title: Molecular analysis of lipooligosaccharide biosynthesis in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
abstract: A HindIII gene bank of Neisseria gonorrhoeae MUG116 was constructed in the cosmid vector pHC79. A cosmid (pSY81) was isolated that was able to convert N. gonorrhoeae FA5100 to reactivity with monoclonal antibody (MAb) 2-1-L8. Several MAb-reactive transformants were isolated and characterized with respect to lipooligosaccharide (LOS) production as analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, their ability to react with two other LOS-specific MAbs (3F11 and O6B4), and Southern blot analysis. Escherichia coli containing the clone had altered lipopolysaccharide expression as determined by electrophoretic analysis; however, no reactivity was seen with gonococcus-specific MAbs. The introduction of pSY81 into FA5100 had a pleiomorphic effect, giving rise to transformants having the full parental phenotype or transformants lacking reactivity to a combination of LOS-specific MAbs. Southern blot analysis indicated that the LOS biosynthetic mutation in FA5100 was not due to chromosomal rearrangement or large deletions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Maryland, College Park 20742.
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Petricoin
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009844:Oligosaccharides; C023023:lipid-linked oligosaccharides