Microbiology
Klebsiella pneumoniae O1 and O2ac antigens provide prototypes for an unusual strategy for polysaccharide antigen diversification
A limited range of different structures is observed in O-antigenic polysaccharides (OPSs) from Klebsiella pneumoniae lipopolysaccharides. Among these, several are based on modifications of a conserved core element of serotype O2a OPS, which has a disaccharide repeat structure [→3)-α-d-Galp-(1→3)-β-d-Galf-(1→]. Here, we describe the enzymatic pathways for a highly unusual modification strategy involving the attachment of a second glycan repeat-unit structure to the nonreducing terminus of O2a. This occurs by the addition of the O1 [→3)-α-d-Galp-(1→3)-β-d-Galp-(1→] or O2c [→3)-β-d-GlcpNAc-(1→5)-β-d-Galf-(1→] antigens.Molecular basis for the structural diversity in serogroup O2-antigen polysaccharides in Klebsiella pneumoniae
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major health threat. Vaccination and passive immunization are considered as alternative therapeutic strategies for managing Klebsiella infections. Lipopolysaccharide O antigens are attractive candidates because of the relatively small range of known O-antigen polysaccharide structures, but immunotherapeutic applications require a complete understanding of the structures found in clinical settings. Currently, the precise number of Klebsiella O antigens is unknown because available serological tests have limited resolution, and their association with defined chemical structures is sometimes uncertain.The Klebsiella pneumoniae O12 ATP-binding Cassette (ABC) Transporter Recognizes the Terminal Residue of Its O-antigen Polysaccharide Substrate
Export of the Escherichia coli serotype O9a O-antigenic polysaccharides (O-PS) involves an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter. The process requires a non-reducing terminal residue, which is recognized by a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) appended to the C terminus of the nucleotide-binding domain of the transporter. Here, we investigate the process in Klebsiella pneumoniae serotype O12 (and Raoultella terrigena ATCC 33257). The O12 polysaccharide is terminated at the non-reducing end by a β-linked 3-deoxy-d-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo) residue.
