and small proportions of L-glycero-D-manno-heptose, mannose, and galactose, isolated from Vibrio cholera Ogawa G-2102. Structures of three oligosaccharides were determined. Results of deamination experiments established the sequence of the linkages between the amino sugar and heptose residues in the O-antigenic polysaccharide.

Characterization of the lipopolysaccharide from Vibrio cholerae 395 (Ogawa)

The chemical structure and biological properties of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Vibrio cholerae 395 (Ogawa), isolated by the phenol-water procedure, were studied. Upon acid hydrolysis, the LPS was split into its polysaccharide and lipid A moieties. The polysaccharide contained both neutral (glucose, heptose, fructose) and amino (glucosamine, quinovosamine) sugars. The LPS contained the acid-labile amino sugar, 4-amino-arabinose, which was absent in the Inaba serotype of V. cholerae. The LPS differed from the LPSs of Enterobacteriaceae by the absence of 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate and the presence of fructose. Analysis of the methylated polysaccharide by gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry showed that it had a branched structure with glucose and heptose residues primarily appearing at the nonreducing-end groups. Interactions with lectins, concanavalin A. and wheat germ agglutinin suggested that terminal glucose residues were alpha linked, whereas terminal glucosamine residues were connected by alpha-1,3 linkages. The major fatty acids of the LPS were C14:0, C16:0, C12h:0, and C14h:0 compounds, of which only the C14h:0 were amide linked, the remainder being ester linked to the backbone. Biological studies showed that the LPS possessed endotoxic properties such as lethality, pyrogenicity, limulus lysate gelation, and ability to induce non-specific resistance to infection. Thus, the LPS from V. cholerae 395 (Ogawa) possessed both common and distinct features as compared with the LPSs from the Enterobacteriaceae.

The chemical structure of the lipid A component of lipopolysaccharides from Vibrio cholerae

The chemical structure of the lipid A component of the lipopolysaccharide from Vibrio cholerae 95R was studied. After sequential degradation a reduced D-glucosamine disaccharide was isolated from lipid A and, after permethylation, shown by combined gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to be beta 1,6-linked. The disaccharide is substituted with a phosphate group, ester-bound to the non-reducing glucosamine (GlcN) residue and a pyrophosphorylethanolamine group (PP-Etn) linked to C-1 of the reducing glucosamine residue. This backbone structure is shown in the following formula: P-GlcN(beta 1-6)GlcN-1-PP-Etn. The amino groups of the glucosamine disaccharide are substituted by D-3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid; tetradecanoic, hexadecanoic and a D-3-O-(D-3-hydroxydodecanoyl)-dodecanoic acid residue are linked to hydroxyl groups. A similar fatty acid composition was detected in lipopolysaccharides from Inaba, Ogawa and NAG strains of V. cholerae.

Studies on the partial structure of the O-antigen of Vibrio cholera, Inaba 569 B

Five oligosaccharides were isolated in pure state from the lipopolysaccharide of Vibrio cholera, Inaba 569 B, the their structures were elucidated. More-detailed information regarding the partial structure of the lipopolysaccharide, containing glucose, mannose, glucuronic acid, 2-amino-2-deoxyglucose, D-glycero-L-mannoheptose, and D-glycero-L-gluco-heptose, was obtained through Smith degradation, chromium trioxide oxidation, and graded hydrolysis studies of the lipopolysaccharide and its derived products.