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Adaptation of Haemophilus influenzae to acquired and innate humoral immunity based on phase variation of lipopolysaccharide
Author(s) -
Weiser Jeffrey N.,
Pan Nina
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2958.1998.01108.x
Subject(s) - biology , haemophilus influenzae , phase variation , innate immune system , lipopolysaccharide , immunity , adaptation (eye) , acquired immune system , humoral immunity , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , immune system , virulence , genetics , antibiotics , neuroscience , gene
Phase variation in colony morphology has been associated with the pathogenesis of infection caused by Haemophilus influenzae . This study shows that differences in colony opacity in non‐typeable H. influenzae (NTHi) strain H233 involve phase changes in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and depend on the expression of lic1 and lic2 , which contain translational switches based on intragenic tandem repeats of 5′‐CAAT‐3′. Genetic analysis showed that opaque organisms have an out‐of‐frame number of repeats in both lic1 , required for the expression of phosphorylcholine (ChoP), and lic2 , a putative galactosyl transferase that adds the terminal galactose on Galα1‐4Gal. Defined variants in these loci were used to examine the contribution of individual LPS structures to resistance to serum bactericidal activity mediated by antibody and C‐reactive protein (CRP). The addition of ChoP by lic1 was the only factor in serum killing involving CRP and complement. The terminal galactose moiety, in contrast, conferred resistance to killing by naturally acquired antibody and complement present in human serum. As Galα1‐4Gal is also found on human glycolipids, it appears that decoration of the cell surface with this host‐like antigen blocks antibody‐mediated serum bactericidal activity. Genetic analysis of NTHi within the human respiratory tract demonstrated that Galα1‐4Gal may not be expressed during carriage but may be advantageous for the organism in inflammatory states such as pneumonia.