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R Sandlin

Publications and source records attributed to R Sandlin.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Genetic basis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipooligosaccharide antigenic variation.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipooligosaccharide (LOS) undergoes antigenic variation at a high rate, and this variation can be monitored by changes in a strain's ability to bind LOS-specific monoclonal antibodies. We report here the cloning and identification of a gene, lsi-2, that can mediate this variation. The DNA sequence of lsi-2 has been determined for N. gonorrhoeae 1291, a strain that expresses a high-molecular-mass LOS, and a derivative of this strain, RS132L, that produces a truncated LOS. In the parental strain, lsi-2 contains a string of 12 guanines in the middle of its coding sequence. In cells that had antigenically varied to produce a truncated LOS, the number of guanines in lsi-2 was altered. Site-specific deletions were constructed to verify that expression of a 3.6-kDa LOS is due to alterations in lsi-2.

Antigens, Bacterial↗

Structural heterogeneity of the lipopolysaccharides of the Neisseriaceae.

Lipopolysaccharides from 5 different genera of the Neisseriaceae were analyzed on sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and visualized by silver staining. Significant heterogeneity in the banding patterns was observed with some of the strains producing only low molecular mass molecules and others producing O-repeating units. All genera examined except Branhamella contained strains that were able to produce an O-repeating side chain on their lipopolysaccharides. The ability to produce the repeating subunit did not correlate with the presence of plasmids.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗

Fluorescence changes during conduction in nerves stained with Acridine Orange.

Nerves from spider crabs anid squid fluoresce when staiined with Acridine Orange. The intenisity of fluorescence increases during nerse conduction. Prolongation of the electric response in the squid axon is associated with a fluorescence change of similar duration. These findings suggest that the physicochemical properties of the macromolecules around the dye molecules in the nerve membrane drastically change during the process of nerve conduction.

Acridines↗