Molecular and antigenic characterization of a Streptococcus oralis coaggregation receptor polysaccharide by carbohydrate engineering in Streptococcus gordonii.

ABSTRACT: The coaggregation receptor polysaccharides (RPS) of Streptococcus oralis and related species are recognized by lectin-like adhesins on other members of the oral biofilm community and by RPS-specific antibodies. The former interactions involve beta-GalNAc or beta-Gal containing host-like motifs in the oligosaccharide repeating units of these polysaccharides, whereas the latter involves features of these molecules that are immunogenic. In the present investigation, the molecular and corresponding structural basis for the serotype specificity of S. oralis ATCC 10557 RPS was determined by engineering the production of this polysaccharide in transformable Streptococcus gordonii 38. This involved the systematic replacement of genes in the rps cluster of strain 38 with different but related genes

SUBMITTER: Yoshida Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2335359 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature