title: Selective distribution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa O-antigen among strains producing group I pilin.
abstract: Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that produce type IVa pili categorized as group I have the potential to covalently attach an O-antigen repeating unit to the pilin C-terminal residue. PCR, employing primers targeting a conserved region of a group-I-specific gene, was used to provide evidence that 110 of 206 clinical isolates studied had the capability of producing this type of pilus. The potential of P. aeruginosa to produce a particular O-antigen type is determined by the presence of a specific biosynthetic gene cluster. The distribution of these gene clusters among the isolates studied was determined using a second PCR procedure. The results of these studies showed that the O-antigen repeating unit types associated with group I pilin producers were significantly different from those found in the non-group I pilin strains. In addition, the predicted ability to express O-antigen repeating units composed of four sugars, and the ability of the glycan to express a negative charge were associated with group I pilin producing strains. The results presented suggest that these properties specifically enhance group I pilus function and that the commonality of pilus and O-antigen types may be useful as targets in disease intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA.
authors.forename: Tara M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Allison
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA castric@duq.edu.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castric
mesh_terms: D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family; D019081:O Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D019081:O Antigens; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins
keywords: O-antigen repeating unit; Pili; Pilin glycosylation; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Type IVa pili; pathogenicity; virulence factors