title: Isolation and characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae unencapsulated mutants.
abstract: Klebsiella pneumoniae mutants were obtained after UV irradiation and negative selection with anticapsular serum. Unencapsulation, rather than expression of a structurally altered capsule, was found in the mutants. The mutant strains showed no alterations in their outer membrane proteins and lipopolysaccharide, and a great similarity with the wild type in the properties tested (serum resistance, antimicrobial sensitivity, and lipopolysaccharide-specific bacteriophage sensitivity), with the exception of a higher cell surface hydrophobicity and resistance to bacteriophage FC3-9.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología y Ciencias de la Salud (Laboratorio de Microbiologia), Universidad de las Islas Baleares, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Benedí
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ciurana
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tomás
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001435:Bacteriophages; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000032:analysis; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009154:Mutation; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial