ISSN:
1574-6968
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract: The Escherichia coli capsular polysaccharides (K antigens) K5 and K20 are known as primary receptors for the coliphage φK5 and φK20, respectively. A host range study of the phage revealed that E. coli K5 strains were not only lysed by φK5 but also by φK20, and furthermore that the E. coli K95 test strain was attacked by φK5 in addition to K5 strains. In order to find out whether the phage can degrade the K antigens, the interaction of the phage with isolated polysacharides was studied. It could be demonstrated that φK5 was able to depolymerize the K5 and K95 polysaccharides and that φK20 showed degrading activity towards the antigens K20 and K5. Obviously, each of the phages was associated with two different enzyme systems which enabled them to recognize and depolymerize chemically unrelated polysaccharides.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6968.1991.tb04854.x
