title: Cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetyl neuraminic acid and a low molecular weight factor from human blood cells induce lipopolysaccharide alteration in gonococci when conferring resistance to killing by human serum.
abstract: Recently evidence has been obtained that a minute amount of cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetyl neuraminic acid (CMP-NANA) or a closely related compound is the low Mr factor in human red blood cells which induces Neisseria gonorrhoeae (BS4(agar] to resistance to killing by fresh human serum. Induction of gonococci to resistance by both CMP-NANA and semi-purified low Mr factor from red blood cells was accompanied by a 35-55% reduction of silver staining of lipopolysaccharide separated in SDS-PAGE gels of proteinase K digests. These alterations in lipopolysaccharide are probably responsible for conferring serum resistance. However, lipopolysaccharide-containing digests from resistant as well as from susceptible gonococci neutralised serum bactericidal activity. These observations may have wider implications since CMP-NANA is a sialylating agent wide-spread in mammalian tissues and LPS is ubiquitous amongst Gram-negative pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Birmingham, U.K.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Nairn
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldner
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D003569:Cytidine Monophosphate N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001685:Biological Factors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012794:Sialic Acids; D003569:Cytidine Monophosphate N-Acetylneuraminic Acid