Study of staphylococcus aureus teichoic acid immunodominant site by help of synthetic haptens

Abstract The β ribitol teichoic acid was extracted and purified from Staphylococcus aureus strain Wood 46 and chemically and immunologically characterised. Rabbit antiserum was prepared against formalin killed Staphylococcus aureus cells. Liquid phase immunoprecipitation of the β ribitol teichoic acid-anti- Staphylococcus aureus serum system was studied by laser nephelometry. Various mono- and disaccharides (N-acetyl-glucosamine-ribitol with α- or β-linkage and N-acetyl-glucosamine-ribitol-phosphate with β-linkage) were prepared by organic synthesis, reproducing part of the ribitol teichoic acid molecule. Inhibition by those mono- or disaccharides of the precipitation of the β-ribitol teichoic acid- Staphylococcus aureus antibodies system was studied quantitatively by determining inhibitory ratio of each inhibitor. Glucose, ribitol and glucosamine were weak inhibitors whereas N-acetyl-glucosamine was a better one, stronger than disaccharide with an α-linkage. The β linked disaccharide and β-methyl-N-acetyl-glucosamine gave comparable inhibition and both compounds were effective inhibitors. The most potent inhibitor was phosphorylated β-linked disaccharide which inhibited 25% more than the same disaccharide without phosphorus. Thus, the function of phosphorus in Staphylococcus aureus β ribitol teichoic acid recognition by antibodies was demonstrated.