title: Effect of mannitol and glucose on the distribution and trypsin susceptibility of protein A of Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: The biological activity and morphological distribution of protein A on the cell surface were studied in a medium containing an excess of either mannitol or glucose, which suppressed protein A production of Staphylococcus aureus, Cowan I strain. Preculture of the organisms in the presence of a sugar suppressed the expression of protein A, resulting in a decrease in the number of cells bound with antiferritin rabbit IgG molecules, which specifically indicate protein A distribution. The distribution pattern of protein A on the cell surface changed with glucose but not with mannitol. The two-layered ferritin distribution on the organism grown in the control medium was altered into a heavily labeled, thick and rough layer with glucose, suggesting the induction of a conformational change in the polypeptide chain forming protein A. This was positively supported by the increase in trypsin susceptibility of protein A.
mesh_terms: D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000378:metabolism; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D008353:Mannitol / Q000378:metabolism*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000378:metabolism*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014357:Trypsin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006388:Hemagglutinins; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A; D008353:Mannitol; D014357:Trypsin; D005947:Glucose