The Journal of Experimental Medicine, Vol 138, 117-129,
Copyright © 1973 by The Rockefeller University Press
TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENT VARIATION IN THE SYNTHESIS OF GROUP-SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE BY STREPTOCOCCAL VARIANT STRAINS
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I. IMMUNOCHEMICAL STUDIES
Elia M. Ayoub 1 and
Burton A. Dudding 1
1 From the Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32601, and University of Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas 66103
A temperature-dependent alteration in the synthesis of the group-specific polysaccharide was found to occur in two "variant" streptococcal strains, A-486-Var and C 121/46/4. These strains synthesize a polysaccharide with variant immunochemical characteristics when grown at 37°C. However, when these organisms are grown at lower temperatures, 22°C, an enhanced synthesis of Group A carbohydrate occurs. Other variant strains show no appreciable alteration of the cell wall carbohydrate composition when grown at lower temperatures. Studies on an intermediate strain show that this organism has a propensity for the synthesis of a polysaccharide with higher glucosamine content and enhanced Group A serological reactivity when grown at 22°C.
Immunochemical studies performed on the carbohydrates produced by the A-486-Var at various temperatures revealed that the appearance of Group A serological reactivity at lower temperatures is due to the additional synthesis of a polysaccharide with Group A specificity along with the continued synthesis of a variant carbohydrate. This finding contrasts with data obtained on the carbohydrate produced by the intermediate organisms that appears to consist predominently of one molecule bearing dual A and variant antigenic determinants.
Submitted on January 18, 1973
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