Bacteriophage Tail-Spike Proteins Enable Detection of Pseudaminic-Acid-Coated Pathogenic Bacteria and Guide the Development of Antiglycan Antibodies with Cross-Species Antibacterial Activity

J Am Chem Soc. 2020 Nov 18;142(46):19446-19450. doi: 10.1021/jacs.0c07314. Epub 2020 Nov 9.

Abstract

Pseudaminic acid (Pse), a unique carbohydrate in surface-associated glycans of pathogenic bacteria, has pivotal roles in virulence. Owing to its significant antigenicity and absence in mammals, Pse is considered an attractive target for vaccination or antibody-based therapies against bacterial infections. However, a specific and universal probe for Pse, which could also be used in immunotherapy, has not been reported. In a prior study, we used a tail spike protein from a bacteriophage (ΦAB6TSP) that digests Pse-containing exopolysaccharide (EPS) from Acinetobacter baumannii strain 54149 (Ab-54149) to form a glycoconjugate for preparing anti-Ab-54149 EPS serum. We report here that a catalytically inactive ΦAB6TSP (I-ΦAB6TSP) retains binding ability toward Pse. In addition, an I-ΦAB6TSP-DyLight-650 conjugate (Dy-I-ΦAB6TSP) was more sensitive in detecting Ab-54149 than an antibody purified from anti- Ab-54149 EPS serum. Dy-I-ΦAB6TSP also cross-reacted with other pathogenic bacteria containing Pse on their surface polysaccharides (e.g., Helicobacter pylori and Enterobacter cloacae), revealing it to be a promising probe for detecting Pse across bacterial species. We also developed a detection method that employs I-ΦAB6TSP immobilized on microtiter plate. These results suggested that the anti-Ab-54149 EPS serum would exhibit cross-reactivity to Pse on other organisms. When this was tested, this serum facilitated complement-mediated killing of H. pylori and E. cloacae, indicating its potential as a cross-species antibacterial agent. This work opens new avenues for diagnosis and treatment of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter baumannii / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Antibodies / chemistry
  • Bacterial Infections / therapy*
  • Bacteriophages / chemistry*
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
  • Enterobacter cloacae / virology
  • Glycoconjugates / chemistry
  • Glycoside Hydrolases
  • Helicobacter pylori / virology
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Serum / chemistry
  • Sugar Acids / chemistry*
  • Sugar Acids / metabolism
  • Sugar Acids / therapeutic use
  • Viral Tail Proteins / chemistry*
  • Viral Tail Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • 5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxynonulosonic acid
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antibodies
  • Glycoconjugates
  • Polysaccharides
  • Sugar Acids
  • Viral Tail Proteins
  • Glycoside Hydrolases
  • tailspike protein, bacteriophage