The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Lipoteichoic acid is the major cell wall component responsible for surface hydrophobicity of group A streptococci

Author

  • Håkan Miörner
  • Göte Johansson
  • Göran Kronvall

Summary, in English

The contribution of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) to the hydrophobic surface properties of group A streptococci was investigated in aqueous dextran-polyethylene glycol two-phase systems. Enzymatic digestions were performed to characterize the hydrophobic surface structure. The results obtained indicated that LTA is a major factor responsible for the hydrophobic character of the cell surface of group A streptococci. This was further supported by the similarity of partition in polymer two-phase systems between whole group A streptococci and tritiated LTA extracted from a group A streptococcal strain. Surface LTA was also determined on intact organisms by a new method measuring the adsorption of antibodies to LTA to the bacterial surface. A correlation was found between the content of surface LTA and the hydrophobicity of the group A streptococci. We conclude that surface-associated LTA is the major factor determining surface hydrophobicity of group A streptococci.

Publishing year

1983

Language

English

Pages

336-343

Publication/Series

Infection and Immunity

Volume

39

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

American Society for Microbiology

Topic

  • Microbiology in the medical area

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1098-5522