title: Genetic analysis of the gene cluster for the synthesis of serotype a-specific polysaccharide antigen in Aactinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.
abstract: The serotype a-specific polysaccharide antigen (SPA) of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans consists of 6-deoxy-D-talose. A gene cluster associated with the biosynthesis of SPA was cloned and sequenced from the chromosomal DNA of A. actinomycetemcomitans SUNYaB 75 (serotype a). This cluster consisted of 14 open reading frames. Insertional inactivation of eight genes in this cluster resulted in loss of the ability of A. actinomycetemcomitans SUNYaB 75 cells to produce the polysaccharide. A protein database search revealed that the 11 sequential genes containing these eight genes were not found in SPA-associated gene clusters of the other serotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans. These results suggest that the gene cluster is unique to serotype a and is essential to the synthesis of the SPA.
authors: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Kyushu University Faculty of Dental Science, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Suzuki
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Nakano
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Yoshida
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Nakao
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Yamashita
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Koga
mesh_terms: D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000235:genetics*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003837:Deoxy Sugars / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006601:Hexoses; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D003837:Deoxy Sugars; D006601:Hexoses; C011754:6-deoxytalose