Biomaterial Database

Degradation studies on Escherichia coli capsular polysaccharides by bacteriophages. 1997

W Nimmich

Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Rostock, Germany.

The serologically and structurally related Eschrichia coli capsular polysaccharides (K antigens) K13, K20, and K23 were found to be depolymerized by the bacteriophages phi K13 and phi K20 to almost similar oligomer profiles as shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The phage-polysaccharide interactions were followed by an increase of reducing 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid due to a phage-associated glycanase that catalyzed the hydrolytic cleavage of common beta-ketopyranosidic 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid linkages. The related E. coli K antigens K18, K22, and K100 as well as the Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide were degraded by bacteriophage phi K100 with different efficacy. It is suggested that phi K100 enzymatically cleaves ribitol-5-phosphate bonds as the only structural feature present in all the polysaccharides investigated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003090	Coliphages	Viruses whose host is Escherichia coli.	Escherichia coli Phages,Coliphage,Escherichia coli Phage,Phage, Escherichia coli,Phages, Escherichia coli
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D006193	Haemophilus influenzae	A species of HAEMOPHILUS found on the mucous membranes of humans and a variety of animals. The species is further divided into biotypes I through VIII.	Bacterium influenzae,Coccobacillus pfeifferi,Haemophilus meningitidis,Hemophilus influenzae,Influenza-bacillus,Mycobacterium influenzae
D000942	Antigens, Bacterial	Substances elaborated by bacteria that have antigenic activity.	Bacterial Antigen,Bacterial Antigens,Antigen, Bacterial
D000954	Antigens, Surface	Antigens on surfaces of cells, including infectious or foreign cells or viruses. They are usually protein-containing groups on cell membranes or walls and may be isolated.	Cell Surface Antigens,Surface Antigens,Surface Markers, Immunological,Cell Surface Antigen,Immunologic Surface Markers,Markers, Immunological Surface,Surface Antigen,Surface Markers, Immunologic,Antigen, Cell Surface,Antigen, Surface,Antigens, Cell Surface,Immunological Surface Markers,Markers, Immunologic Surface,Surface Antigen, Cell,Surface Antigens, Cell
D001673	Biodegradation, Environmental	Elimination of ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS; PESTICIDES and other waste using living organisms, usually involving intervention of environmental or sanitation engineers.	Bioremediation,Phytoremediation,Natural Attenuation, Pollution,Environmental Biodegradation,Pollution Natural Attenuation
D013379	Substrate Specificity	A characteristic feature of enzyme activity in relation to the kind of substrate on which the enzyme or catalytic molecule reacts.	Specificities, Substrate,Specificity, Substrate,Substrate Specificities
D013400	Sugar Acids	MONOSACCHARIDES and other sugars that contain one or more carboxylic acid moieties.	Acids, Sugar
D016667	Bacterial Capsules	An envelope of loose gel surrounding a bacterial cell which is associated with the virulence of pathogenic bacteria. Some capsules have a well-defined border, whereas others form a slime layer that trails off into the medium. Most capsules consist of relatively simple polysaccharides but there are some bacteria whose capsules are made of polypeptides.	Bacterial Capsule,Capsule, Bacterial,Capsules, Bacterial