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PMID: 2981773 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Influence of nutrient limitation and low pH on serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis capsular polysaccharide levels: correlation with virulence for mice.

Infection and immunity ·Vol. 47 ·No. 2 ·1985-02-00 ·Pages 465-71

Masson L, Holbein BE

Abstract

Neisseria meningitidis strain M986, which possesses a polyanionic sialic acid capsular polysaccharide, was resistant to the bactericidal effects of normal rabbit serum, but sensitive when immune serum and complement were present. An isogenic strain PRM102, deficient in the ability to produce capsular polysaccharide, was sensitive to normal serum. Strain M986, when grown under conditions of low pH or nutrient limitation, synthesized increased levels of capsular polysaccharide. This was accompanied by an increase in cell surface hydrophilicity and virulence for mice. Cells grown in low-pH, iron-limited medium synthesized the highest concentration of polysaccharide and exhibited the highest cell surface hydrophilicity and virulence among the cases examined. The increase in capsular polysaccharide was partly explained by a decrease in the specific activity of a membrane-bound cytidine monophosphate-N acetylneuraminic acid hydrolase. The results suggest that conditions of nutrient limitation and low pH exert profound effects on the physicochemical nature of the meningococcal cell surface which, in turn, cumulate in enhanced virulence of this organism for mice.

MeSH Terms
Animals Bacterial Proteins/analysis Blood Bactericidal Activity Complement System Proteins/physiology Culture Media Hydrogen-Ion Concentration Mice Neisseria meningitidis/analysis,enzymology,pathogenicity Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases/analysis Polysaccharides, Bacterial/analysis Sialic Acids/analysis Sialyltransferases/analysis Virulence
Chemicals
Bacterial Proteins Culture Media Polysaccharides, Bacterial Sialic Acids Complement System Proteins Sialyltransferases Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases CMP-N-acylneuraminate phosphodiesterase
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Masson L
Holbein B E
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41 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
Infection and immunity
Abbr.
Infect Immun
ISSN
0019-9567
DOI
10.1128/iai.47.2.465-471.1985
Published
1985-02-00
Pages
465-71
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
0246127
PMCID
PMC263193
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1128/iai.47.2.465-471.1985 PMC Full Text View journal details
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