title: Characterization of the O antigen gene cluster and structural analysis of the O antigen of Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis.
abstract: A gene cluster encoding enzymes involved in LPS O antigen biosynthesis was identified from the partial genome sequence of Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis Schu S4. All of the genes within the cluster were assigned putative functions based on sequence similarity with genes from O antigen biosynthetic clusters from other bacteria. Ten pairs of overlapping primers were designed to amplify the O antigen biosynthetic cluster by PCR from nine strains of F. tularensis. Although the gene cluster was present in all strains, there was a size difference in one of the PCR products between subsp. tularensis strains and subsp. holarctica strains. LPS was purified from F. tularensis subsp. tularensis Schu S4 and the O antigen was shown by mass spectrometry to have a structure similar to that of F. tularensis subsp. holarctica strain 15. When LPS from F. tularensis subsp. tularensis Schu S4 was used to immunize mice that were then challenged with F. tularensis subsp. tularensis Schu S4, an extended time to death was observed.
authors.affiliation: Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, UK 2Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK 3M-SCAN Mass Spectrometry Research and Training Centre, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PZ, UK 4Department of Infectious and Tropical Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Joann L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Prior
authors.affiliation: Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, UK 2Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK 3M-SCAN Mass Spectrometry Research and Training Centre, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PZ, UK 4Department of Infectious and Tropical Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Prior
authors.affiliation: Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, UK 2Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK 3M-SCAN Mass Spectrometry Research and Training Centre, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PZ, UK 4Department of Infectious and Tropical Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Hitchen
authors.affiliation: Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, UK 2Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK 3M-SCAN Mass Spectrometry Research and Training Centre, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PZ, UK 4Department of Infectious and Tropical Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Diaper
authors.affiliation: Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, UK 2Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK 3M-SCAN Mass Spectrometry Research and Training Centre, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PZ, UK 4Department of Infectious and Tropical Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Kate F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.affiliation: Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, UK 2Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK 3M-SCAN Mass Spectrometry Research and Training Centre, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PZ, UK 4Department of Infectious and Tropical Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Howard R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, UK 2Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK 3M-SCAN Mass Spectrometry Research and Training Centre, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PZ, UK 4Department of Infectious and Tropical Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dell
authors.affiliation: Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, UK 2Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK 3M-SCAN Mass Spectrometry Research and Training Centre, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PZ, UK 4Department of Infectious and Tropical Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Titball
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001681:Biological Assay; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000502:physiology; D019081:O Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D014406:Tularemia / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D019081:O Antigens