Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Relationship Between Udp-Glucose 4-Epimerase Activity And Oligoglucose Glycoforms In Two Strains Of Neisseria Meningitidis, F K. Lee, B W. Gibson, William Melaugh, A Zaleski, M A. Apicella

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel analysis of lipooligosaccharide (LOS) from Neisseria meningitidis has demonstrated considerable microheterogeneity in the variable region of LOS due to the presence of novel glycoforms. As a step toward understanding the basis for the expression of these novel glycoforms, we have examined the LOS structures and UDP-glucose 4-epimerase (epimerase) activity levels in two strains (NMB and MA-1) and their respective galE mutants. Strain NMB was found to have low epimerase activity and to contain multiple glycoforms, some of which appear to contain only glucose sugars. The galE mutant had only the oligoglucose glycoforms. Strain MA-1 had higher …