title: The lipopolysaccharide of moraxella catarrhalis structural relationships and antigenic properties.
abstract: Moraxella catarrhalis has recently been shown to be both widespread and pathogenic, in contrast to previous reports. Several factors have been suggested as virulence factors, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) being one. Recent studies have shown the LPS to be without the O-chain, i.e. the polysaccharide part, and to have specific structural features corresponding to each of the three serogroups, A, B and C. The structures resemble in many respects those present in other Gram-negative nonenteric bacteria, with a galabiosyl element as a prominent common denominator. The presence of such common structures suggests that the LPS of these bacteria might be a part of a mechanism of survival for bacteria colonizing the human host.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Holme
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Widmalm
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D008050:Lipid A / Q000737:chemistry; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D008050:Lipid A; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides