Glycerol phosphate (GroP)-based teichoic acids (TAs) are antigenic cell-wall components found in both enterococcus and staphylococcus species. Their immunogenicity has been explored using both... Show moreGlycerol phosphate (GroP)-based teichoic acids (TAs) are antigenic cell-wall components found in both enterococcus and staphylococcus species. Their immunogenicity has been explored using both native and synthetic structures, but no details have yet been reported on the structural basis of their interaction with antibodies. This work represents the first case study in which a monoclonal antibody, generated against a synthetic TA, was developed and employed for molecular-level binding analysis using TA microarrays, ELISA, SPR-analyses, and STD-NMR spectroscopy. Our findings show that the number and the chirality of the GroP residues are crucial for interaction and that the sugar appendage contributes to the presentation of the backbone to the binding site of the antibody. Show less
Berni, F.; Kalfopoulou, E.; Gimeno Cardells, A.M.; Carboni, F.; Es, D. van der; Romero-Saavedra, F.; ... ; Codée, J.D.C. 2021
Glycerol phosphate (GroP)-based teichoic acids (TAs) are antigenic cell-wall components found in both enterococcus and staphylococcus species. Their immunogenicity has been explored using both... Show moreGlycerol phosphate (GroP)-based teichoic acids (TAs) are antigenic cell-wall components found in both enterococcus and staphylococcus species. Their immunogenicity has been explored using both native and synthetic structures, but no details have yet been reported on the structural basis of their interaction with antibodies. This work represents the first case study in which a monoclonal antibody, generated against a synthetic TA, was developed and employed for molecular-level binding analysis using TA microarrays, ELISA, SPR-analyses, and STD-NMR spectroscopy. Our findings show that the number and the chirality of the GroP residues are crucial for interaction and that the sugar appendage contributes to the presentation of the backbone to the binding site of the antibody. Show less
Berni, F.; Wang, L.; Kalfopoulou, E.; Nguyen, D.L.; Es, D. van der; Hübner, J.; ... ; Codée, J.D.C. 2021
Lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) have been addressed as possible antigen candidates for vaccine development against several opportunistic Gram-positive pathogens. The study of structure-immunogenicity... Show moreLipoteichoic acids (LTAs) have been addressed as possible antigen candidates for vaccine development against several opportunistic Gram-positive pathogens. The study of structure-immunogenicity relationship represents a challenge due to the heterogenicity of LTA extracted from native sources. LTAs are built up from glycerol phosphate (GroP) repeating units and they can be substituted at the C-2-OH with carbohydrate appendages or d-alanine residues. The substitution pattern, but also the absolute chirality of the GroP residues can impact the interaction with chiral biomolecules including antibodies and biosynthesis enzymes. We have generated a set of diastereomeric GroP hexamers bearing a glucosyl modification at one of the residues. The chirality of the glycerol building block had an important impact on the stereoselectivity of the glycosylation reaction between the glycosyl donor and the glycerol C-2-OH acceptor. The GroP C-2-chirality also played an important role in the interaction with TA recognizing antibodies. These findings have important implications for the design and synthesis of synthetic TA fragments for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Show less
Berni, F.; Wang, L.M.; Kalfopoulou, E.; Nguyen, D.L.; Es, D. van der; Huebner, J.; ... ; Codee, J.D.C. 2021
Lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) have been addressed as possible antigen candidates for vaccine development against several opportunistic Gram-positive pathogens. The study of structure-immunogenicity... Show moreLipoteichoic acids (LTAs) have been addressed as possible antigen candidates for vaccine development against several opportunistic Gram-positive pathogens. The study of structure-immunogenicity relationship represents a challenge due to the heterogenicity of LTA extracted from native sources. LTAs are built up from glycerol phosphate (GroP) repeating units and they can be substituted at the C-2-OH with carbohydrate appendages or d-alanine residues. The substitution pattern, but also the absolute chirality of the GroP residues can impact the interaction with chiral biomolecules including antibodies and biosynthesis enzymes. We have generated a set of diastereomeric GroP hexamers bearing a glucosyl modification at one of the residues. The chirality of the glycerol building block had an important impact on the stereoselectivity of the glycosylation reaction between the glycosyl donor and the glycerol C-2-OH acceptor. The GroP C-2-chirality also played an important role in the interaction with TA recognizing antibodies. These findings have important implications for the design and synthesis of synthetic TA fragments for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Show less
Infections caused by Enterococcus spp., are a major concern in the clinical setting. In Enterococcus faecalis, the capsular polysaccharide diheteroglycan (DHG), composed of ß-D-galactofuranose-(1→3... Show moreInfections caused by Enterococcus spp., are a major concern in the clinical setting. In Enterococcus faecalis, the capsular polysaccharide diheteroglycan (DHG), composed of ß-D-galactofuranose-(1→3)-ß-D-glucopyranose repeats, has been described as an important virulence factor and as a potential vaccine candidate against encapsulated strains. Synthetic structures emulating immunogenic polysaccharides present many advantages over native polysaccharides for vaccine development. In this work, we described the synthesis of a library of DHG oligomers, differing in length and order of the monosaccharide constituents. Using suitably protected thioglycoside building blocks, oligosaccharides up to the 8-mer in length built up from either Galf-Glcp or Glcp-Galf dimers were generated and we evaluated their immunoreactivity with antibodies raised against DHG. After the screening, we selected two octasaccharides, having either a galactofuranose or glucopyranose terminus, which were conjugated to a carrier protein for the production of polyclonal antibodies. Resulting antibodies were specific towards the synthetic structures and mediated in-vitro opsonophagocytic killing of different encapsulated E. feacalis strains. The evaluated structures are the first synthetic structures described to elicit antibodies that target encapsulated E. faecalis strains, and are, therefore, promising candidates for the development of a well-defined enterococcal glycoconjugate vaccine. Show less
