Genetically modified L3,7 and L2 lipooligosaccharides from Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B confer a broad cross-bactericidal response.

Currently available Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) vaccines are based on outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that are obtained from wild-type strains. They are purified with the aim of decreasing the lipooligosaccharide (LOS) content and hence reduce the reactogenicity of the vaccine even though LOS is a potential protective antigen. In <2-year-old children, these MenB vaccines confer protection only against strains expressing homologous PorA, a major and variable outer membrane protein.

Enzymic properties of an N-acetylglucosaminide 3-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase of a wheat-germ agglutinin-resistant melanoma clone.

A fucosyltransferase was solubilized by extraction with Triton CF-54 from a wheat-germ agglutinin-resistant variant of mouse B16 melanoma. Through affinity chromatography on GDP hexanolamine--Sepharose a 44-fold enrichment of its specific activity was obtained. Analysis of its specificity indicated that the enzyme is an N-acetylglucosaminide 3-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase, which is able to transfer fucose to oligosaccharides containing Gal(beta 1-4)GlcNAc and Gal(beta 1-4)Glc structures.

Co-purification of the Lewis blood group N-acetylglucosaminide alpha 1 goes to 4 fucosyltransferase and an N-acetylglucosaminide alpha 1 goes to 3 fucosyltransferase from human milk.

The Lewis blood group-specified N-acetylglucosaminide alpha 1 goes to 4 fucosyltransferase and an N-acetylglucosaminide alpha 1 goes to 3 fucosyltransferase have been copurified over 500,000-fold from human milk by affinity chromatography on GDP-hexanolamine agarose. The purified enzyme preparation migrates as two major bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with apparent Mr = 53,000 and 51,000. Analysis of the acceptor substrate specificity of the transferase(s) and structural characterization of the reaction products indicate that the enzyme(s) forms the Fuc alpha 1 goes to 4GlcNAc, Fuc alpha 1 goes to 3GlcNAc, and Fuc alpha 1 goes to 3Glc linkages with oligosaccharide acceptors containing the nonreducing terminal sequences Gal beta 1 goes to 3GlcNAc, Gal beta 1 goes to 4GlcNAc, and Gal beta 1 goes to 4Glc, respectively.