Skip to main content
PMC home page
Epidemiology and Infection logoLink to Epidemiology and Infection
. 1995 Aug;115(1):71–78. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800058131

Molecular characterization of a virulence-associated epitope on the lipopolysaccharide of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1.

J H Helbig 1, P C Lück 1, Y A Knirel 1, W Witzleb 1, U Zähringer 1
PMCID: PMC2271561  PMID: 7543861

Abstract

For identification of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-associated epitopes of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, LPS of strain Philadelphia 1 was investigated using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). The O-specific chain of LPS is a homopolymer of 5-acetamidino-7-acetamido-8-O-acetyl-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-D-glycero- L-galacto- nonulosonic acid. At least four immunoaccessible epitopes were recognized by different MAbs on the intact LPS. After O-deacetylation of LPS, the reactivity of one of the MAbs (MAb 3/1) was lost, indicating thus that the corresponding epitope is associated with the 8-O-acetyl group. Since the reactivity pattern of the MAb 3/1 is identical with those of the MAb 2 which was considered as a virulence marker for serogroup 1, this epitope may be involved in mediating virulence in L. pneumophila. Four MAbs specific to strains of serogroup 1 other than the monoclonal subtype Philadelphia recognized epitopes on the O-deacetylated LPS of strain Philadelphia 1 and, therefore, the virulence-associated epitope blocks recognition of the immunodeterminants that are accessible on the intact LPS of the strains lacking this epitope.

Full text

PDF
71

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Benson R. F., Thacker W. L., Wilkinson H. W., Fallon R. J., Brenner D. J. Legionella pneumophila serogroup 14 isolated from patients with fatal pneumonia. J Clin Microbiol. 1988 Feb;26(2):382–382. doi: 10.1128/jcm.26.2.382-.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bollin G. E., Plouffe J. F., Para M. F., Prior R. B. Difference in virulence of environmental isolates of Legionella pneumophila. J Clin Microbiol. 1985 May;21(5):674–677. doi: 10.1128/jcm.21.5.674-677.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Brenner D. J., Steigerwalt A. G., Epple P., Bibb W. F., McKinney R. M., Starnes R. W., Colville J. M., Selander R. K., Edelstein P. H., Moss C. W. Legionella pneumophila serogroup Lansing 3 isolated from a patient with fatal pneumonia, and descriptions of L. pneumophila subsp. pneumophila subsp. nov., L. pneumophila subsp. fraseri subsp. nov., and L. pneumophila subsp. pascullei subsp. nov. J Clin Microbiol. 1988 Sep;26(9):1695–1703. doi: 10.1128/jcm.26.9.1695-1703.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brindle R. J., Bryant T. N., Draper P. W. Taxonomic investigation of Legionella pneumophila using monoclonal antibodies. J Clin Microbiol. 1989 Mar;27(3):536–539. doi: 10.1128/jcm.27.3.536-539.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cianfriglia M., Armellini D., Massone A., Mariani M. Simple immunization protocol for high frequency production of soluble antigen-specific hybridomas. Hybridoma. 1983;2(4):451–457. doi: 10.1089/hyb.1983.2.451. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Ciesielski C. A., Blaser M. J., Wang W. L. Serogroup specificity of Legionella pneumophila is related to lipopolysaccharide characteristics. Infect Immun. 1986 Feb;51(2):397–404. doi: 10.1128/iai.51.2.397-404.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Conlan J. W., Ashworth L. A. The relationship between the serogroup antigen and lipopolysaccharide of Legionella pneumophila. J Hyg (Lond) 1986 Feb;96(1):39–48. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400062513. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dennis P. J., Brenner D. J., Thacker W. L., Wait R., Vesey G., Steigerwalt A. G., Benson R. F. Five new Legionella species isolated from water. Int J Syst Bacteriol. 1993 Apr;43(2):329–337. doi: 10.1099/00207713-43-2-329. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Dennis P. J., Lee J. V. Differences in aerosol survival between pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. J Appl Bacteriol. 1988 Aug;65(2):135–141. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1988.tb01501.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Dournon E., Bibb W. F., Rajagopalan P., Desplaces N., McKinney R. M. Monoclonal antibody reactivity as a virulence marker for Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 strains. J Infect Dis. 1988 Mar;157(3):496–501. doi: 10.1093/infdis/157.3.496. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Edelstein P. H. Comparative study of selective media for isolation of Legionella pneumophila from potable water. J Clin Microbiol. 1982 Oct;16(4):697–699. doi: 10.1128/jcm.16.4.697-699.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Edelstein P. H., Edelstein M. A. Intracellular growth of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 monoclonal antibody type 2 positive and negative bacteria. Epidemiol Infect. 1993 Dec;111(3):499–502. doi: 10.1017/s095026880005723x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Ehret W., von Specht B. U., Ruckdeschel G. Discrimination between clinical and environmental strains of Legionella pneumophila by a monoclonal antibody. Isr J Med Sci. 1986 Oct;22(10):715–723. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Galanos C., Lüderitz O., Westphal O. A new method for the extraction of R lipopolysaccharides. Eur J Biochem. 1969 Jun;9(2):245–249. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1969.tb00601.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Helbig J. H., Lück P. C., Pilz C., Witzleb W. Common epitope on urinary antigen derived from different Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 strains recognized by a monoclonal antibody. Zentralbl Bakteriol. 1990 Sep;273(4):478–480. doi: 10.1016/s0934-8840(11)80455-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Joly J. R., Chen Y. Y., Ramsay D. Serogrouping and subtyping of Legionella pneumophila with monoclonal antibodies. J Clin Microbiol. 1983 Nov;18(5):1040–1046. doi: 10.1128/jcm.18.5.1040-1046.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Joly J. R., McKinney R. M., Tobin J. O., Bibb W. F., Watkins I. D., Ramsay D. Development of a standardized subgrouping scheme for Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 using monoclonal antibodies. J Clin Microbiol. 1986 Apr;23(4):768–771. doi: 10.1128/jcm.23.4.768-771.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Knirel Y. A., Rietschel E. T., Marre R., Zähringer U. The structure of the O-specific chain of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 lipopolysaccharide. Eur J Biochem. 1994 Apr 1;221(1):239–245. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1994.tb18734.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Lück P. C., Helbig J. H., Ehret W., Marre R., Witzleb W. Subtyping of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 strains isolated in Germany using monoclonal antibodies. Zentralbl Bakteriol. 1992 Jul;277(2):179–187. doi: 10.1016/s0934-8840(11)80611-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Lück P. C., Leupold I., Hlawitschka M., Helbig J. H., Carmienke I., Jatzwauk L., Guderitz T. Prevalence of Legionella species, serogroups, and monoclonal subgroups in hot water systems in south-eastern Germany. Zentralbl Hyg Umweltmed. 1993 Feb;193(5):450–460. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. McKinney R. M., Thacker L., Wells D. E., Wong M. C., Jones W. J., Bibb W. F. Monoclonal antibodies to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1: possible applications in diagnostic tests and epidemiologic studies. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg A. 1983 Jul;255(1):91–95. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Moll H., Sonesson A., Jantzen E., Marre R., Zähringer U. Identification of 27-oxo-octacosanoic acid and heptacosane-1,27-dioic acid in Legionella pneumophila. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1992 Oct 1;76(1-2):1–6. doi: 10.1016/0378-1097(92)90354-q. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Otten S., Iyer S., Johnson W., Montgomery R. Serospecific antigens of Legionella pneumophila. J Bacteriol. 1986 Sep;167(3):893–904. doi: 10.1128/jb.167.3.893-904.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Peters H., Jürs M., Jann B., Jann K., Timmis K. N., Bitter-Suermann D. Monoclonal antibodies to enterobacterial common antigen and to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide outer core: demonstration of an antigenic determinant shared by enterobacterial common antigen and E. coli K5 capsular polysaccharide. Infect Immun. 1985 Nov;50(2):459–466. doi: 10.1128/iai.50.2.459-466.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Petitjean F., Dournon E., Strosberg A. D., Hoebeke J. Isolation, purification and partial analysis of the lipopolysaccharide antigenic determinant recognized by a monoclonal antibody to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. Res Microbiol. 1990 Nov-Dec;141(9):1077–1094. doi: 10.1016/0923-2508(90)90082-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Reingold A. L., Thomason B. M., Brake B. J., Thacker L., Wilkinson H. W., Kuritsky J. N. Legionella pneumonia in the United States: the distribution of serogroups and species causing human illness. J Infect Dis. 1984 May;149(5):819–819. doi: 10.1093/infdis/149.5.819. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Sonesson A., Jantzen E., Bryn K., Larsson L., Eng J. Chemical composition of a lipopolysaccharide from Legionella pneumophila. Arch Microbiol. 1989;153(1):72–78. doi: 10.1007/BF00277544. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Stout J. E., Joly J., Para M., Plouffe J., Ciesielski C., Blaser M. J., Yu V. L. Comparison of molecular methods for subtyping patients and epidemiologically linked environmental isolates of Legionella pneumophila. J Infect Dis. 1988 Mar;157(3):486–495. doi: 10.1093/infdis/157.3.486. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Watkins I. D., Tobin J. O., Dennis P. J., Brown W., Newnham R., Kurtz J. B. Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 subgrouping by monoclonal antibodies--an epidemiological tool. J Hyg (Lond) 1985 Oct;95(2):211–216. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400062641. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Epidemiology and Infection are provided here courtesy of Cambridge University Press

RESOURCES