title: Identification of carbohydrate structures that are possible receptors for Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
abstract: Different strains and isogenic variants of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were assayed for their ability to bind glycolipids extracted from various sources. Among a large number of reference glycolipids, binding was observed only to lactosylceramide [Gal(beta 1-4)Glc(beta 1-1)Cer], isoglobotriaosylceramide [Gal(alpha 1-3)Gal(beta 1-4)Glc(beta 1-1)Cer], gangliotriaosylceramide [GalNAc(beta 1-4)Gal(beta 1-4)Glc(beta 1-1)Cer], and gangliotetraosylceramide [Gal(beta 1-3)GalNAc(beta 1-4)Gal(beta 1-4)Glc(beta 1-1)Cer]. The latter two glycolipids bound gonococci with the highest affinity. Lactosylceramide and gangliotriaosylceramide were found in glycolipid preparations from ME180 cells, an epithelial cell line derived from a human cervical carcinoma, and thus are possible receptors for gonococci. The gonococcal surface component that bound the above glycolipids is a protein distinct from pilin and protein II.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004285:Dogs; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006017:Glycolipids; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface