Identification of d-Galactan-III As Part of the Lipopolysaccharide of Klebsiella pneumoniae Serotype O1.
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ABSTRACT: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative, ubiquitous bacterium capable of causing severe nosocomial infections in individuals with impaired immune system. Emerging multi-drug resistant strains of this species and particularly carbapenem-resistant strains pose an urgent threat to public health. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen is the main surface antigen. It contributes to the virulence of this species and determines the O-serotype of K. pneumoniae isolates. Among the nine main O-serotypes of K. pneumoniae, O1-and O2-type pathogens are causative agents of over 50% of all infections. Serotype O1, the most common O-serotype, expresses complex LPS consisting of d-galactan-I (a polymer built of ? 3)-?-d-Galf-(1 ? 3)-?-d-Galp-(1 ? repeating units) capped by d-galactan-II (built of [ ? 3)-?-d-Galp-(1 ? 3)-?-d-Galp-(1 ?] repeating units). Galactan-I is present as the sole polymer in O2 serotype. Recently, in case of serotype O2, conversion of galactan-I to galactan-III (? 3)-?-d-Galf-(1 ? 3)-[?-d-Galp-(1 ? 4)]-?-d-Galp-(1 ?) was reported. Substitution of ? 3)-?-d-Galp by a branching terminal ?-d-Galp was dependent on the presence of the gmlABC operon and had a major impact on the antigenicity of the galactan polymer. Genetic analysis indicated that 40% of the O1 clinical isolates also carry the gmlABC locus; therefore we aimed to characterize the corresponding phenotype of LPS O-antigens. The presence of galactan-III among O1 strains was proven using galactan-III-specific monoclonal antibodies and confirmed by structural analyses performed using sugar and methylation analysis as well as classical and high-resolution magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. By using an isogenic mutant pair, we demonstrated that galactan-III expression was dependent on the presence of glycosyltransferases encoded by gmlABC, as was shown previously for the O2 serotype. Furthermore, the galactan-II structures in O1gml+ strains remained unaffected corroborating no functional interactions between the biosynthesis of galactan-III and galactan-II polymers.
SUBMITTER: Stojkovic K
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5403891 | biostudies-literature | 2017
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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