title: Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates expressing a capsule with epitopes of both serotypes 6A and 6B.
abstract: Four Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates expressing both 6A and 6B capsular serotypes were detected by a multiplex immunoassay. The sequence of WciP, a GT2-family glycosyltransferase, indicates that point mutation has compromised linkage specificity, allowing two alternative oligosaccharides to be synthesized. This finding highlights that mutation as well as recombination can mediate serotype change.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory and Systemic Infection Laboratory, Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Carmen L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Sheppard
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pichon
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Lucinda M C
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012703:Serotyping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D000939:Epitopes; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D016695:Glycosyltransferases