Immunochemical studies and genetic background of two Neisseria meningitidis isolates expressing unusual capsule polysaccharide antigens with specificities of both serogroup Y and W135

Can J Microbiol. 2008 Mar;54(3):229-34. doi: 10.1139/w07-132.

Abstract

We described 2 unusual Neisseria meningitidis strains isolated from epidemiologically unrelated invasive meningococcal disease cases in Ontario, Canada. Both isolates have features typical of serogroup Y N. meningitidis: are of serotype 2c, are of the multi-locus sequence types typical of the serogroup Y strains in Canada, and are genotyped as serogroup Y based on a previously described PCR-ELISA method that detects the serogroup-Y-specific siaD gene. However, both strains were poly-agglutinable in both anti-Y and anti-W135 antisera. Further studies on 1 of these 2 isolates showed the presence of glucose and galactose as well as sialic acids in its purified capsular polysaccharide, suggesting the presence of both serogroup Y and serogroup W135 polysaccharides. Rabbit antisera produced to this strain contained antibodies to both purified serogroup Y and serogroup W135 capsular polysaccharides. Absorption experiments with either serogroup Y or serogroup W135 bacteria confirmed the presence of antibodies to these 2 different polysaccharides. DNA sequencing of the cps operon from both isolates revealed a siaD gene with 99.7% homology to the published siaD sequence from a serogroup Y strain but with 3 point mutations that all resulted in amino acid changes. How these strains may affect results of routine surveillance, PCR diagnosis, and immuno-protection by vaccination are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution / genetics
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
  • Bacterial Capsules / chemistry
  • Bacterial Capsules / genetics*
  • Bacterial Capsules / immunology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • Child, Preschool
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Galactose / analysis
  • Genotype
  • Glucose / analysis
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Meningococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neisseria meningitidis / genetics*
  • Neisseria meningitidis / immunology*
  • Neisseria meningitidis / isolation & purification
  • Ontario
  • Point Mutation
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Serotyping
  • Sialic Acids / analysis

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Sialic Acids
  • Glucose
  • Galactose