title: Reactivity of the glycocalyx of endocarditis-producing viridans group streptococci.
abstract: We correlated quantity of streptococcal polysaccharides and endocarditis production by those bacterial strains. To investigate this finding further, we studied the composition of the glycocalyx using a spectrophotometric assay and lectin analysis of exopolysaccharides from endocarditis- and non-endocarditis-producing strains of viridans streptococci. Identical weights of glycocalyx from the clinical endocarditis isolates produced significantly different absorbances as compared with the nonendocarditis isolates (P < 0.0012, Wilcoxon rank test). Lectin-binding experiments showed that endocarditis-producing streptococci contained increased amounts of glucose, galactose, sialic acid, and mannose. These data suggest that the glycocalyx of endocarditis-producing viridans streptococci is both qualitatively and quantitatively different from non-endocarditis-producing isolates. These differences can be measured in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine 64133.
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Dall
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Herndon
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006601:Hexoses / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D006601:Hexoses; D037102:Lectins; D011134:Polysaccharides