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Biomedical subjects

P G James

Publications and source records attributed to P G James.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Cell surface ligands for rotavirus: mouse intestinal glycolipids and synthetic carbohydrate analogs.

Rotaviral binding to receptors on epithelial cells in the small intestine is thought to be a key event in the infection process and may be carbohydrate-mediated. Strain SA11 of rotavirus bound in vitro both to glycolipids isolated from mouse small intestine and to authentic glycolipids using thin layer chromatography overlay and microtiter well adsorption assays. Neutral mouse intestinal glycolipids which bound rotavirus were GA1 (Gal beta 1----3GalNAc beta 1---4Glc beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1-ceramide) and pentaosylceramides with terminal N-acetylgalactosamine, while acidic lipids which bound rotavirus included cholesterol 3-sulfate and two compounds termed bands 80 and 81. Digestion with ceramide glycanase suggested that bands 80 and 81 have lactosyl ceramide cores and an unidentified acidic moiety(s). No sialic-acid-containing glycolipids tested were active in viral binding. Band 81, which may have a ganglio core, bound rotavirus with greatest avidity, followed by GA1. Of authentic glycolipids assayed, only GA1 and GA2 (GalNAc beta 1----4Gal beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1-ceramide) displayed rotaviral binding. A phosphatidylethanolamide dipalmitoyl-containing neoglycolipid analog of GA2 bound rotavirus with avidity similar to native GA2. Substitution of beta 1----4-linked GlcNAc or beta 1----3-linked GalNAc for terminal GalNAc of GA2 neoglycolipid supported rotaviral binding, while other substitutions abrogated it. These findings suggest that a carbohydrate epitope similar to that of GA2 is sufficient for in vitro rotaviral binding, although binding may be enhanced by galactose and/or an acidic moiety in a secondary epitope.

Animals

Galactoxylomannans of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Galactoxylomannans (GalXMs) from single isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans serotypes A, B, and D were isolated from culture supernatants and then purified by affinity, ion-exchange, and gel-filtration chromatography. GalXMs are a group of closely related complex polysaccharides. GalXMs from serotypes A (9759 A) and C (3183 C) and an acapsular mutant of serotype D (Cap67 D) have similar galactose, xylose, and mannose molar ratios, but each has some unique structural features. GalXM9759 A and GalXM 3183 C were associated with a starchlike glucan that was removed during purification. Only a trace of glucose was detected in the Cap67 D GalXM. Gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy of per-O-methylated polysaccharides and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that GalXM is a complex branched polysaccharide. The main chain consists of mannose or galactose or alternating mannose and galactose residues. Xylose is present only as nonreducing termini. Galactofuranose occurs only in 3183 C and Cap67 D, and it is always present as nonreducing termini.

Carbohydrates

Cell-wall glucans of Cryptococcus neoformans Cap 67.

Purified cell walls derived from Cryptococcus neofromans Cap 67, an acapsular mutant, consisted of 86% Glc and 7.3% GlcNAc. The integrity of the cell walls was disrupted in three successive extractions with 60% 4-methylmorpholine N-oxide (4-MMNO) at 120 degrees. Four 4-MMNO-soluble D-glucopyranans were isolated. Released within 0.5 h was water-insoluble Gi-1, followed by two water-soluble Gs fractions and water-insoluble Gi-2 over 17.5 h. A 4-MMNO-insoluble residue, containing 27% of GlcNAc, was also isolated. Gi-1 and Gi-2 were isolated as precipitates during dialysis of 4-MMNO extracts and were each reduced with NaBH4 to permit their investigation in alkaline solution. Gs-1 and Gs-2 were separated by ion-exchange chromatography of the water-soluble fractions. The structures of the D-glucopyranans were determined by 13C-n.m.r. spectroscopy and by g.l.c.-mass spectrometry of their per-O-methylated derivatives. Gi-1 was a (1----3)-alpha-D-glucopyranan (97%) with some (1----4)-D-glucosidic linkages (3%) and no chain-branching. Gs-1 and Gs-2 were (1----6)-beta-D-glucopyranans branched at O-3 (10-12%) with beta-D-Glcp-(1----3)-beta-D-Glcp side chains. Gs-2 may have approximately 2% more chain branching than Gs-1. Gi-2 was a D-glucopyranan with 80% of its structure like that of Gi-1, and 20% like that of Gs-1 and -2; the water-insolubility of Gi-2 suggests that these structures were covalently linked. Almost identical D-glucopyranans were obtained from aged cultures that had thickened walls (as observed by electron microscopy).

Cell Wall

Localization of mannoprotein in Cryptococcus neoformans.

Cell wall mannoprotein of nonpathogenic yeasts is surface exposed, since the cells are agglutinated by concanavalin A and antimannoprotein antibodies. However, nonencapsulated cells of Cryptococcus neoformans were agglutinated neither by concanavalin A nor by antimannoprotein antibodies. Immunogold electron microscopy located most mannoprotein in the inner cell wall. Chemical analysis of purified cell walls showed the lack of mannose, xylose, and galactose residues. These data indicate that cryptococcal mannoprotein recovered from the cultural supernatant is a nonstructural element of the cell wall.

Cell Wall