title: Solution properties of capsular polysaccharides from Streptococcus pneumoniae.
abstract: Capsular polysaccharides from ten different serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae have been studied with regards their hydrodynamic properties in solution, namely their sedimentation coefficient and molar mass distributions, solution conformations and flexibilities (persistence lengths Lp), important properties for the construction of polysaccharide and glycoconjugate vaccines. Sedimentation and molar mass distributions (obtained by sedimentation velocity and equilibrium analysis in the analytical ultracentrifuge supported by size exclusion chromatography coupled to multi-angle light scattering measurements) were generally unimodal, with weight (mass) average molar masses ranging from 100×10(3) to 1300×10(3) g/mol. Estimates of chain flexibilities from three different procedures applied to intrinsic viscosity, sedimentation coefficient and molar mass data, showed that the polysaccharides from all the serotypes studied had semi-flexible structures in solution with persistence lengths in the range from ∼4 to 9 nm.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Macromolecular Hydrodynamics, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Macromolecular Hydrodynamics, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK.
authors.forename: Ali Saber
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Abdelhameed
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Macromolecular Hydrodynamics, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK.
authors.forename: Gordon A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Macromolecular Hydrodynamics, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Clifton Boulevard, Nottingham NG9 2RD, UK.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rue de l'Institut 89, B1-330 Rixensart, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Laloux
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rue de l'Institut 89, B1-330 Rixensart, Belgium.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cerny
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rue de l'Institut 89, B1-330 Rixensart, Belgium.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bonnier
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rue de l'Institut 89, B1-330 Rixensart, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duvivier
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rue de l'Institut 89, B1-330 Rixensart, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Conrath
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rue de l'Institut 89, B1-330 Rixensart, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lenfant
mesh_terms: D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012995:Solubility; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014461:Ultracentrifugation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial