title: Preservation of capsular material of streptococcal cells by specific lectins determined by immunoelectron microscopy.
abstract: We describe the use of lectins as specific stabilizing agents for the polysaccharide capsular components of two Gram-positive bacteria, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus bovis. Treatment of bacterial suspensions with wheatgerm agglutinin and concanavalin A allowed better morphological preservation as well as immunoelectron microscopic localization of a capsular component (lipoteichoic acid) by employing specific antibodies and the protein A-gold technique. Data obtained indicate that lectins are useful agents in preserving highly water-soluble capsular components during the electron microscopy procedures for both unembedded and embedded samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrastructures, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molinari
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orefici
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Von Hunolstein
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paradisi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arancia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003208:Concanavalin A; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods*; D011309:Preservation, Biological; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000032:analysis / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D013682:Teichoic Acids; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; D003208:Concanavalin A; C009900:lipoteichoic acid