Comparison of O-Antigen Gene Clusters of All O-Serogroups of Escherichia coli and Proposal for Adopting a New Nomenclature for O-Typing.

ABSTRACT: Escherichia coli strains are classified based on O-antigens that are components of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the cell envelope. O-antigens are important virulence factors, targets of both the innate and adaptive immune system, and play a role in host-pathogen interactions. Because they are highly immunogenic and display antigenic specificity unique for each strain, O-antigens are the biomarkers for designating O-types. Immunologically, 185 O-serogroups and 11 OX-groups exist for classification. Conventional serotyping for O-typing entails agglutination reactions between the O-antigen and antisera generated against each O-group. The procedure is labor intensive, not always accurate, and exhibits equivocal results. In this report, we present the sequences of 71 O-antigen gene clusters

SUBMITTER: DebRoy C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4732683 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature