title: Serological classification and epitope specificity of Proteus vulgaris TG 251 from Proteus serogroup O65.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Proteus rods are currently subdivided into five named species, i.e. Proteus mirabilis, P. vulgaris, P. penneri, P. hauseri, and P. myxofaciens, and three unnamed Proteus genomospecies 4 to 6. Based on the serospecificity of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS; O-antigen), strains of P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris were divided into 49 O-serogroups and 11 additional O-serogroups were proposed later. About 15 further O-serogroups have been proposed for the third medically important species, P. penneri. Here the serological classification of P. vulgaris strain TG 251, which does not belong to these serogroups, is reported. Serological investigations also allowed characterization of the epitope specificity of its LPS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Purified LPSs from five Proteus strains were used as antigens in enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA), SDS/PAGE, and Western blot and alkali-treated LPSs in the passive immunohemolysis (PIH) test, inhibition of PIH and EIA, and absorption of the rabbit polyclonal O-antisera with the respective LPS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serological studies of P. vulgaris TG 251 LPS indicated the identity of its O-polysaccharide with that of P. penneri O65. The antibody specificities of P. vulgaris TG 251 and P. penneri O65 O-antisera, were described.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  P. vulgaris TG 251 was classified to the Proteus O65 serogroup. Two disaccharide-associated epitopes present in P. vulgaris TG 251 and P. penneri O65 LPSs are suggested to be responsible for cross-reactions with three heterologous Proteus strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zych
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kołodziejska
authors.forename: Dominika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drzewiecka
authors.forename: Andrey V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Perepelov
authors.forename: Yuriy A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Knirel
authors.forename: Zygmunt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sidorczyk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019081:O Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D044095:Proteus penneri / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011514:Proteus vulgaris / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000939:Epitopes; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D019081:O Antigens