Abstract
The attachment sites for the two major cell wall polysaccharides, the type-and group-specific antigens of a serotype III group B streptococcus (GBS) were investigated with [14C]lysine to label the peptide portion of the peptidoglycan and [3H]acetate to label both polysaccharide antigens as well as the glycan backbone of the peptidoglycan. Mutanolysin-treated cell walls were subjected to trypsin digestion, followed by exhaustive beta-elimination with 6N ammonium hydroxide at 37°C. The resulting products were purified by column chromatography prior to chemical, immunological, and high-voltage electrophoresis analyses. Data from these studies indicated that both cell wall polymers are covalently attached to the peptidoglycan via the peptide unit. Additionally, during synthesis and assembly both antigens attached only to nascent peptidoglycan.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Aminoff D (1961) Methods for quantitative estimation ofN-acetyl neuraminic acid and their application to hydrolysates of sialomucoids. Biochem J 81:384–392
Anthony BF, Okada DM (1977) The emergence of group B streptococci in infections of the newborn infant. Annu Rev Med 28:355–369
Baker CJ (1980) Group B streptococcal infections. Adv Intern Med 25:475–501
Baker CJ, Kasper DL (1976) Identification of sialic acid in polysaccharide antigens of group B streptococcus. Infect Immun 13:284–288
Barrett JF, Shockman GD (1984) Isolation and characterization of soluble peptidoglycan from several strains ofStreptococcus faecium. J Bacteriol 159:511–519
Braun V (1975) Covalent lipoprotein from the outer membrane ofEscherichia coli. Biochim Biophys Acta 415:335–377
Braun V, Rehn K, Wolff H (1970) Supramolecular structure of the rigid layer of the cell wall ofSalmonella, Serratia, Proteus, andPseudomonas fluorescens: number of lipoprotein molecules in a membrane layer. Biochemistry 9:5041–5049
Carey RB, Eisenstein TK, Shockman GD, Greber TF, Swenson RM (1980) Soluble group- and type-specific antigens from type III group BStreptococcus. Infect Immun 28:195–203
Coyette J, Ghuysen J-M (1970) Structure of the walls ofLactobacillus acidophilis strain 63 AM Gasser. Biochemistry 9:2935–2943
De Cueninck BJ, Shockman GD, Swenson RM (1982) Group B, type III streptococcal cell wall: composition and structural aspects revealed through endo-N-acetylmuramidasecatalyzed hydrolysis. Infect Immun 35:572–582
De Cueninck BJ, Greber TF, Einsenstein TK, Swenson RM, Shockman GD (1983) Isolation, chemical composition, and molecular size of extracellular type II and Ia polysaccharides of group B streptococci. Infect Immun 41:527–534
Doran TI, Mattingly SJ (1982) Association of type- and group-specific antigens with the cell wall of serotype III group B streptococcus. Infect Immun 36:1115–1122
Doran TI, Straus DC, Mattingly SJ (1981) Factors influencing the release of type III antigens by group B streptococci. Infect Immun 31:615–623
Fischer H, Tomasz A (1985) Peptidoglycan cross-linking and teichoic attachment inStreptococcus pneumoniae. J Bacteriol 163:46–54
Jennings HJ, Rosell KG, Kasper DL (1980) Structural determiation and serology of the native polysaccharide antigen of type-III group BStreptococcus. Can J Biochem 58:112–120
Jennings HJ, Rosell KG, Kasper DL (1980) Structure and serology of the native polysaccharide antigen of type Ia group BStreptococcus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:2931–2935
Jennings HJ, Rosell KG, Katzenellenbogen E, Kasper DL (1983) Structural determination of the capsular polysaccharide antigen of type II group BStreptococcus. J Biol Chem 258:1793–1798
Lancefield RC (1934) A serological differentiation of specific types of bovine hemolytic streptococci (group B). J Exp Med 59:441–458
Liu TY, Gotschlich EC (1967) Muramic acid phosphate as a component of the mucopeptide of gram-positive bacteria. J Biol Chem 242:471–476
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
Milligan TW, Doran TI, Straus DC, Mattingly SJ (1978) Studies on the growth and amino acid requirements of group B streptococci. J Clin Microbiol 7:28–33
Park JT, Johnson MJ (1949) A submicro-determination of glucose. J Biol Chem 181:149–151
Pisabarro AG, de Pedro MA, Varquez D (1985) Structural modifications in the peptidoglycan ofEscherichia coli associated with changes in the state of the growth of the culture. J Bacteriol 161:238–242
Pritchard DG, Brown GB, Gary BM, Coligan JE (1981) Glucitol is present in the group-specific polysaccharide in group B streptococcus. Curr Microbiol 5:283–287
Pritchard DG, Gray BM, Dillon HC Jr (1985) Characterization of the group-specific polysaccharide of group B streptococcus. In: Kimura Y, Kotami S, Shiokawa Y (eds) Recent advances in streptococci and streptococcal diseases. Windsor, Berks: Reedbooks, pp 206–208
Schleifer KH, Kandler O (1972) Peptidoglycan types of bacterial cell walls and their taxonomic implicatons. Bacteriol Rev 36:407–477
Spackman DH, Stein WH, Moore S (1958) Automatic recording apparatus for use in the chromatography of amino acids. Anal Chem 30:1190–1206
Tai JY, Gotschlich EC, Lancefield RC (1979) Isolation of type specific polysaccharide antigen from group B type Ib streptococci. J Exp Med 149:58–66
Terleckyj B, Willett NP, Shockman GD (1975) Growth of several cariogenic strains of oral streptococci in a chemically defined medium. Infect Immun 11:649–655
Tipper DJ (1968) Alkali-catalyzed elimination ofd-lactic acid from muramic acid and its derivatives and the determination of muramic acid. Biochemistry 7:1441–1449
Ward JB (1981) Teichoic and teichuronic acids: biosynthesis, assembly and location. Microbiol Rev 45:211–243
Ward JB, Curtis CAM (1982) The biosynthesis and linkage of teichuronic acid to peptidoglycan inBacillus licheniformis. J Biochem 122:125–132
Wilkinson HW (1975) Immunochemistry of purified polysac-charide type antigens of group B streptoccal types Ia, Ib, and Ic. Infect Immun 11:845–852
Yeung MK, Mattingly SJ (1983) Isolation and characterization of type III group B streptococcal mutants defective in biosynthesis of the type-specific antigen. Infect Immun 42:141–151
Yeung MK, Mattingly SJ (1983) Biosynthesis of cell wall peptidoglycan and polysaccharide antigens by protoplasts of type III group BStreptococcus. J Bacteriol 154:211–220
Yeung MK, Mattingly SJ (1984) Biosynthetic capacity for type-specific antigen synthesis determines the virulence of serotype III strains of group B streptococci. Infect Immun 44:217–221
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yeung, M.K., Mattingly, S.J. Covalent linkage of the type- and group-specific antigens to the peptide moiety of the peptidoglycan of serotype III group BStreptococcus . Current Microbiology 14, 205–211 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01568519
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01568519